The free ferry to Ocracoke Island, departing where NC-12 finally runs out
At the far south end of NC-12, where Hatteras village runs out of pavement, the road ends at a wide staging lot and a line of vehicles waiting for the boat. This is the Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry terminal, the departure point for the free NC ferry across Hatteras Inlet — one of the state ferry system's toll-free routes.
The terminal itself is a working NCDOT facility rather than a destination in its own right — a staging lot, a small office, and the loading ramp — but it marks a real hinge point in the island's geography: south of here, NC-12 simply stops, and the only way onward is by water.
Yes. The Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry is one of North Carolina's toll-free ferry routes, so there's no charge for vehicles or walk-on passengers to make the crossing.
No. The Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry doesn't take reservations — you simply drive to the Hatteras Ferry Terminal at the south end of NC-12, get in line, and wait your turn to board.
The crossing over Hatteras Inlet takes roughly an hour, though the exact time can shift somewhat depending on weather and current conditions.
Yes, the Hatteras Ferry Terminal accommodates both vehicles and walk-on passengers for the crossing to Ocracoke Island.
Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry sailings run more frequently in peak season and thin out in the off-season rather than sticking to a fixed schedule, so it's worth checking current departure times and building in slack before a same-day return trip.
Yes. South of the Hatteras Ferry Terminal, NC-12 simply ends, so the free ferry across Hatteras Inlet is the only way to continue on to Ocracoke Island from there.
516 reviews
a month ago
2nd leg of our trip to Hatteras in our 38ft Renegade RV. This is first come & free. There are Priority vehicles that go first. Staff were scrambling to get us on fast. A little hurried for a first time voyager but no issues. Good directions getting off the ferry. It was tight but again no issues.
5 months ago
The ferry terminal was clean, very clean and stocked restrooms. They did have vending machines but they were almost completely empty. The ferry itself did not depart on schedule the day we were traveling to Ocracoke, it left 90 minutes late. The ferry on the way back to Hatteras from Ocracoke left right on time. Clean ferry, friendly employees. A great way to enjoy the views for free!
3 months ago
A little over an hour one way from Hatteras to Okracoke, free, very easy to get your car in a line and board and depart the ferry. Ferry holds about 25 cars worth of space, got on the 7 am Hatteras to Okracoke and 1 pm back on a Saturday arriving only 10 minutes early, but we were definitely the last cars on. There is a lounge and restroom on the ferry, or tou cans stay in your car and chill, snack, etc.
4 months ago
Very nice ferry and it’s free but the system needs some work. We got there at 1:20 and thought would make it to the 2pm one but they let other cars through from the farthest right lane. Now we did lack research and didn’t know that it could take hours waiting to get on the ferry unlike when we took a ferry from Fisher to Southport. We honestly thought we got in the wrong line and it’s our first time taking this ferry. Workers said it goes from right lane to the left, doesn’t matter which lane got filled up first I guess because we saw cars that just got to the right lane and got on the next ferry out right away while we’ve just been sitting here waiting. They claimed the cars have been there since 11:30am…. Well we saw the car that came right after us with a boat trailer and got on right away too so not exactly sure who to believe. They just go with whatever they feel like it I guess. Also not the nicest workers. Might be better to take the paid ferry next time.
2 months ago
I think this is my first negative review ever posted. This is, without question, the worst ferry experience we’ve had in 36 years of coming here. I might never visit ocracoke island again because of this. The North Carolina ferry system is completely unprepared for a holiday weekend. They simply are not running enough ferries, and the result is absolute chaos. Hundreds of people are being herded around like cattle in the middle of a parking lot in the blazing heat with little communication and no realistic idea of when they’ll ever get on a ferry. What blows my mind is the complete lack of common sense from a business and tourism perspective. You have thousands of people sitting here, excited to go to Ocracoke, ready to spend money at local restaurants, shops, hotels, and businesses. Instead of getting visitors onto the island where they can support the local economy, they’re forced to spend their entire day trapped in a parking lot because there simply aren’t enough ferries running. It’s a holiday weekend. This isn’t a surprise. Everyone knew the demand was coming. Why wasn’t the ferry system prepared? This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s an embarrassment. Families, children, and elderly passengers are wasting hours in extreme heat with no certainty of when they’ll move. North Carolina should be ashamed of how poorly this ferry system is being managed during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. If you’re planning a trip to Ocracoke over a holiday weekend, I’d strongly encourage you to reconsider. Unless you’re comfortable losing an entire day sitting in a parking lot waiting for a ferry that may or may not come, choose another destination.