Soil labs by state
North Carolina
North Carolina homeowner soil testing is handled by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through Agronomic Services, not directly by a university lab. Residents can get official soil sample boxes through local Cooperative Extension offices and may submit samples by mail, in person, or sometimes through a county Extension courier.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State soil lab
- NCDA&CS Agronomic Division Soil Testing Lab
- Lab website
- Official page →
- Basic test price
- Free April 1-November 30, 2026; $5 per sample beginning December 1, 2026
- Find your county Extension office
- Official page →
Official resources in North Carolina
Main official soil-testing page with current service details, fees, homeowner/commercial links, and report access.
Homeowner-specific instructions on eligibility, sample boxes, forms, and common questions.
Official submission instructions covering online/manual forms, packaging, mailing addresses, courier option, and in-person drop-off.
Official page for homeowner predictive and diagnostic soil submission forms.
Official county Extension office finder for local Cooperative Extension centers across North Carolina.
Key facts for North Carolina
- NCDA&CS says homeowner samples must be collected from property located in North Carolina.
- NCDA&CS requires samples to be submitted only in official NCDA&CS soil sample boxes.
- NCDA&CS says sample boxes can be picked up at local NC State Cooperative Extension offices or the Agronomic Services loading dock in Raleigh.
- NCDA&CS lists homeowner submission options as online/manual form plus mail, county Extension courier where available, or in-person drop-off.
- NCDA&CS says soil testing is free from April 1-November 30, 2026, and $5 per sample beginning December 1, 2026.
- NC State Extension says Cooperative Extension has county centers in all 100 North Carolina counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
What to do next
- Pick up an official NCDA&CS soil sample box from your county Cooperative Extension office before sampling.
- Use the homeowner submission form and include the crop code for what you plan to grow, or recommendations will not be provided.
- Check your county Extension center using the county-center finder to ask whether local courier drop-off for soil samples is available.
Helpful guides
- How to take a soil sample for a lab test
- University soil labs vs. private labs vs. home kits
- How to read a soil test report
- Soil pH and lime: what your test is telling you