Entirely in Northampton County, it helps facilitate truck traffic parallel to I-95 and connects the communities of Seaboard and Margarettsville.

The first 3.4 miles (5.5 km) parallel I-95 heading south before joining NC 46 towards Garysburg.

Once in Garysburg, its concurrency with NC 46 ends and then briefly overlaps with US 301 before it heads in a northeasterly direction out of town.

[citation needed] It remained unchanged until May 21, 2013, when it was extended west and north from its former terminus at US 301 to NC 48.

The justification for the extension was to help facilitate truck traffic and serve the Northampton Commerce Park and Enviva Industrial Facility, on what was SR 1200 (Lebanon Church Road and James Jones Road); it can also be used as an alternate route for I-95 in the event traffic has to be rerouted.