If you’re a professional in North Carolina facing a licensing complaint or investigation, you may be wondering: How bad will it get? Surprisingly, the state licensing boards aren’t always aiming to strip your license outright. But without proper advocacy, you risk a harsher outcome than necessary. In most cases, you can expect one or more of a few “softer” penalties before a full suspension or revocation is considered.

When a complaint is filed against a licensed professional in North Carolina, some boards allow the licensee to submit a written statement before moving forward with an interview or formal investigation. This early opportunity is critical. A well-crafted statement lets the professional (not the complainant) control the narrative and frame the issues before the case escalates.

Once a complaint is received, the board will decide whether to formally investigate. In some cases, a board may accept the complaint only “as information” if it appears to lack merit. In practice, though, nearly every complaint gets reviewed and investigated to some degree, regardless of how strong or weak it seems at first glance.

If you’re a licensed professional in North Carolina under investigation by your licensing board, one of your first questions is likely: “How long will this take?” The honest answer is that it depends. Some investigations are resolved within a few weeks; others can take months or even years before a board reaches a decision.

A summary suspension is one of the most drastic measures a North Carolina licensing board can take. It allows the board to immediately suspend a professional’s license—often at the very beginning of an investigation—sometimes based only on the allegations in the initial complaint.

If you’ve gone through the entire disciplinary process with your licensing board and exhausted all administrative remedies, North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. §150B, Article 4) allows you to appeal the board’s final decision to Superior Court. However, time is of the essence.

If you’re a licensed professional in North Carolina and receive a complaint from your licensing board, it can be tempting to ignore it—especially if you believe the allegations are unfounded. This is a critical mistake.