Order of the Long Leaf Pine Nomination Form: Eligibility and Submission

To submit an Order of the Long Leaf Pine nomination, send a request through the Governor’s Office website at governor.nc.gov with a biography of the nominee and, for anyone who isn’t a state employee, three signed letters of recommendation. The Governor’s Office must receive the complete package at least 90 days before the date you want the certificate ready.¹ You cannot nominate yourself.

Who Qualifies

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is the highest honor a North Carolina Governor bestows, and the criteria sit within the sitting Governor’s sole discretion.² In practice, the Governor’s Office accepts nominations for people with 30 or more years of service in North Carolina, whether through state employment, a professional career, or sustained community involvement and volunteerism. It is also occasionally given as a gesture of friendship and goodwill.¹

A few rules narrow the field before you start:

Self-nominations are not allowed. Someone else must file the request.¹
A person who already holds the Order of the Long Leaf Pine cannot be nominated for the Old North State Award.¹
Nominations for retiring state employees must be submitted within 90 days of the nominee’s retirement date.¹

What You Need to Gather

If any required document is missing, the Governor’s Office returns the nomination and you have to resubmit from scratch.¹ Have everything ready before you open the form.

Biography

Every nomination requires a biography of the nominee. The Governor’s Office wants it to cover years of service in North Carolina, any published works or newspaper coverage, notable leadership roles within a department, organization, or business, and community involvement, volunteerism, and personal stories that speak to character.¹

Letters of Recommendation for Non-State Employees

If the nominee is not a state employee, include three signed letters of recommendation. Recommenders can be anyone who can speak to the nominee’s service, work ethic, character, leadership, or community involvement, including congressional leaders, former teachers, coworkers, community leaders, religious leaders, mentors, or students. Immediate family members cannot serve as recommenders.¹

Statement of Service for State Employees

State employee nominations take a different path. The nomination must be submitted by a Human Resources Officer from the nominee’s agency, who provides a statement of service on agency letterhead clearly stating the nominee’s total years of service.¹ If you are not an HR Officer, coordinate with one at the nominee’s agency early, because they need to be the one who files.

How and When to Submit

Nominations go through the “Request an Award” page on the Governor’s Office website at governor.nc.gov. The form collects the nominee’s identifying information, the nominator’s contact details, and the supporting documents.¹

The deadline is firm: the Governor’s Office must receive the request at least 90 days before the date you want the physical certificate ready. Late requests may not be processed in time for your preferred presentation date.¹ If you are planning around a retirement, anniversary, or other event, work backward from that date and submit with margin to spare.

After You Submit

Once the nomination goes through, you get a confirmation email with a case number in the format ID-XXXX. Keep it; you’ll need it for any follow-up.¹ There is no online portal for tracking status in real time. To check on progress, call 919-814-2000 or email governor.request@nc.gov and reference the case number.

The Governor’s Office reviews the biography, letters, and service records before making a final determination. Beyond the 90-day advance window, no specific review timeline is published, so submitting early is the surest way to avoid timing problems.

What the Recipient Receives

An honoree named to the Order receives a certificate signed by the Governor conferring the rank of “Ambassador Extraordinary,” along with the privilege of proposing the traditional North Carolina Toast in select company anywhere in the world.² The recipient’s name and award date are recorded on a permanent roster maintained by the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society. Society membership is separate and optional: after receiving the award, honorees can enroll in the Society’s Directory.³

If the Nominee Has Less Than 30 Years of Service

The Old North State Award is a separate, lower-tier honor for people with 20 or more years of service in North Carolina. The nomination process mirrors the Long Leaf Pine: a biography is required, non-state employee nominations need three signed letters of recommendation, state employee nominations must come from a Human Resources Officer with a statement of service, and the 90-day advance submission rule applies. Someone who has already received the Long Leaf Pine cannot be nominated for the Old North State Award.¹

1
NC Governor. Request an Award
2
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society. Order of the Long Leaf Pine
3
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society