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North Carolina court records

Who holds it: Statewide North Carolina Judicial Branch with a clerk of superior court office in each county; terminals at any county clerk's office search the court system1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Fees
  2. What is public and what is sealed
  3. More details
  4. Related records in North Carolina
  5. Court records in North Carolina counties with a full guide
  6. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  7. Sources

Fees

Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction2

Statewide case search

Portal (Tyler-hosted, linked from nccourts.gov): search online by name, case number, attorney and more; not for background checks3

Fees

Certificate under seal fee
$3.002
Exemplification fee
$10.002

What is public and what is sealed

Public terminals
Free self-service statewide search at public computers in any courthouse; not certified, printing charges may apply3
What is public
Clerk records are open to public inspection during office hours except as prohibited by law: civil, special proceedings, estates, criminal, judgments, liens, lis pendens4
Sealed and confidential records
Juvenile and involuntary hospitalization proceedings are confidential; permission from the court is needed for those recordings1
Bulk access
Remote Public Access licensing from NCAOC for real-time access or bulk extracts3

More details

Paper files
Paper file is at the clerk's office in the county where the case is located1
Expunctions
Some charges or convictions can be expunged5
Appellate
ncappellatecourts.org Appellate court site linked from the Judicial Branch home page6
Criminal history checks: who may order
SBI Right to Review: the individual. Others: use the clerk of court7
Divorce records: who holds it
Clerk of Superior Court in the county where filed holds the decree; NC Vital Records holds certificates 1958 to present8
Probate: who holds it
Clerk of Superior Court; wills filed after death become public record9

Court records in North Carolina counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Alamance County—Alamance County Superior and District Courts10Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction11
Brunswick County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Brunswick County12Copies: $2.00 first page of each document (statewide statute)13
Buncombe County—Superior Court and District Court14Fees: copies: Regular copies $2 first page, $0.25 each additional; certified $3; exemplified $1015
Cabarrus County—Superior Court and District Court in Cabarrus County16Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page17
Catawba County—Catawba County Superior Court18
Catawba County District Court18		—
Cleveland County—Superior Court and District Court19—
Craven County—Superior Court20
District Court20		Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction21
Cumberland County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Cumberland County22Copies $2.00 first page of each document (statewide statute G.S. 7A-308)23
Davidson County—Superior Court and District Court24Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page; certificate under seal $3.00 (G.S. 7A-308, statewide)25
Durham County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Durham County26Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page (statewide statute)27
Forsyth County—Forsyth County Superior and District Courts28Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction29
Gaston County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Gaston County30Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page (statewide statute, G.S. 7A-308)31
Guilford County—Superior Court and District Court (NC Judicial Branch), Guilford County Courthouse Greensboro and High Point32Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page; certificate under seal $3.00 (G.S. 7A-308, statewide)33
Harnett County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Harnett County34Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction35
Henderson County—Superior Court and District Court (North Carolina Judicial Branch), Henderson County Courthouse36Fees: copies: Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction37
Iredell County—Iredell County Superior and District Courts38Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction39
Johnston County—Superior Court40
District Court41		Copies: $2.00 first page, $0.25 each additional page42
Mecklenburg County—Superior and District Court, Mecklenburg County43$2.00 first page; $0.25 each additional page44
Moore County—Moore County Superior and District Courts45Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page46
New Hanover County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, New Hanover County47Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page (statewide statute, G.S. 7A-308)48
Orange County—Orange County Superior and District Court49—
Pitt County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Pitt County50Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page (G.S. 7A-308)51
Randolph County——Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page52
Robeson County——$2.00 first page, $0.25 each additional page (general clerk copy fee)53
Rowan County—Superior Court and District Court (NC Judicial Branch), Rowan County54Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page; certificate under seal $3.00; certified criminal record search $25 (G.S. 7A-308, statewide)55
Wake County—North Carolina Superior and District Court, Wake County56Copies $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page (statewide statute)57
Wayne County—Superior Court and District Court (North Carolina Judicial Branch), Wayne County Courthouse58Fees: copies: Copies: $2.00 first page of each document, $0.25 each additional page or fraction59

For any other county, see the county list on the North Carolina guide.

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any North Carolina office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: court records in every state. Everything else in North Carolina: North Carolina public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Obtaining Court Records | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  2. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  3. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  4. G.S. 7A-109NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  5. Court Records | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  6. The North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  7. NCSBI - Personal ReviewNC State Bureau of Investigationchecked November 4, 2026
  8. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: DivorceNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  9. Estates | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  10. eCourts Portal home (North Carolina Judicial Branch, hosted by Tyler Technologies)North Carolina Judicial Branch (Tyler Technologies host)checked November 6, 2026
  11. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  12. Brunswick County | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  13. G.S. 7A-308North Carolina General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  14. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  15. Clerk of Superior CourtBuncombe County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  16. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  17. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  18. Criminal Background CheckNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  19. Public Records RequestsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  20. WillsCraven Countychecked November 8, 2026
  21. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 8, 2026
  22. Obtaining court recordsNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  23. G.S. 7A-308 Miscellaneous feesNorth Carolina General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  24. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  25. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  26. Clerk of Superior CourtDurham County (county-hosted page for the NC Judicial Branch clerk)checked November 4, 2026
  27. G.S. 7A-308 Miscellaneous feesNorth Carolina General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  28. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  29. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  30. Gaston CountyNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 5, 2026
  31. G.S. 7A-308North Carolina General Assemblychecked November 5, 2026
  32. Criminal Background CheckNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  33. G.S. 7A-308 Miscellaneous feesNorth Carolina General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  34. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  35. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  36. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  37. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  38. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  39. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  40. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  41. Johnston County (court location page)North Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  42. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  43. Mecklenburg County CourthouseNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  44. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  45. Moore County | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  46. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  47. New Hanover CountyNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 5, 2026
  48. G.S. 7A-308North Carolina General Assemblychecked November 5, 2026
  49. Criminal background check (court records)North Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  50. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 5, 2026
  51. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 5, 2026
  52. G.S. 7A-308 Miscellaneous feesNorth Carolina General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  53. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  54. Criminal Background CheckNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  55. G.S. 7A-308North Carolina General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  56. Criminal Background Check | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  57. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  58. Wayne County | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  59. G.S. 7A-308NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026