Carteret County Background Check
Carteret County is a coastal county in eastern North Carolina with a population of about 68,000. Sheriff Asa Buck heads the county's law enforcement. The sheriff's office in Morehead City manages criminal records, warrants, and a detention center with over 150 beds. The Clerk of Superior Court in Beaufort keeps all court case files. Carteret County also has a Marine Patrol division due to its miles of coastline. Public records from both offices are open to search.
Carteret County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Asa Buck runs the Carteret County Sheriff's Office from 304 Williams St, Morehead City, NC 28557. The main line is (252) 504-4800. The office handles all criminal investigations, arrests, warrant service, and civil process for the county.
Carteret County's coastal location means the sheriff also runs a Marine Patrol division. This unit deals with law enforcement on the water. Arrests and citations from Marine Patrol show up in the same record system as land-based cases. If you are doing a background check, these records are part of the full picture in Carteret County.
Visit the Carteret County Sheriff's Office website for more details on services, divisions, and contact information.
The sheriff's website provides department details, news, and public safety information for Carteret County.
Carteret County Courthouse Records
The Clerk of Superior Court in Carteret County is at 302 Broad St, Beaufort, NC 28516. Phone: (252) 504-4900. This is where all criminal and civil court records are stored. Case files include charges, hearings, verdicts, and sentencing data. You can search these in person at the courthouse or through the state courts portal online.
Carteret County also has a District Court at 402 Miller St in Morehead City. Misdemeanor cases and traffic matters are often heard there. Records from both courts feed into the same system. When you search for a background check, results may come from either location. The clerk's office in Beaufort handles record requests for both.
The Carteret County page on NC Courts has the full address, hours, and phone number for the clerk.
This page lists court services and directions to the Carteret County courthouse.
| Clerk |
Carteret County Clerk of Superior Court 302 Broad St Beaufort, NC 28516 Phone: (252) 504-4900 |
|---|---|
| District Court |
402 Miller St Morehead City, NC 28557 |
Carteret County Detention Center
The Carteret County Detention Center has more than 150 beds. It holds people awaiting trial and those serving short sentences. Call (252) 504-4830 for inmate information. Staff can confirm who is in custody and provide bond amounts.
Booking records at the detention center are public. You can ask for basic data by phone or in person. The Carteret County Detention Center page has facility details and visitation rules.
The detention page covers visiting hours, rules, and how to reach inmates held in Carteret County.
Note: Bond amounts and charges can change as a case moves through court, so always confirm the latest details directly with the detention center.
North Carolina SBI Background Check
The NC State Bureau of Investigation maintains criminal history records for every county. A name-based check costs $14 and searches the Computerized Criminal History File. A fingerprint check costs $38 and goes through SAFIS, the state's automated fingerprint system. The SBI has operated this system since 1937.
These checks cover all of North Carolina, not just Carteret County. They pull from the central repository in Raleigh. A fingerprint check is more reliable because it uses a physical match. Name checks can miss records if someone has used more than one name. For full details, go to the NC SBI background check page.
- Name-based SBI check: $14
- Fingerprint-based SBI check: $38
- Sex offender registry search: free at sexoffender.ncsbi.gov
- State inmate search: free at NC DPS offender lookup
Expunctions and Sealed Records in Carteret County
Some criminal records in Carteret County may not show up in a search. North Carolina allows people to petition for an expunction under certain conditions. This erases the record from both the court file and the SBI database. The filing fee is $175.
The NC Courts expunction page lists the types of cases that qualify. Not every charge can be removed. Violent felonies and repeat offenses are usually excluded. Once an expunction is granted, it will not show up in any public search. The NC Courts criminal background check guide has more on what records are accessible and what may be hidden.
Public Records Access in North Carolina
All background check records in Carteret County fall under state public records law. North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 132 makes government records open to the public. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Court files, arrest records, and booking data are all covered.
Chapter 114 of the General Statutes governs criminal justice information specifically. This is the law that controls how the SBI shares data and what agencies must report. Together these two chapters form the backbone of public records access in North Carolina. Carteret County, like all counties, must follow these rules when handling record requests from the public.
If you plan to visit the Carteret County courthouse in Beaufort, bring a valid ID. The clerk's window is easy to find. Ask about the public access terminal. You type a name, pick a date range, and the screen shows results right away. Charges, dates, and outcomes are all listed. Prints from the terminal are free but not certified. For a certified copy, use Form AOC-CR-314 and pay $25. Mail requests are also an option. Send the form, your fee, and a return envelope to 302 Broad St, Beaufort, NC 28516. Most requests come back in under a week.
Carteret County is a coastal area with a seasonal population. Summer brings many visitors. Some cases may involve people who do not live here year round. A local court search only shows cases filed in this county. The SBI statewide check pulls from all 100 counties. That is a better tool for catching records from other parts of the state. Pair both searches for the widest view of a person's history in North Carolina.
Note: While most records are public, some items like juvenile cases and mental health records are protected by separate laws and will not appear in a standard background check.