North Carolina, one of the original 13 colonies, became the 12th state to join the Union on November 21, 1789. Today, it ranks 10th in the U.S. by population, with over 9.5 million residents, and 28th in land area, spanning nearly 54,000 square miles.
The state is divided into 100 counties and hundreds of municipalities—including cities, towns, and villages. These counties serve as local branches of government, overseeing services such as:
Law enforcement
Elections
Public records management
Public health and other resident-facing services
North Carolina promotes transparency through its Freedom of Information statutes, which grant the public broad access to records maintained by state and local agencies. Under these laws:
No reason is required to submit a records request
Anyone—resident or not—can request access to public documents
Government bodies must respond to requests in accordance with state law
Requests are routinely submitted by journalists, citizen groups, and watchdog organizations to monitor government operations, meeting minutes, expenditures, and decision-making processes. The statutes ensure accountability across all branches of government.
Public record requests are also frequently made for personal and professional purposes. Common uses include:
Birth and death certificates can be obtained through the North Carolina Division of Public Health
These are essential for identification, legal filings, and travel documentation
Employers may request criminal history checks as part of pre-employment screening
Individuals can review their own background to understand what may be visible to others
The North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety provides access to various background check resources, including data from:
Local and state courts
Department of Corrections
State and Federal Bureaus of Investigation
Criminal history reports may include charges, convictions, and corrections history.
Public access is available to court cases such as:
Divorces
Judgments
Civil lawsuits
Records can be obtained through county courthouses or online court lookup tools
Official driving abstracts are available from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
These may be required for job applications and insurance purposes
Many public records in North Carolina are used to locate or verify assets and business holdings:
Real estate records can be searched through each county register of deeds, which provides public access to:
Property ownership details
Sales history
Deed recordings
Business entity searches are available from the North Carolina Secretary of State, offering information on:
Company registration status
Officers and registered agents
Business addresses and stock valuation
Bankruptcy cases, debtor and creditor information, and case filings can be accessed electronically via federal court systems such as PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)
For more immediate needs, North Carolina offers free public databases that assist with:
People searches to locate current and previous residential addresses
Inmate lookups, most wanted lists, and registered sex offender registries
Professional license verifications for:
Medical practitioners
Contractors
Attorneys
Other certified professionals
These tools are useful for employers, legal professionals, or individuals conducting personal due diligence.
Starting your public records search with a verified, up-to-date resource directory is the most efficient way to obtain accurate information. PublicRecordCenter offers:
A curated directory of official North Carolina state and county agency websites
Grouped links for background checks, asset verification, and vital record access
Free downloadable forms and step-by-step instructions
Whether you're conducting a comprehensive background check or looking for a single document, PublicRecordCenter helps ensure that your search is effective, time-saving, and complete.
