N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 116
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311 (2026)

Institutions of higher education; tuition liability limitation

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to G.S. 116-312, an institution of higher education shall have immunity from claims by an individual, if all of the following apply:

(1) The claim arises out of or is in connection with tuition or fees paid to the institution of higher education for the spring academic semester of 2020.

(2) The claim alleges losses or damages arising from an act or omission by the institution of higher education during or in response to COVID-19, the COVID-19 emergency declaration, or the COVID-19 essential business executive order.

(3) The alleged act or omission by the institution of higher education was reasonably related to protecting the public health, safety, or welfare in response to the COVID-19 emergency declaration, COVID-19 essential business executive order, or applicable guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(4) The institution of higher education offered remote learning options for enrolled students during the spring academic semester of 2020 that allowed students to complete the semester coursework.

(b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to losses or damages that resulted solely from a breach of an express contractual provision allocating liability in the event of a pandemic event.

(c) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to losses or damages caused by an act or omission of the institution of higher education that was in bad faith or malicious. (2020-70, s. 1.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2022–2023 · leading case: Dieckhaus v. Bd. of Governors of The Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2023).
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Dieckhaus v. Bd. of Governors of The Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 72× “) First, Defendant argued Plaintiffs’ claims were barred by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311 , which is part of Article 37 entitled “An Act to Provide Immunity for Institutions of Higher Learning.”
Lannan v. Bd. of Governors of the Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2022). “§ 116-311 (eff. 1 July 2020). There would be no need for this separate immunity statute if the General Assembly believed sovereign immunity already 7Defendant also did not submit any additional authorities, which “may be brought to the attention of the court by filing a…”
Lannan v. Bd. of Governors of the Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2022). “§ 116-311 (eff. 1 July 2020). There would be no need for this separate immunity statute if the General Assembly believed sovereign immunity already 7Defendant also did not submit any additional authorities, which “may be brought to the attention of the court by filing a…”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311(a): 1 case
Dieckhaus v. Bd. of Governors of The Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2023). “) First, Defendant argued Plaintiffs’ claims were barred by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311 , which is part of Article 37 entitled “An Act to Provide Immunity for Institutions of Higher Learning.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311(a)(4): 1 case
Dieckhaus v. Bd. of Governors of The Univ. of N.C. (N.C. Ct. App. 2023). “) First, Defendant argued Plaintiffs’ claims were barred by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-311 , which is part of Article 37 entitled “An Act to Provide Immunity for Institutions of Higher Learning.”
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