North Carolina Criminal Court Records Search: Cases & Dockets

Independent North Carolina court records guide

North Carolina Criminal Court Records Search: Cases, Dockets, Court Dates, Copies and Public Records

Use this guide to search North Carolina criminal court records, eCourts Portal case information, criminal dockets, court dates, clerk of court records, certified copies, SBI background checks, offender records, registry records and federal PACER cases.

North Carolina criminal court records are not the same as a statewide criminal-history report. Court records show case activity in the judicial system, while SBI background checks, prison records, probation/parole records and federal court records use separate official routes.

Official North Carolina sources reviewed October 13, 2026

NC eCourts Portal Criminal dockets Clerk records SBI checks No HTML H1

Open NC eCourts Portal Court Records Help NC SBI Background Checks

Independent website notice: CriminalCourtRecord.org is an independent public-information guide. It is not the North Carolina Judicial Branch, any Clerk of Superior Court, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, PACER, any court, any law-enforcement agency, or any background-check company. This page does not run a background check, does not provide legal advice, and does not guarantee that any record exists.

Start With the Correct North Carolina Court Records Route

Use NC eCourts Portal for online court case information, court dates, hearing searches and payments where available. Use a public self-service terminal at a clerk of court office for courthouse access to criminal case information. Use the clerk of court in the county where the case is filed for paper files, copies, certified records, audio-recording requests and official document questions.

A criminal court docket is not the same as a statewide criminal-history background check. Use North Carolina SBI for state criminal-history background checks, NC Department of Adult Correction for state offender information, the NC Sex Offender Registry for registered sex-offender information and PACER for federal court cases.

Choose Record Type Official Links Responsible Use

Quick Answer: How To Search North Carolina Criminal Court Records

To search North Carolina criminal court records, start with NC eCourts Portal for online case information and court dates. If you need courthouse access, use the public self-service terminal at a clerk of court office. If you need official copies, certified documents, paper files or audio recordings, contact the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the case was filed. For a statewide criminal-history background check, use North Carolina SBI instead of relying on Portal alone.

Online case search Use NC eCourts Portal for public case information, hearings, records and payments.

Courthouse search Use a public self-service terminal at a clerk of court office.

Official copies Request copies from the clerk in the county where the case is filed.

Background check Use NC SBI for a state criminal-history background check.

Most common mistake: A court case search is not automatically a complete criminal background check. For employment, licensing, immigration or official review, use the exact route requested by the agency or attorney.

Which North Carolina Criminal Court Records Source Should You Use?

North Carolina court records, court calendars, clerk files, SBI background checks, offender records and federal records answer different questions. Choose the source based on what you need to prove.

Need	Best official route	What it can show	What it does not prove by itself
Criminal case information	NC eCourts Portal / clerk public terminal	Case number, party information, court location, case activity, judgments or hearings where public	Complete SBI criminal-history record or federal criminal record
Criminal dockets or court dates	Portal Search Hearings / NC court calendars	Hearing location, time, courtroom, party or case number where available	Final disposition or conviction
Certified copy or paper file	Clerk of court in the county where the case is filed	Certified judgment, docket, order, disposition or filed document if public/available	Statewide criminal-history beyond that file
State criminal-history background check	North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation	State criminal-history information based on SBI process and request type	Every court document or federal court record
State prison, probation or parole information	NC Department of Adult Correction offender search	State prison offenders, probationers and parolees where public	Complete court docket or all arrests
Sex-offender registry information	NC SBI Sex Offender Registry / NSOPW	Registered sex-offender public registry data	Complete criminal-history record
Federal criminal case	PACER or PACER Case Locator	Federal district, bankruptcy and appellate case records where available	North Carolina state court records

Official North Carolina Criminal Court Records Links and What To Do After Opening

Use these official links for final searches, court dockets, clerk records, certified-copy requests, background checks, offender searches, registry searches and federal case research.

Online court records

NC eCourts Portal

Use for: Public online case information, hearings, court records, judgments and online criminal payments where available.

After opening: Use Smart Search for case information, Search Hearings for court dates, and Make Payments for eligible criminal fees or fines.

Check before relying: Portal results are not the same as certified court copies or an SBI background check.

Open NC eCourts Portal

Court records help

Obtaining Court Records

Use for: Criminal case information, paper files, copies, public terminals, transcripts and court-record instructions.

After opening: Read the criminal-case and court-record sections, then contact the clerk in the county where the case is located.

Check before relying: Copies may require fees and some records may be confidential or restricted.

Open Court Records Help

Public records request

NC Judicial Branch Public Records Request

Use for: Judicial Branch public-record request options when the record type fits that route.

After opening: Use the listed options, but contact the county clerk for copies of court documents in a specific case.

Check before relying: The Judicial Branch is not required to create a record that does not exist.

Open Public Records Request

Court dates

NC Civil and Criminal Calendars

Use for: Criminal calendars, court dates and hearing searches where available.

After opening: Search by county, case number, party name or other available fields, then verify directly with the clerk or court if the date matters.

Check before relying: Court dates can change.

Open Court Calendars

Background checks

NC SBI Background Checks

Use for: North Carolina criminal-history information through SBI’s public or authorized background-check routes.

After opening: Choose the correct request type: personal review, employer/licensing route or background checks on others.

Check before relying: SBI background checks are different from court docket searches.

Open SBI Background Checks

Right to review

NC SBI Personal Review

Use for: Requesting your own North Carolina criminal-history record for personal review.

After opening: Review fingerprint, form and fee instructions before submitting the request.

Check before relying: The state-only Right to Review process is separate from FBI national identity-history checks.

Open SBI Personal Review

Offender records

NC DAC Offender Search

Use for: North Carolina state prison offenders, probationers and parolees.

After opening: Search by name or offender ID and confirm identity before relying on any match.

Check before relying: Offender search is not a full court docket or SBI background check.

Open NC DAC Offender Search

Registry records

NC Sex Offender Registry

Use for: Public registry information about registered sex offenders in North Carolina.

After opening: Search the registry and read its limitations before drawing conclusions.

Check before relying: Registry records are not complete criminal-history reports.

Open NC Sex Offender Registry

Federal court records

PACER Federal Court Records

Use for: Federal criminal cases filed in U.S. district courts and federal appellate records.

After opening: Register or sign in, search by federal court if known, or use PACER Case Locator if the court is unknown.

Check before relying: PACER is federal and does not replace North Carolina state court records.

Open PACER

Step-by-Step: How To Search North Carolina Criminal Court Records

Use this process when your goal is a North Carolina criminal court case, criminal docket, court date, disposition or certified court document.

Decide whether you need a court case, background check or offender record

Use eCourts Portal or clerk records for court cases, SBI for criminal-history checks, NC DAC for prison/probation/parole records and PACER for federal cases.

Search NC eCourts Portal first

Use Smart Search for case information, Advanced Filtering for criminal actions and Search Hearings for court dates.

Use the strongest identifier

Case number is best. If you only have a name, compare county, date of birth if visible, case type, charge, court and disposition carefully.

Check the county and court level

North Carolina criminal matters may involve district court, superior court, appeals or specialized proceedings. Verify the county and court before relying on a result.

Read the disposition, not only the charge

A charge, arrest, court date or docket entry is not proof of conviction. Look for dismissal, conviction, acquittal, plea, judgment, sentence or other outcome language.

Contact the clerk for paper files or certified copies

For official use, request records from the clerk of court in the county where the case is filed.

Use SBI, DAC or PACER when court records are not enough

Use SBI for North Carolina criminal-history checks, NC DAC for offender information and PACER for federal cases.

North Carolina Criminal Court Records Problem Finder

Select what you need and why you need it. This helper runs in your browser only and does not collect names, dates of birth, case numbers or private identity details.

Find the right official route

What are you trying to find?

Why do you need it?

NC eCourts Portal: Criminal Case Search, Dockets and Payments

NC eCourts Portal is the main online route for searching public case information and hearing information in North Carolina. Portal can help users find case information, court dates, judgments and eligible online criminal payments.

Use Portal for

Criminal case search
Case number lookup
Party-name search
Hearing and court-date search
Judgment search
Eligible criminal fee or fine payments

Portal does not replace

Certified copies from the clerk
SBI statewide criminal-history checks
FBI Identity History Summary checks
Federal PACER case searches
Legal advice
Restricted or confidential records

Portal tip: If you are performing a formal background search, follow the Judicial Branch’s background-check guidance and contact the county clerk when required instead of relying only on a Portal screenshot.

Open eCourts Portal Portal Training and Resources

Clerk of Court Records: Paper Files, Copies, Certified Documents and Audio

For official court documents, paper files, certified records and some audio-recording requests, contact the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the case is filed. The clerk’s office is also the courthouse route for public self-service terminal access.

Need	Ask the clerk for	Important note
Certified disposition	Certified copy of disposition, judgment or order	Useful for official proof, licensing, immigration or legal review.
Paper court file	Access to the case file in the county where the case is located	Some documents may be sealed, confidential or unavailable online.
Document copy	Plain or certified copy of the specific document	Copy fees may apply.
Audio recording	Recording request instructions from the clerk where the case is filed	Not all proceedings are recorded, and confidential matters may require court permission.
Transcript	Court reporter or approved transcription process	Transcripts can involve fees and appeal-related rules.

Court Records Instructions Find a Courthouse

North Carolina SBI Criminal Background Checks

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is the central repository for criminal information in North Carolina. Use SBI when you need a state criminal-history background check rather than only a court docket search.

Use SBI for

North Carolina criminal-history background checks
Right to Review personal criminal-history requests
Authorized employer or licensing background checks
Fingerprint-based state review processes
Record completeness and accuracy review

Do not use SBI as

A substitute for certified court copies
A full federal PACER search
A complete explanation of every court event
A legal opinion about expunction eligibility
A county clerk’s official case file

Personal-review note: SBI’s personal review route includes a North Carolina state fingerprint-based check, while national FBI identity-history checks use a separate FBI route.

Open SBI Background Checks Open SBI Personal Review

NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search

Use NC Department of Adult Correction offender search for North Carolina state prison offenders, probationers and parolees. This route is useful for offender status, but it is not the same as a criminal court docket or certified disposition.

Use offender search for

State prison offender information
Probationer information
Parolee information
Search by name or offender ID
North Carolina Adult Correction public offender data

Do not use it as

A full court record
A certified criminal disposition
A statewide SBI background check
A county jail roster
A federal inmate or PACER search

Open NC DAC Offender Search

North Carolina Sex Offender Registry Search

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation maintains the NC Sex Offender Registry. Registry information is useful for registered sex-offender status, but it is not a full criminal-history report and does not replace court records.

Use registry search for

Registered sex-offender public information
Name or location registry search
Email or telephone notification options where available
Registry-specific public safety checks

Understand the limits

Registry data is not every criminal record.
Registry records do not replace court documents.
Only registered sex-offender information is provided.
Identity should be confirmed carefully before relying on a match.

Open NC Sex Offender Registry Open National Registry Search

Federal Criminal Records in North Carolina: Use PACER

Federal criminal cases are separate from North Carolina state court records. Use PACER or PACER Case Locator if the case was filed in a federal district court, appealed in a federal appellate court or handled in another federal court system.

Use PACER when

You need a federal criminal case, federal docket, federal judgment or federal court filing.

Use Case Locator when unsure

If you do not know which federal court handled the case, use PACER Case Locator as a national federal case index.

Do not confuse systems

PACER is federal. NC eCourts Portal and county clerks handle North Carolina state court records.

Open PACER Open PACER Case Locator

What To Do When You Cannot Find a North Carolina Criminal Court Record

A no-result search does not always mean no record exists. The case may be in another county, another court type, another name, an older paper file, a restricted case, a federal case, or a record category that is not shown online.

Problem	Possible reason	Best next step
No result in Portal	Wrong spelling, county, case type, date range, restricted record or search filter	Try case number, alternate names, county filter and clerk office terminal
Court date missing	Hearing not scheduled, changed, not public, or searched under wrong county/case	Use Search Hearings and confirm with the clerk if the date matters
Need certified proof	Portal screen is not a certified copy	Request a certified copy from the clerk where the case is filed
Need statewide background check	Court case search is not SBI criminal-history check	Use NC SBI background-check instructions
Federal case missing	Federal cases are in PACER, not NC state court records	Search PACER or PACER Case Locator
Old or restricted record missing	Expunction, sealing, juvenile confidentiality, archive, redaction or access restriction	Ask the clerk or qualified North Carolina attorney about access rules

Avoid false conclusions: “No record found” only means that one system did not show a result for that search. It does not prove no record exists.

Expunctions, Sealed Records, Juvenile Records and Restricted Access

Some North Carolina criminal court records may not appear publicly because of expunction, juvenile confidentiality, sealing, redaction, court order, confidential case type, system limits or access restrictions.

Records may be unavailable when

The case was expunged.
The matter involves juvenile confidentiality.
The document is sealed or redacted.
The case type is confidential.
The record is in an older paper file.
The record is held by another agency or court.

Ask the official custodian

Clerk of court for case files and certified copies.
NC SBI for state criminal-history questions.
NC DAC for state offender information.
Law-enforcement agency for police reports.
PACER for federal cases.
Qualified attorney for expunction or access questions.

Responsible Use, FCRA and Identity-Matching Warnings

Criminal court records can affect jobs, housing, licensing, immigration, reputation and safety. Use official sources, confirm identity and verify final disposition before relying on a result.

Do not assume

An arrest means conviction.
A charge means guilt.
A court date means final outcome.
A name match is the correct person.
Portal search replaces certified court records.
Court records replace SBI background checks.

Be careful for screening

Employment and tenant screening may trigger FCRA obligations.
Use authorized consumer-reporting processes when required.
Give required notices when the law requires them.
Allow correction or dispute rights when applicable.
Do not use sealed, expunged, restricted or mismatched records unfairly.
Consult qualified counsel for regulated screening decisions.

Practical rule: For serious decisions, use certified court records, SBI background-check routes or legally compliant background-check procedures — not only a screenshot from a name search.

FTC Employer Background Check Guidance FTC Landlord Screening Guidance

North Carolina Criminal Court Records Glossary

NC eCourts Portal: The online North Carolina court portal for public case information, hearings, judgments and eligible payments.
Clerk of Superior Court: The county-level court office that maintains many court files and handles copy/certification questions for cases filed in that county.
Criminal docket: A record or calendar of court events, filings, hearings or actions in a criminal case.
Disposition: The final or current court outcome of a charge or case, such as conviction, dismissal, acquittal, plea, judgment or sentence.
Certified copy: An official copy issued by the proper court clerk or record custodian.
NC SBI: The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the state repository for criminal-history information.
NC DAC offender search: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction route for state prison offenders, probationers and parolees.
PACER: The federal judiciary’s public access system for federal court records.

North Carolina Criminal Court Records Search FAQs

How do I search North Carolina criminal court records?

Use NC eCourts Portal for online case information and hearing searches. For courthouse access, use a public self-service terminal at a clerk of court office. For certified copies or paper files, contact the clerk in the county where the case is filed.

Are North Carolina criminal court records online?

Many public case records and hearing searches are available through NC eCourts Portal. Some records may require courthouse terminal access, clerk assistance or a formal records request.

How do I find a North Carolina criminal court date?

Use NC eCourts Portal Search Hearings or the North Carolina civil and criminal calendars route. Confirm directly with the clerk if the date is important because court dates can change.

Can I get a certified criminal court record online in North Carolina?

Online case information is not always the same as a certified copy. Contact the clerk of court in the county where the case is filed for certified-copy instructions.

Is NC eCourts Portal the same as a background check?

No. Portal is a court-record and case-information route. A statewide criminal-history background check uses the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation process.

Where do I get my North Carolina criminal-history record?

Use the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation background-check or personal-review process. This is separate from searching court dockets in Portal.

Where do I search North Carolina prison or probation records?

Use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction offender search for state prison offenders, probationers and parolees.

Where do I search federal criminal cases in North Carolina?

Use PACER or PACER Case Locator. Federal criminal cases are separate from North Carolina state court records.

Does a North Carolina charge mean someone was convicted?

No. A charge, arrest, hearing or docket entry is not the same as conviction. Check the disposition, judgment or certified court record.

Why can I not find a North Carolina criminal court record?

The record may be under another name, in another county, restricted, expunged, juvenile, sealed, federal, archived, recently filed, or not visible through the search route used.

Official Sources and Final-Action Links

Use these official links for final searches, case lookup, criminal dockets, certified-copy instructions, background checks, offender searches, registry searches and federal case research.

Editorial Accuracy and Use Note

This guide separates North Carolina court records, criminal dockets, clerk records, certified copies, SBI criminal-history checks, NC DAC offender information, registry data and federal PACER cases. It avoids implying that one search covers every criminal public record.

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Last reviewed: October 13, 2026