N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 14
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 (2026)

Breaking or entering into or breaking out of railroad cars, motor vehicles, trailers, aircraft, boats, or other watercraft

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(a) It is unlawful for any person, with the intent to commit any felony or larceny therein, to break or enter any railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind, containing any goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value, or, after having committed any felony or larceny therein, break out of any railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind containing any goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value. It is prima facie evidence that a person entered in violation of this section if the person is found unlawfully in such a railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft.

(a1) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-151, s.1(a), effective December 1, 2023, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date.

(a2) The following classifications apply to an offense under subsection (a) of this section:

(1) An offense is a Class H felony if the goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value taken has a value exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), but no more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), aggregated over a 90-day period, or if all of the following conditions are met:

a. The railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind is owned or operated by any law enforcement agency, the North Carolina National Guard, or any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.

b. The person knows or reasonably should know that the railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind is owned or operated by any law enforcement agency, the North Carolina National Guard, or any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.

c. The offense does not involve the taking of goods, wares, freight, or any other thing of value that would be punishable under subdivision (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection.

(2) An offense is a Class G felony if the goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value taken has a value exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), but no more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), aggregated over a 90-day period.

(3) An offense is a Class F felony if the goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value taken has a value exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), but no more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), aggregated over a 90-day period.

(4) An offense is a Class C felony if the goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value taken has a value exceeding one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), aggregated over a 90-day period.

(5) An offense is a Class I felony for any other offense under subsection (a) of this section that is not otherwise covered under subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection.

(b) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person to break or enter any railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind to provide assistance to a person inside the railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or watercraft of any kind if one or more of the following circumstances exist:

(1) The person acts in good faith to access the person inside the railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or watercraft of any kind in order to provide first aid or emergency health care treatment or because the person inside is, or is in imminent danger of becoming unconscious, ill, or injured.

(2) It is reasonably apparent that the circumstances require prompt decisions and actions in medical, other health care, or other assistance for the person inside the railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or watercraft of any kind.

(3) The necessity of immediate health care treatment or removal of the person from the railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind is so reasonably apparent that any delay in the rendering of treatment or removal would seriously worsen the physical condition or endanger the life of the person.

(c) Acts occurring in more than one county that would constitute a violation of subsection (a) of this section and involve the taking of goods, wares, freight, or any other thing of value may be aggregated into an alleged violation of subsection (a) of this section. Each county where a part of the charged offense occurs has concurrent venue as described in G.S. 15A-132. (1907, c. 468; C.S., s. 4237; 1969, c. 543, s. 5; 1979, c. 437; c. 760, s. 5; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1316, s. 10; 1981, c. 63, s. 1; c. 179, s. 14; 2015-286, s. 3.3(a); 2021-167, s. 1; 2023-151, s. 1(a).)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 33 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: State v. Jackson, 592 S.E.2d 575 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004).
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State v. Jackson, 592 S.E.2d 575 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 18× “The Elements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 Defendant contends that there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction of breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, pursuant to N.”
State v. Clark, 702 S.E.2d 324 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 26× “2d 575, 577 (2004) (emphasis omitted) (citing N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 (2003)). The dispute in the instant case concerns element (5) (“the fifth element”).”
State v. McDowell, 720 S.E.2d 423 (N.C. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 8× “Defendant was charged with breaking or entering a motor vehicle in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 - (2009). “For the State to successfully obtain a conviction for breaking and entering a motor vehicle, the State must prove the following five elements beyond a reasonable…”
State v. Chillo, 705 S.E.2d 394 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 7× “It is prima facie evidence that a person entered in violation of this section if he is found unlawfully in such a railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft.”
State v. Baskin, 660 S.E.2d 566 (N.C. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 4× “The essential elements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 relevant to the case sub judice are: (1) breaking or entering a motor vehicle, (2) with the intent to commit larceny therein.”
State v. McLaughlin, 362 S.E.2d 280 (N.C. 1987). · cites it 6× “” N.C.G.S. § 14-56 (1983) provides, in pertinent part: “If any person with intent to commit any felony or larceny therein, breaks or enters any .”
State v. Bost, 286 S.E.2d 632 (N.C. Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 8× “14-54(a) if it were not for the provisions of G.S. 14-56 which make it a crime to break or enter “any railroad car, motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, or other watercraft of any kind, containing any goods, wares, freight, or other thing of value .”
State v. Douglas, 282 S.E.2d 832 (N.C. Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 8× “14-54 rather than G.S. 14-56. In addition, at the close of all the evidence, defendant made an oral motion requesting the trial court to give the jury special instructions with regard to G.”
State v. Kirkpatrick, 238 S.E.2d 615 (N.C. Ct. App. 1977). · cites it 7× “Each defendant argues that it was error to submit the case to the jury under a felonious breaking or entering charge founded upon G.S. 14-56. Defendants argue that in order for a breaking or entering to constitute a felonious breaking or entering under G.”
State v. Robinson, 777 S.E.2d 755 (N.C. 2015). · cites it 6× “Two superseding indictments charge defendant with “breaking and entering” a motor vehicle in violation of N.C.G.S. § 14-56. We note that section 14-66 references “breaking or entering.”
State v. Smith, 310 S.E.2d 115 (N.C. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 4× “The Breaking or Entering and Larceny Charges One indictment against defendant alleged that defendant broke and entered a motor vehicle in violation of N.C.Gen.Stat. § 14-56 (1981). However, the State's evidence showed that, although the defendant was at the scene, codefendant…”
State v. Clifton, 580 S.E.2d 40 (N.C. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “2d 29 (2000) (where the underlying felony was felonious breaking and entering a motor vehicle, a Class I felony under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56 ). As noted above, the underlying felonies of larceny by false pretense in the present case were Class H felonies.”
Show all 33 citing cases →
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56(a1): 1 case
State v. Thomas, 926 S.E.2d 911 (N.C. 2026).
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-56(a2)(5): 1 case
State v. Thomas, 926 S.E.2d 911 (N.C. 2026).
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