From its southern terminus, US 117 runs along Shipyard Boulevard and College Road, concurrent with North Carolina Highway 132 (NC 132) through Wilmington.

Upon the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, US 17-1 was assigned concurrent with NC 40 from Wilmington to Virginia.

In 2003, the southern terminus of US 117 was adjusted again, rerouting the highway along College Road and Shipyard Boulevard to the Port of Wilmington.

In 2019, average daily traffic volumes along US 117 varied from 1,400 vehicles per day near Watson Road in Wayne County and Great Swamp Loop in southern Wilson County to 56,500 vehicles per day alongside the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Wilmington.

North of New Centre Drive, US 117 and NC 132 makes a slight turn to the northwest, before meeting US 17 Business at a partial cloverleaf interchange with Market Street.

Access to the North Campus of Cape Fear Community College is provided by utilizing Blue Clay Road, which intersects US 117.

US 117 and NC 133 passes through downtown Castle Hayne before crossing the Northeast Cape Fear River and entering into Pender County.

North of the bridge, the highway briefly runs adjacent to the river, before reaching an intersection that marks the point where the US 117 and NC 133 overlap ends.

Entering into a rural area of Pender County, US 117 makes a turn to the northeast north of the terminus of Old Savannah Road and subsequently crosses over I-40.

The highway becomes a four-lane undivided road south of Medical Village Drive and runs through the central business district of Wallace.

US 117 travels 3.3 miles (5.3 km) north of Pickett Street before meeting I-40 and NC 24 at a folded diamond interchange (I-40 exit 369).

The highway completes its northeastern turn as it exits Faison, paralleling both the railroad and US 117 Connector located to the north.

Nearing its northern terminus, US 117 makes a slight turn to the northwest crossing over a pair of railroad tracks operated by CSX Transportation.

[11] The railroad generally followed the US 117 corridor from Wilmington to Wilson, running through Wallace, Warsaw, Mount Olive, and Goldsboro.

[10] A 1916 commission proposed a system of state highways in North Carolina, consistent with the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916.

[12] Upon the creation of the North Carolina State Highway System in 1921, the route between Wilmington and Virginia was assigned as NC 40.

The highway crossed the river near Roanoke Rapids and continued northwest to the Virginia state line.

The highway met NC 481 in Pleasant Hill and turned to the north until reaching the Virginia state line.

Additionally, the highway was predominantly paved by 1926, with the exception of a segment between Halifax and Weldon, and between Roanoke Rapids and Pleasant Hill.

[18] Upon the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System, US 17-1 was assigned along the entirety of NC 40 between Wilmington and Virginia.

Beginning in Conway, the highway ran concurrently with SC 38 to the southeast, running through Socastee, South Carolina to Myrtle Beach.

In Myrtle Beach, US 117 turned to the northeast to follow SC 49 until reaching the North Carolina state line.

The highway generally followed modern-day US 17, running through Shallotte, Supply and Bolivia before crossing a toll bridge into Wilmington.

The highway continued north through Burgaw, Warsaw, and Goldsboro until reaching its northern terminus at US 301/NC 22 southwest of Wilson.

[37] As early as 1993, North Carolina State Highway maps indicated a proposed freeway bypass of US 117 running between Goldsboro and Wilson.

The Surface Transportation Assistance Act specifies that trucks over 48 feet (15 m) in length can utilize only Interstate Highways and specific routes approved by the state.

North Carolina appealed the decision, and on October 12, 2007, the Federal Highway Administration designated I-795 along the freeway between Goldsboro and I-95.

[45] In July 2017, NCDOT awarded a contract to ST Wooten to build two interchanges along US 117 at Country Club Drive and Oberry Road.

[48] NCDOT is planning to improve roughly 24 miles (39 km) of US 117 between I-40 in Sampson County and I-795 in Goldsboro to Interstate Highway standards.

US 117 Business entered the town of Mount Olive from the southwest and continued to run in a northeastern orientation along Breazeale Avenue.