[2] Carter was born in 1900 in Mount Morgan, Queensland, to parents Joseph Frederick Carter and his wife Clara Jane (née Vickers).

He attended state schools in Mount Morgan and Red Hill and, from 1916 until he entered politics, he worked for Queensland Rail.

Carter won the state seat of Fitzroy in 1929 for the CPNP.

After his retirement from politics, Carter managed a hotel in Sydney from 1941 until 1967.

[2] He died in Rosalie, Queensland in 1969[2] and was buried at Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery, Brisbane.