Searching New Hanover County: what to expect
New Hanover County is an offline county in practice. What's indexed below is mostly North Carolina's statewide infrastructure — for anything the state doesn't hold, the county offices themselves are the record. No online docket is listed for the county itself; the North Carolina court records page maps the alternatives, and the clerk fills direct requests.
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by SearchSystems Editorial Team — verified against official government sources. About our editorial process.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all New Hanover County record-source URLs verified against the official local and North Carolina state publishers on the review date. 1 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
New Hanover County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for New Hanover County, North Carolina — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
243,333
Population
Census estimate
99,975
Households
Census estimate
$67,515
Median income
Annual household
$320,000
Median home value
Census ACS
Wilmington
County seat
In North Carolina
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
2 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
2 sources
Vital records
1 source
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
New Hanover County Records at a Glance
| Record type | New Hanover County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Portal Michael McIntyre | New Hanover County, NC |
| Criminal records | |
| Wants & warrants | |
| Property records | GIS, Maps, & Data | New Hanover County, NC Tax Department | New Hanover County, NC |
| Vital records | Births, Deaths & Marriage License Certified Copies | New… |
| Voter records | Voter Search - NCSBE |
| Professional licenses | Permits & Inspections | New Hanover County, NC |
| Recorded documents | eRecording Counties – North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for New Hanover County. Sources reviewed June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — New Hanover County Records
2026
New Hanover County official government portal active
The official New Hanover County government website at www.nhcgov.com continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
New Hanover County court records portal verified
State court system links for New Hanover County verified against the North Carolina judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
New Hanover County property records online
New Hanover County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside North Carolina, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.
The 4-Step New Hanover County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the New Hanover County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the New Hanover County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the North Carolina statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the North Carolina state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About New Hanover County Records
MYTH"New Hanover County maintains all criminal records."
FACTCriminal records for New Hanover County are held by the North Carolina state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
MYTH"Records sealed in New Hanover County are gone everywhere."
FACTSealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
MYTH"Free 'instant background' sites have New Hanover County data."
FACTOnly the official North Carolina state repository has verified, current New Hanover County data. Free sites often have stale data.
MYTH"The New Hanover County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
FACTThe New Hanover County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
MYTH"All county records older than 50 years are public."
FACTPartially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.nhcgov.com — Official New Hanover County government website
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — New Hanover County & North Carolina Records
For records not specific to New Hanover County, use North Carolina's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 North Carolina statewide record systems:
- North Carolina Court Records →
- North Carolina Criminal Records →
- North Carolina Property Records →
- North Carolina Vital Records →
- North Carolina Voter Records →
- North Carolina Wants & Warrants →
- North Carolina Licenses →
- North Carolina Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
North Carolina statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
Looking for a person, not a database? Start with the North Carolina guides:
About New Hanover County, North Carolina
New Hanover County is located in southeast North Carolina. The county seat is Wilmington (official site: http://www.nhcgov.com/).
- Population: 243,333
- Households: 99,975
- Median household income: $67,515
- Median home value: $320,000
- Below poverty line: 12.7%
- Land area: 192.2 sq mi
- Population density: 1,265.9 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 5
- NCES schools indexed: 46
North Carolina Business Search
Business, Voter & Other
.gov
North Carolina's business registration search — corporations, LLCs, and assumed names on file with the Secretary of State, including registered agents and filing images.
New Hanover County, NC - Official Government Website
Official Free
Official website of New Hanover County, North Carolina. Access county services, permits, tax info, public notices, and community resources.
NBHD NBHD NAME A1R54 ELLIOTT PLACE A1R55 RIVER ISLAND A1R56
Official Free
Day-to-day records for New Hanover County pass through the clerk's office reached here. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Portal
Official Free
Contact the Clerk of Court in the county where the case is assigned for specific case information, email ecourts@nccourts.org, or go to nccourts.gov for other eCourts information. To improve the performance, security, and reliability of hosted client systems, Tyler Technologies has made an.
Michael McIntyre | New Hanover County, NC
Official Free
Official public records resource for New Hanover County, North Carolina. The information comes straight from the office that creates the record, not a reseller. Public-records law applies here: what they hold, you can generally request.
New Hanover County | North Carolina Judicial Branch
Official Free
Find out more about paying court fees, fines and traffic citation in New Hanover County. View civil court calendars. View criminal court calendars. Find your local GAL program. Search Portal by name, citation number, county, and more. Search statewide judicial forms by keyword, form number, and more. Find online services for court records, File & Serve, Guide & File, make payments, request interpreter, and more.
Voter Search - NCSBE
Official Free
Search for voter details, including jurisdictions, polling place, sample ballot when available, absentee ballot information, and voter history · If you've tried the hints above and cannot find your registration, please contact your county board of elections.
Births, Deaths & Marriage License Certified Copies | New Hanover County, NC
Official Free
This is the request channel for New Hanover County vital records — births, deaths, and marriages. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Contact Us
Official Free
General Contact Form: Contact us at NC Vital Records Inquiry. Please allow 7-10 business day response time for certificate order status inquiries. Please allow 3-5 business day response time for all other inquiry types. North Carolina Vital Records 1903 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1900
GIS, Maps, & Data | New Hanover County, NC
Official Free
Welcome to New Hanover County's GIS site. Here you will find access to mapping applications, GIS services, and ready to use informational products. We endeavor to publish relevant, timely data and applications that are focused, easy to use, and flexible enough to work on both web and mobile.
Tax Department | New Hanover County, NC
Official Free
The mission of New Hanover County Tax Administration is to list, map, assess property, bill and collect all ad valorem taxes in New Hanover County. Thereby ensuring all citizens are provided a fair and equitable ad valorem property tax process. Administering the laws governing the process with integrity and professionalism while instilling the highest degree of public confidence by providing prompt, accurate, and courteous service.
Permits & Inspections | New Hanover County, NC
Official Free
Access information on how to apply for a permit, whether or not it's needed, and the costs involved · This tool provides customers with better access to information so you can see exactly where permits are in the process, offers improved reporting capabilities, and allows for easy online fee.
eRecording Counties – North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds
Official Free
eRecording Documents – for a map showing the counties that are e-recording and the type of documents they are accepting in their county.
🌐 ncard.us