Diamond-like carbon thin films are characterized using the space-charge limited current (SCLC) under electron and hole injection. An electronic density of states diagram derived using SCLC shows similarities to the Davies-Mott model, with localized states within the midgap region and band tailing at the edges of the gap. The density of midgap states for diamond-like carbon is of the order of 10(18) cm(-3) eV(-1) and increases to 10(21) cm(-3) eV(-1) at the localized states associated with the pi-pi* bands. Activation energy and SCLC analysis show a defect state density of the order of 10(19) cm(-3) eV(-1) close to the centre of the band gap.