North Carolina court records are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in each county. The Superior Court / District Court handles trial-level cases. North Carolina does not have a single statewide court search portal — you must go to the county where the case was filed.
What this page covers: North Carolina state court case records. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.
Where to start: Identify the county where the case was filed, then contact the Clerk of Superior Court in that county. Some counties courts offer online case search on their individual websites.
Common mistake: Without a statewide portal, many people search the wrong county. If you are unsure where a case was filed, start with the county where the defendant lived or where the incident occurred.
North Carolina Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2024-25)
What North Carolina court records actually cost
Searching is free — on eCourts Portal in converted counties and at clerk terminals elsewhere. Certified copies are set by statute per document, and North Carolina expunction filings run a statutory fee for most petition types, waived for dismissals in many cases.
Exact amounts are set by each court's current fee schedule — check the official source before you order.
What Changed in 2026 — North Carolina Court Records
The 4-Step North Carolina Court Records Pathway
Five Things People Get Wrong About North Carolina Court Records
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.nccourts.gov — NC Judicial Branch — Main judicial-branch portal for North Carolina
- North Carolina case access — Public case-search portal
- North Carolina court statistics — Official caseload statistics
- North Carolina annual report — Most recent annual report (PDF)
- uscourts.gov — PACER — Federal court records (separate system)
- uscourts.gov — Judicial Business 2025 — Federal caseload context
Related Court Records Resources
- 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 →
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Court Records Databases
9 official North Carolina court records sources.
Court Records
North Carolina Counties
100 North Carolina counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Which North Carolina counties publish court dockets online
6 of North Carolina's 100 counties run their own online source for court dockets, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search North Carolina court cases online?▼
North Carolina's trial courts publish case lookups through the NC Judicial Branch. Start at www.nccourts.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.
Is there a free statewide court case search in North Carolina?▼
The NC Judicial Branch operates North Carolina's official statewide judicial portal at www.nccourts.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for North Carolina residents are searched separately through PACER.
What's the difference between trial and appellate courts in North Carolina?▼
Trial courts in North Carolina handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The NC Judicial Branch publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.nccourts.gov.
How far back do North Carolina court records go online?▼
Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most North Carolina county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the NC Judicial Branch portal at www.nccourts.gov for each court's coverage window.
Are sealed or expunged North Carolina cases visible in the online search?▼
No. North Carolina courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the NC Judicial Branch portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.