North Carolina arrest records by county: bookings, charges and warrants
12 counties of North Carolina have an arrest records page. Each covers the booking at the county jail, the charges recorded, North Carolina's statewide warrant system and, where a court publishes it, how the case ended.
What a North Carolina arrest records background check costs
The count near any address is free. No card, and no one is told you looked.
Everyone near one address, or a Background Check on one person.
- Photos, offence and distance, with a PDF
- Pay once. Nothing renews
- $19.99 for 3, and checks never expire
Three addresses watched all year, with one check included every month.
- Email when someone registers, moves in or out
- Home, school and grandparents, unlocked while it runs
- Or $6.99 a month. Cancel in one click
Every record type for the state on one page: North Carolina criminal records.
North Carolina arrest records by county: bookings, charges and warrants. 12 pages, largest county first.
| County | Booked at | Warrants | Arrest records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County · 1,190,275 | Wake County Detention Center | Statewide | Wake County arrest records |
| Mecklenburg County · 1,163,701 | Mecklenburg County Detention Center | Statewide | Mecklenburg County arrest records |
| Guilford County · 549,866 | Guilford County Detention Center | Statewide | Guilford County arrest records |
| Forsyth County · 392,921 | Forsyth County Detention Center | Statewide | Forsyth County arrest records |
| Durham County · 336,892 | Durham County Detention Facility | Statewide | Durham County arrest records |
| Buncombe County · 275,901 | Buncombe County Detention Facility | Statewide | Buncombe County arrest records |
| Union County · 256,452 | Union County Jail | Statewide | Union County arrest records |
| Johnston County · 241,955 | Johnston County Detention Center | Statewide | Johnston County arrest records |
| Cabarrus County · 240,016 | Cabarrus County Detention Center | Statewide | Cabarrus County arrest records |
| New Hanover County · 238,852 | New Hanover County Detention Facility | Statewide | New Hanover County arrest records |
| Gaston County · 237,242 | Gaston County Jail | Statewide | Gaston County arrest records |
| Brunswick County · 159,964 | Brunswick County jail | Statewide | Brunswick County arrest records |
Populations: US Census Bureau, 2023 estimates. A county gets a page only when its jail roster is live in the search and it has at least three facts of its own to state.
· shares below are over the North Carolina arrest records we index; approximate, not an official figure
North Carolina arrests by charge type: the statewide booking picture. About 273,000 records across North Carolina, read as a whole; approximate, not an official figure.
Among the North Carolina arrest records we index that state a charge, the most common category of categorised charges is probation/parole violations and failure to appear (18%), followed by assault, battery and threats (18%) and public order, trespass and property damage (14%). A record can carry charges in several categories, so the shares of categorised charges can add to more than 100%. Across all North Carolina criminal records on our index, the most common category is theft, larceny and stolen property (13%).
How recent. About 25% of the records show activity in the last 12 months, among the 61% that carry a date.
Every figure is a share of the records we index for North Carolina, rounded; approximate, not an official figure. Cells with too few records behind them are left out rather than shown as zero. The county pages carry the same picture for each county where enough records exist; criminal charge types explains the categories.
North Carolina warrant search and arrest record outcomes.
North Carolina publishes a statewide warrant system, and a name search here includes it alongside the county bookings. There is no statewide court source for North Carolina in the search, so how an arrest ended has to come from the county court or the clerk; the county pages say which.
An arrest is not a conviction. The guide to arrest records explains the three records a case leaves behind, and the warrant search what a published warrant does and does not say.
Beyond North Carolina arrest records: jail rosters and court records by county. The same counties, the other two questions.
North Carolina background check: search arrest records by name.
- Type a first and last name, and add an age or date of birth so the right person rises to the top.
- The check searches every North Carolina record type in the search, with the sex offender registries, in one step.
- One paid check, with a personal account. Nothing renews, and the person is never told.
Not a consumer report. Hiring or renting? Use an FCRA-regulated check; see what an employer’s check shows.
North Carolina arrest records FAQ
How do I look up North Carolina arrest records by county?
Pick the county below and search the name. Each county page reaches that county's jail bookings, North Carolina's statewide warrant system, and labels each result by record type. 12 counties have a page.
Does North Carolina publish a statewide warrant list?
Yes. North Carolina publishes a statewide warrant system and a name search here includes it. Not every local warrant reaches it, so to be certain, ask the county sheriff's office or the Clerk of Superior Court.
Is an arrest in North Carolina a conviction?
No. An arrest record says a person was booked on a date on the charges recorded at booking. Whether a charge was filed, reduced, dismissed or ended in a conviction is decided in the Superior Court or the District Court, and only the court record shows that.
Does OffenderSearch show North Carolina mugshots?
No. The county pages show no booking photos and OffenderSearch never charges to remove one. Where a county publishes a photo it is on the sheriff's official roster.
Can North Carolina arrest records be used for hiring or renting?
Not from here. A search on this site is not a consumer report; employers and landlords need an FCRA-regulated report with the person's written consent, and many states limit how an arrest without a conviction may be used.