I live in NC too and had the same issue. Just found this on the NCDOR website :( :
- The NCDOR anticipates accepting 2022 Individual Income tax returns by Friday, Feb. 3.
Although the NCDOR anticipates that we will begin accepting returns by Feb. 3, it will be early March before we can begin processing and validating return information and issuing refunds.
https://www.ncdor.gov/news/press-releases/2023/01/20/ncdor-announces-opening-business-and-individual...
