Abstract An annotated check list of the North American species of Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) is presented, consisting of 3693 species. One-hundred and sixty-six taxonomic changes are proposed, consisting of 13 species- group taxa accorded species status (stat. n. and stat. rev.), 2 revalidated genus-group taxa (stat. rev.), and 2 family-group taxa raised to subfamily. Sixty-nine species-group taxa are downgraded to junior synonyms or subspecies (stat. n., syn. rev., and syn. n.), and 6 genera relegated to synonymy. Sixty-seven new or revised generic combinations are proposed. No new taxa are described. Six non-native species now believed to be established in North America are documented for the first time, namely Simplicia cornicalis (Fabricius, 1794), Nola cucullatella (Linnaeus, 1758), Tyta luctuosa ([Denis & Schiffermuller], 1775), Oligia latruncula ([Denis & Schiffermuller], 1775), Niphonyx segregata (Butler, 1878) and Hecatera dysodea ([Denis & Schiffermuller], 1775). The check list is arranged according to species membership in higher-level taxa (family, subfamily, tribe, subtribe), based on the most recent working hypotheses of a comprehensive phylogenetic framework for the Noctuoidea.