Can you leave a child home alone in NC now that school is out? What the law and experts say

Mary Ramsey
·3 min read

Summer vacation is here for youngsters, and that means plenty of parents and guardians throughout North Carolina now have to keep their kids occupied throughout the day for weeks.

In addition to summer camps and other childcare programs, state law is relatively lax about kids being allowed to stay home alone.

Still, there are some regulations in place to be aware of. And experts say it’s important to think through whether your child is ready to be home alone and to make sure they’re prepared to care for themselves without adult supervision.

Here’s what to know about safely and legally leaving kids home alone in North Carolina:

At what age can you leave a child home alone in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, the only rule on the books related to an age range for kids left home alone is the state fire code, which says kids 8 years old or younger shouldn’t be left unsupervised.

When are kids ready to be left home alone?

Although there are limited rules in place in North Carolina about kids left home alone, experts say it’s important to evaluate whether your child is ready to be alone carefully.

“There is no magic age when children develop the maturity and skills they need to stay home alone,” the NC Pediatric Society says. “Some children display these abilities around age 12, or even sooner; others do so when they’re older.”

There are multiple questions to ask yourself about your child’s readiness, per the organization, including:

  • Whether your child wants to be home alone

  • Whether your child is capable of distinguishing an emergency from a non-emergency and capable of calling for help if an emergency does happen

  • Whether your child has a history of “drugs, alcohol, shoplifting, setting fires, or other behaviors of concern”

  • And whether your child has “any medical conditions that could make staying home alone dangerous”

If you’re unsure about your kid’s ability to be home alone, the society recommends discussing the issue with your child’s pediatrician.

How to prepare kids for staying home alone

If your child is going to be alone, it’s important to set clear rules and expectations with them, the state Department of Public Safety says.

Before you leave, DPS recommends you “safeguard the home by securing poisons, alcohol, firearms or any other items that could pose a threat to the child.”

Make sure your kid knows how to call 911 and go over all emergency plans, such as fire escape procedures, with them, DPS adds.

Parents and guardians should leave their child with “a list of phone numbers including how to contact the parent or guardian, doctor, other relatives, and trusted individuals,” as well as make sure they have their address and phone number memorized.

DPS also recommends parents and guardians

  • Leave kids with a first-aid kit

  • Make sure the child knows to keep doors and windows locked

  • Make sure the child knows “never to open the door to a stranger or let anyone unfamiliar to them know — either on the phone or at the door — that they are without adult supervision.”

  • Check in with the child while away

  • And make sure younger kids know not to use heat appliances, such as ovens, stoves, and toasters.