Are utilities considered part of rent in North Carolina?

It depends on the lease. If the North Carolina lease bundles utilities into the monthly rent (one combined number, paid to the landlord), they are part of rent for purposes of the rent cap, the deposit cap, and rent increase notice. If the lease separates them (tenant pays the utility company directly, or pays a separate utility allowance to the landlord), they are usually NOT part of rent. North Carolina has no statewide advance notice specific to rent increases. NCGS 42-14 sets 1-month notice for year-to-year termination; 30-day month-to-month notice is the default practice for rent changes. No state rent cap. A landlord who shifts utilities from "included" to "tenant pays" mid-tenancy without proper notice is effectively raising rent and must comply with the rent increase notice rules. Some North Carolina jurisdictions also require RUBS (ratio utility billing system) or sub-metering disclosures before splitting utilities. The key question: does the change increase the tenant's net monthly out-of-pocket cost? If yes, treat it as a rent increase.

Source: NCGS 42-14 (30-day month-to-month termination default)