N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-164.38 — Tax is a lien

(a) The tax imposed by this Article is a lien upon all personal property of any person who is required by this Article to obtain a certificate of registration to engage in business and who stops engaging in the business by transferring the business, transferring the stock of goods of the business, or going out of business. A person who stops engaging in business must file the return required by this Article within 30 days after transferring the business, transferring the stock of goods of the business, or going out of business. (b) Any person to whom the business or the stock of goods was transferred must withhold from the consideration paid for the business or stock of goods an amount sufficient to cover the taxes due until the person selling the business or stock of goods produces a statement from the Secretary showing that the taxes have been paid or that no taxes are due. If the person who buys a business or stock of goods fails to withhold an amount sufficient to cover the taxes and the taxes remain unpaid after the 30-day period allowed, the buyer is personally liable for the unpaid taxes to the extent of the greater of the following: (1) The consideration paid by the buyer for the business or the stock of goods. (2) The fair market value of the business or the stock of goods. (c) Assessment. - The period of limitations for assessing liability against the buyer of a business or the stock of goods of a business and for enforcing the lien against the property expires one year after the end of the period of limitations for assessment against the person who sold the business or the stock of goods. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the assessment procedures in Article 9 of this Chapter apply to a person who buys a business or the stock of goods of a business to the same extent as if the person had incurred the original tax liability. (1957, c. 1340, s. 5; 1963, c. 1169, s. 3; 1973, c. 476, s. 193; 1991, c. 690, s. 6; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 949, s. 2; 2000-140, s. 67(c); 2007-491, s. 20.)