Matthews, North Carolina Public Records

For Matthews residents in Union County, the Union County Courthouse is located at 500 North Main Street, Suite 600, Monroe, NC 28112 (phone: 704-283-3784), handling similar Superior and District Court matters for that jurisdiction. Matthews also maintains a municipal court at Town Hall (232 Matthews Station Street) for town ordinance violations and certain traffic citations issued within town limits. North Carolina provides statewide online access to criminal and civil court records through the North Carolina Judicial Branch's eCourts public access portal at NCcourts.gov, where users can search by name, case number, or file date for both Mecklenburg and Union counties. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page in North Carolina courts. Civil filing fees vary by case type, with small claims filing fees around $96 and complaint filings in Superior Court ranging from $150-$200. Records searches at the courthouse are generally free, though staff-assisted research may incur fees for extensive requests.

The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds, located at 720 East 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 (phone: 704-336-2443, website: mecknc.gov/rod), records deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other real property documents. Their online database at meckrod.manatron.com provides free searchable access to recorded documents dating back several decades. For properties in the Union County portion of Matthews, the Union County Tax Assessor at 500 North Main Street, Suite 139, Monroe, NC 28112 (phone: 704-283-3746, website: co.union.nc.us/tax) provides property assessment information, with an online GIS system at gis.co.union.nc.us/parcelviewer allowing users to search parcels by address or owner and view maps, ownership history, and tax data. The Union County Register of Deeds at 500 North Main Street, Suite 118, Monroe, NC 28112 (phone: 704-283-3746, website: co.union.nc.us/registerofdeeds) maintains land records with online document search available. Both counties offer free online access to most property records, though certified copies require payment and can be obtained in person or by mail. The GIS/parcel viewer systems in both counties provide aerial imagery, zoning information, and property boundary overlays.

The retail and service sectors are dominant industries, with Matthews Festival shopping center, numerous restaurants along Highway 51 (Matthews-Mint Hill Road), and the revitalized downtown Matthews district drawing customers regionally. Education is another significant employer, with Matthews serving as home to multiple Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools facilities. The estimated median household income in Matthews is approximately $85,000-$95,000, considerably higher than state and national averages, reflecting the town's affluent suburban character. Recent development includes extensive residential construction, mixed-use projects, and expansion of retail corridors. Matthews's economy is deeply integrated with greater Charlotte's financial services, healthcare, and technology sectors, functioning primarily as an upscale residential suburb with strong commercial amenities. The town's employment base has grown alongside population increases, though many residents commute to Charlotte for work. Matthews maintains lower unemployment than state averages and continues to attract families and businesses seeking proximity to Charlotte with small-town character, excellent schools, and lower crime rates than urban cores.

The Matthews Police Department, located at 232 Matthews Station Street, Matthews, NC 28105 (phone: 704-847-5555, website: matthewsnc.gov/police), serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the Town of Matthews. Citizens can request police reports, accident reports, and incident records by visiting the police department in person during business hours or by submitting a written request under North Carolina Public Records Law (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1 et seq.). The department provides online access to some non-sensitive reports through their website. For Matthews residents living in the Union County portion of town, the Union County Sheriff's Office at 3344 Presson Road, Monroe, NC 28112 (phone: 704-283-3789, website: co.union.nc.us/sheriff) may also have jurisdiction. To search for recent arrests and jail bookings, the Union County Detention Center provides an online inmate search at co.union.nc.us/detention, displaying current inmate names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and mugshots. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office operates a detention facility at 801 East 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 (phone: 704-336-2500), with an inmate inquiry system at mecksheriff.com showing booking information for arrests within Matthews's Mecklenburg County jurisdiction. North Carolina's public records statute (Chapter 132) requires law enforcement agencies to make non-confidential records available for inspection and copying within a reasonable time, though certain investigatory records and juvenile information may be exempt. Requesters should provide specific details about the incident, including date, location, case number if known, and names of involved parties to expedite record retrieval.

Birth records are restricted to the individual (if 18+), parents, legal representatives, or those with a court order for 100 years; death certificates are public records. The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds (720 East 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202, phone: 704-336-2443) issues marriage licenses for Matthews residents in Mecklenburg County, costing $60, with no waiting period and licenses valid for 60 days. The Union County Register of Deeds (500 North Main Street, Suite 118, Monroe, NC 28112, phone: 704-283-3746) handles marriage licenses for Union County residents at the same $60 fee. Marriage records and divorce decrees (filed as court records in the county where granted) are public and can be searched online or in person. North Carolina requires valid government-issued photo identification for all vital record requests. Divorce records are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted and are accessible through court record systems. Older records (pre-1913 birth and death) may require searching county-level archives or the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh.

Matthews businesses must also comply with North Carolina state-level requirements, including registering corporations, LLCs, and other entities with the North Carolina Secretary of State, Corporations Division, 2 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 (phone: 919-807-2225, website: sosnc.gov). The state's online business registry at www.sosnc.gov/online_services/search/by_title/_Business_Registration allows free searches of business entity status, registered agents, officers, formation dates, and good standing status. Assumed name certificates (DBAs) for sole proprietorships and partnerships must be filed with the Register of Deeds in the county where the business operates—either Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds (704-336-2443) or Union County Register of Deeds (704-283-3746)—at a cost of approximately $26. UCC financing statements (secured transaction liens) are filed with and searchable through the North Carolina Secretary of State's UCC division online at sosnc.gov. Commercial property owners in Matthews can look up business property assessments through the Mecklenburg County Assessor's online system at meckpropertyrecords.com or Union County's parcel viewer, which show assessed values used for calculating business personal property taxes and real estate taxes on commercial parcels.

Matthews voters are served by the Union County Board of Elections at 500 North Main Street, Suite 136, Monroe, NC 28112 (phone: 704-283-3809, website: unioncountync.gov/elections) for residents in the Union County portion of town, while the majority of Matthews residents fall under the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, 741 Kenilworth Avenue, Suite 202, Charlotte, NC 28204 (phone: 704-336-2133, website: mecknc.gov/boe). North Carolina residents can register to vote online at ncsbe.gov/registering through the State Board of Elections portal, with registration deadlines 25 days before any election. Voter registration requires providing name, address, date of birth, driver's license or last four digits of Social Security number, and affirming U.S. citizenship and state residency. Matthews holds municipal elections for mayor and town council in odd-numbered years, with the next Matthews municipal election scheduled for November 2025. Candidates file with the Town Clerk at Matthews Town Hall, and local ballot information is posted at matthewsnc.gov. Matthews voters also participate in federal, state, and county elections. Polling place assignments can be found by entering your address at ncsbe.gov/voting or by contacting your county board of elections. North Carolina makes voter registration lists, campaign finance reports (searchable at ncsbe.gov/campaign-finance), candidate filings, and precinct-level election results publicly accessible online through the State Board of Elections. In the November 2024 presidential election, Union County reported approximately 67% voter turnout with over 150,000 ballots cast, while Mecklenburg County saw turnout around 72% with over 600,000 votes. On November 3, 2026, Matthews and Union County voters will decide multiple critical races including North Carolina's U.S. Senate seat (Class II seat up in 2026), all North Carolina U.S. House seats, state legislative races for North Carolina Senate and House districts covering Matthews, Union County offices including Board of Commissioners and Sheriff, and potentially local Matthews town council seats if timing aligns. North Carolina allows absentee voting by mail for any registered voter who requests a ballot; applications are available at ncsbe.gov/absentee beginning 60 days before an election, with completed ballots due by 7:30 PM on Election Day. Early voting is offered at designated sites in both counties beginning 17 days before Election Day, with locations and hours posted by each county board of elections. North Carolina requires voter ID for in-person voting as of 2023, accepting driver's licenses, passports, tribal cards, student IDs from NC universities, and other government-issued photo identification.