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 on September 23, 2026.
Durham County, North Carolina, has about 344,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Durham County 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: Durham County public records, Durham County arrest records, Durham County warrants, Durham County inmate search, Durham County criminal records, North Carolina arrest records and North Carolina inmate search.
The DWI Law in North Carolina
Drunk driving is charged as DWI in North Carolina, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
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 Durham County
The Durham County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Durham make the DWI arrests in Durham County.
The FBI's agency list also places one state agency, two campus police departments and one other agency in Durham County (the arrest records guide names each one).
Together, the two agencies in Durham County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,688 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Durham County does not break DWI out.
The Morrisville Police Department, the Raleigh Police Department, the Chapel Hill Police Department and one more are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Durham County, so their arrests are not broken out for Durham County here.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Durham County
A driver arrested for DWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Durham County Sheriff's Office, held about 380 people on an average day in 2024 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a custody page SearchSystems verified at durhamsheriff.com/community/public-information/inmate-population-se.... The Durham County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DWI charge from Durham County is brought by the District Attorney in the District Court.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at dconc.gov/County-Attorney/Staff-Listing.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dconc.gov/Clerk-of-the-Superior-Court/Court-Services/Records-Access.
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: Durham County arrest records, Durham County police reports and Durham County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in North Carolina?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Durham County heard?
In the District Court, brought by the District Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at dconc.gov.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Durham County held?
At the county jail, run by the Durham 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 Durham County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.