Certified Background Check (Single County) for Yourself or Others by Clerk of Superior Court OfficeRequest a certified criminal record search by name for yourself or others in a single county through the clerk of superior court office at the courthouse. Note: This search only checks the court records in that one county. It is not a statewide record search.

Fill out and print Form AOC-CR-314, and submit to the clerk’s office with the fee of $25 via

• Mail: Money order or certified check accepted (personal checks are not accepted)
• In person: Credit card, cash, money order, or certified check accepted
   

Self-Service Non-Certified Background Check for Yourself or Others at Any CourthouseSearch, view, or email criminal records for yourself or others in any county or statewide without charge using the public access computers available in the clerk’s office at any courthouse. Note: This search is not certified, and printing charges may apply.

For eCourts counties: You may search Portal online for case information and court records by name, case number, attorney, and more. Individuals performing background checks should use the county clerk's office for doing so, not Portal.
  

Other OptionsN.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Statewide Background Check for YourselfThe SBI provides a non-certified, statewide criminal record search for yourself with the submission of your fingerprint card, form, and fee. This is also known as your Right to Review your North Carolina record.
 
Third-Party Vendors Background Check for Yourself or OthersUnofficial record checks may be conducted through third-party companies that will sell information to you. Each company has its own set charges. The N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) lists companies that obtain information from the NCAOC on an ongoing basis pursuant to a licensing agreement. The records that the NCAOC provides to the companies are accurate reflections of the data in the databases of the clerks of court, but the NCAOC cannot guarantee that the information the companies provide to their customers is current or accurate. View the list of companies.

Remote Public Access to N.C. Court DataOngoing access to criminal and civil court data in all N.C. counties is offered through the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts’ (NCAOC) Remote Public Access program (RPA). RPA licensees may obtain real-time access or bulk data extracts.

• Conduct statewide criminal background checks and civil searches
• Convenient access to information from your office,  business, or agency
• Examples available include: criminal records (check pending cases, verify prior convictions), infractions, tax liens, evictions, or judgments
• Real-time access
  • Provides same real-time information as the public access computers at any courthouse
  • Ensures that data obtained accurately reflects that of the N.C. clerks' offices, thus reducing the likelihood of violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act

Find more information, as well as costs and connectivity details, about obtaining Remote Public Access.

Other Options

N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Statewide Background Check for EmployeesIf you or your business have specific statutory authority to obtain criminal history background checks for employees, find more information, forms, and process details from the SBI.

Third-Party Vendors Background Check for BusinessesUnofficial record checks may be conducted through third-party companies that will sell information to you. Each company has its own set charges. The N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) lists companies that obtain information from the NCAOC on an ongoing basis pursuant to a licensing agreement. The records that the NCAOC provides to the companies are accurate reflections of the data in the databases of the clerks of court, but the NCAOC cannot guarantee that the information the companies provide to their customers is current or accurate. View the list of companies.