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Forsyth County, North Carolina Public Records

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Find the right office in Forsyth County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Forsyth County records

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Showing 12 official sources

Official

Police & jail

Forsyth County Sheriff's Department

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is the county's law enforcement agency and holds its arrest records, incident and accident reports and the roster of people held in the county jail.

forsyth.cc
Open official site Forsyth County Sheriff's Department
Official

State records

Forsyth County Board of Elections

The Forsyth County Board of Elections holds the county's voter roll, takes new registrations and address changes, and runs the elections held in the county.

co.forsyth.nc.us
Open official site Forsyth County Board of Elections

Everything else, organized

More official Forsyth County record sources

17 more Forsyth County sources not listed above.

More county sources

Local record guide

About public records in Forsyth County

County profile

Forsyth County at a glance

State
North Carolina
County seat
Winston-Salem
Population
382,590
Area
413 sq mi
Founded
1849
Cities and towns
11

Forsyth County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in Forsyth County's unincorporated areas. The office is also involved in community outreach programs and operates specialized divisions such as the K-9 Unit and the Narcotics Division.

Police Departments. In addition to Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments serve Forsyth County, including the Winston-Salem Police Department, Kernersville Police Department, and Clemmons Police Department.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 201 North Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (phone: 336-727-2112), provides law enforcement services to unincorporated areas and operates Forsyth County Detention Center. Arrest records and incident reports in Forsyth County are public records under North Carolina General Statute § 132-1, the North Carolina Public Records Law, which mandates that public records shall be open to inspection by any person unless specifically exempted.

Criminal Records. Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court maintains these records, providing access to case files and court proceedings.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Forsyth County are maintained by Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Forsyth County are taken and retained by Forsyth County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office website or by submitting a request.

Forsyth County Tax Administration office, located at 200 East 1st Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (phone: 336-703-2300), maintains property tax records and assessment information. Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court office (phone: 336-761-2366) provides case information and maintains court records dating back to Forsyth County's formation. Divorce records (divorce decrees) are filed with Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court at 200 East 1st Street. The North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics in Raleigh maintains statewide vital records and can be reached at 919-733-3526 or through their website at vitalrecords.nc.gov, which offers online ordering through VitalChek with expedited processing available.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Forsyth County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Forsyth County

Old mine sites
6
Still producing
4
Main minerals
Granite; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Granite; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Granite
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
5
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
quarry, gravel/borrow pit - undifferentiated
Maps surveyed
1951 to 1987
Records behind them
18 records for 15 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once
Sources
USGS mineral file and USGS topographic mine features

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 10 named mine sites inside the county, 6 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 5 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Granite; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Granite; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Granite.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. No abandoned mine inventory is published online.

Winston-Salem Kernersville Lewisville Clemmons Tobaccoville Walkertown Germanton Bethania N 10 miles
Forsyth County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. The small open circles with a name are the towns and the pale shapes around the edge are the neighbouring counties, both from the Census Bureau. Hover a dot for its name.
North Carolina mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Forsyth County (10 shown, 5 unnamed on the map)

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Forsyth County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office or a city police department in Forsyth County. Ask that agency for its record.

How do I get a criminal background check in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

The North Carolina criminal history record comes from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Fingerprint based Right to Review of your own record using the SBI form Request for Access to Criminal History Record Information; a certified name search of court records in one county costs $25 at the clerk of superior court with Form AOC CR 314. Fee: $14 for a NC state fingerprint based check; $18 for a national fingerprint based check.

How can I look up sex offenders in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Search the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry (State Bureau of Investigation), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Register with the county board of elections or through the North Carolina State Board of Elections. You can also register online with the state online registration. The regular registration deadline is 25 days before Election Day; same day registration is available at early voting sites during the early voting period, not on Election Day for most voters. Online registration is open only to existing DMV customers with a DMV issued driver's license or ID.

How do I look up property records in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Forsyth County are kept by the Forsyth County Register of Deeds. Property values are set by the county tax assessor, and tax bills come from the county tax collector. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Certified birth and death certificates for North Carolina come from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records. Birth, death and marriage certificates may also be obtained at the Register of Deeds office in the county where the event took place, in most cases the same day. Online, by phone or by mail through VitalChek, the only authorized vendor for a state issued certified birth certificate, or in person at NC Vital Records. Fee: $24 state search fee, which includes one certificate; $15 for each added certificate.

How do I find business license records in Forsyth County, North Carolina?

Business entity filings are searched with the North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division. North Carolina has no single generic business license; besides state licenses, a local license may be required for your business.

Same county

Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.

Winston-SalemWinston-SalemKernersvilleClemmonsLewisvilleWalkertownRural HallTobaccovilleBethaniaBelews CreekPfafftownDavie CountyStokes CountySurry CountyYadkin CountyDavidson CountyGuilford CountyRockingham County