Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Oak Island, North Carolina, in Brunswick County, has about 9,300 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Oak Island starts two cases, a criminal case in the District Court and a license case before the Division of Motor Vehicles, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Oak Island public records, Brunswick County DWI, Oak Island arrest records, Oak Island warrants, Oak Island inmate search, Oak Island criminal records, North Carolina arrest records and North Carolina inmate search.
The DWI Law in North Carolina
In North Carolina the offense is DWI, and the limit is 0.08.
Driving in North Carolina is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Division of Motor Vehicles, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, North Carolina counts prior offenses within 7 years.
Who Makes DWI Arrests in Oak Island
The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Oak Island (filed by the FBI as Oak Island Police Department) make the DWI arrests in and around Oak Island.
Together, the ten agencies in Brunswick County with all twelve months of 2024 on file reported 1,357 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Brunswick County does not break DWI out.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Oak Island
A driver arrested for DWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, held about 150 people on an average day in 2024 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at brunswicksheriff.com/detention-center, phone 910-253-2777. The Oak Island inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DWI charge from Oak Island is brought by the District Attorney in the District Court.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at brunswickcountync.gov, phone 910-253-3910.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at nccourts.gov/locations/brunswick-county.
Statewide, eCourts Portal is the North Carolina Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The License Case
A DWI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Division of Motor Vehicles. The driving record, kept by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, carries the result of both.
The Records a DWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the North Carolina Public Records Act.
- The court file: from the District Court, kept by the Clerk of Superior Court.
- The driving record: from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.
More on each: Oak Island arrest records, Oak Island police reports and Oak Island court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in North Carolina?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Oak Island heard?
In the District Court, brought by the District Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at nccourts.gov/locations/brunswick-county.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Oak Island held?
At the county jail, run by the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DWI arrest in North Carolina?
The Division of Motor Vehicles, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DWI count as a prior in North Carolina?
7 years.
Is this the official Oak Island website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.