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NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4 (2026)

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(a) Parties to a premarital agreement may contract with respect to:

(1) The rights and obligations of each of the parties in any of the property of either or both of them whenever and wherever acquired or located;

(2) The right to buy, sell, use, transfer, exchange, abandon, lease, consume, expend, assign, create a security interest in, mortgage, encumber, dispose of, or otherwise manage and control property;

(3) The disposition of property upon separation, marital dissolution, death, or the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any other event;

(4) The modification or elimination of spousal support;

(5) The making of a will, trust, or other arrangement to carry out the provisions of the agreement;

(6) The ownership rights in and disposition of the death benefit from a life insurance policy;

(7) The choice of law governing the construction of the agreement; and

(8) Any other matter, including their personal rights and obligations, not in violation of public policy or a statute imposing a criminal penalty.

(b) The right of a child to support may not be adversely affected by a premarital agreement. (1987, c. 473, s. 1.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases, 1991–2018 · leading case: Williams v. Williams, 463 S.E.2d 815 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995).
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Williams v. Williams, 463 S.E.2d 815 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 14× “There is no justification for adhering to a different public policy with regard to non-property postmarital agreements, especially when the agreement, as in this case, is entered into between married parties who are not living together.”
Stewart v. Stewart, 541 S.E.2d 209 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 6× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3). The Act defines “property” as “an interest, present or future” in “property, including income and earnings.”
Jodi Lynn Erpelding v. Timothy John Erpelding, 917 N.W.2d 235 (Iowa 2018). “B(1)(a) (defining maintenance); North Carolina, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52B-4(a)(4) (West, Westlaw through 2017 Reg.”
In Re Marriage of Pendleton & Fireman, 5 P.3d 839 (Cal. 2000). · cites it 2× “§ 37:2-34); North Carolina (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4); North Dakota (N.”
Kornegay v. Robinson, 625 S.E.2d 805 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “The agreement then waived all marital rights, including intestacy rights, but permitted each party to make specific devises, bequests, and legacies to the other, as specifically permitted by N.C. Gen.Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3) (2005). Such an agreement between individuals with prior…”
Muchmore v. Trask, 666 S.E.2d 667 (N.C. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 3× “See N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(a)(4) (1995). Thus, under our doctrine of lex loci contractus, the waivers in issue are presumed valid per California law.”
Prevatte v. Prevatte, 411 S.E.2d 386 (N.C. Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 3× “We are aware that under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(a)(4) (1987), parties to a premarital agreement can modify or eliminate spousal support.”
Napier v. Napier, 520 S.E.2d 312 (N.C. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 3× “…contexts not relevant to this case. For example, alimony can be waived pursuant to a valid premarital agreement. N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(4) (1987).”
Huntley v. Huntley, 538 S.E.2d 239 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4 (1999). Therefore, we conclude that the trial court erred in allowing the husband an equitable distribution of the marital property.”
Davis v. Davis (N.C. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “Paragraph I(A) states that the parties to the contract, Virgil and Plaintiff, release “any claim of the other Party, upon separation or otherwise, without regard to any time or effort invested during the course of the marriage in the maintenance, management, or improvement of…”
Jodi Lynn Erpelding v. Timothy John Erpelding, 911 N.W.2d 397 (Iowa 2018). “B(1)(a) (defining maintenance); North Carolina, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52B-4(a)(4) (West, Westlaw through 2017 Reg.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(4) — 1 case
Napier v. Napier, 520 S.E.2d 312 (N.C. Ct. App. 1999). “…contexts not relevant to this case. For example, alimony can be waived pursuant to a valid premarital agreement. N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(4) (1987).”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a) — 1 case
Williams v. Williams, 463 S.E.2d 815 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995). “There is no justification for adhering to a different public policy with regard to non-property postmarital agreements, especially when the agreement, as in this case, is entered into between married parties who are not living together.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3) — 3 cases
Kornegay v. Robinson, 625 S.E.2d 805 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). “The agreement then waived all marital rights, including intestacy rights, but permitted each party to make specific devises, bequests, and legacies to the other, as specifically permitted by N.C. Gen.Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3) (2005). Such an agreement between individuals with prior…”
Stewart v. Stewart, 541 S.E.2d 209 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3). The Act defines “property” as “an interest, present or future” in “property, including income and earnings.”
Davis v. Davis (N.C. Ct. App. 2014). “Paragraph I(A) states that the parties to the contract, Virgil and Plaintiff, release “any claim of the other Party, upon separation or otherwise, without regard to any time or effort invested during the course of the marriage in the maintenance, management, or improvement of…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(4) — 5 cases
Jodi Lynn Erpelding v. Timothy John Erpelding, 917 N.W.2d 235 (Iowa 2018). “B(1)(a) (defining maintenance); North Carolina, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52B-4(a)(4) (West, Westlaw through 2017 Reg.”
Stewart v. Stewart, 541 S.E.2d 209 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3). The Act defines “property” as “an interest, present or future” in “property, including income and earnings.”
Muchmore v. Trask, 666 S.E.2d 667 (N.C. Ct. App. 2008). “See N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(a)(4) (1995). Thus, under our doctrine of lex loci contractus, the waivers in issue are presumed valid per California law.”
Prevatte v. Prevatte, 411 S.E.2d 386 (N.C. Ct. App. 1991). “We are aware that under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, N.C.G.S. § 52B-4(a)(4) (1987), parties to a premarital agreement can modify or eliminate spousal support.”
Jodi Lynn Erpelding v. Timothy John Erpelding, 911 N.W.2d 397 (Iowa 2018). “B(1)(a) (defining maintenance); North Carolina, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52B-4(a)(4) (West, Westlaw through 2017 Reg.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(l) — 1 case
Stewart v. Stewart, 541 S.E.2d 209 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 52B-4(a)(3). The Act defines “property” as “an interest, present or future” in “property, including income and earnings.”
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