Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
The eCourts Portal on nccourts.gov covers case information for counties on the eCourts system, every county register of deeds offers online land records, and certified vital records come from NC Vital Records or the register of deeds.
Pay Any Required Fees
A North Carolina birth, death or marriage certificate costs $24 from the state, with additional copies $15 and $15 for in-person expedited service; registers of deeds charge less, $10 in Wake County, and public records copies are charged at actual cost.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. Certified vital records require valid identification and proof of relationship and go to the person named, parents, siblings, children, spouses, grandparents and legal representatives.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in North Carolina
Back to North Carolina Public Records
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Straight answers
North Carolina County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. North Carolina's Public Records Law, Chapter 132 of the General Statutes, opens county records, and agencies may not charge anyone just to inspect them. Court records, register of deeds documents and tax listings are open. Certified birth, death and marriage certificates are restricted to the person named, close family and others with a legal interest, and juvenile, adoption and sealed court files are closed.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified North Carolina birth, death or marriage certificate costs $24 from NC Vital Records, which includes a nonrefundable search of a three-year period, with additional copies $15 each; in-person expedited processing adds $15, and VitalChek online orders total $37.95 with regular shipping or $57.95 overnight. County registers of deeds charge less for records they hold, $10 per certified copy in Wake County. Under the Public Records Law copies are charged at actual cost and certifications at the rate set by statute.
Can I search county records online?
The eCourts Portal on nccourts.gov lets the public search and view case information and documents for counties on the eCourts system, and the Judicial Branch explains how to reach other records. Each county register of deeds, Mecklenburg and Wake among them, provides online search of deeds, deeds of trust and plats, and county tax offices post parcel data. The Department of Adult Correction offers a free offender search, and vital records are ordered from NC Vital Records or a register of deeds, not searched online.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. NC Vital Records requires valid identification and proof of relationship for certified copies, which go to the person named, parents, siblings, children, spouses, grandparents, grandchildren and legal representatives, and registers of deeds apply the same rules in person.
How long does it take to receive records?
NC Vital Records posts current processing dates for mail and VitalChek orders, and in-person appointments in Raleigh with the $15 expedited fee are processed the same day when the record is on file and the 2:30 p.m. cutoff is met. County registers of deeds can search and issue certified copies on the spot for records in their county, and eCourts Portal searches are immediate.