Davie County Background Check
Davie County is a small county in the western Piedmont of North Carolina. The county seat is Mocksville. With a close-knit community and rural landscape, Davie County still maintains a full set of public records through its courthouse and sheriff's office. Criminal case files, court documents, and arrest records are all accessible. This page explains the options for running a background check in Davie County, whether you plan to visit the courthouse in person or use online state resources.
Davie County Clerk of Superior Court
The Davie County Clerk of Superior Court holds all court records for the county. The office is in the Davie County Courthouse in Mocksville. Criminal cases, civil filings, and other legal documents are stored here. You can visit during business hours and use a self-service terminal to search records at no charge. Free searches are not certified but give you a good look at what has been filed.
Here is the Davie County Clerk of Court listing on the NC Courts website.
A certified search requires Form AOC-CR-314 and a $25 fee. The certified copy is stamped with the court seal and serves as a legal document. This search only covers cases filed in Davie County. If you need results from other counties, a statewide search through the SBI is the next step.
Davie County Government and Sheriff
The Davie County government website is a central hub for county services. You can find contact details, office hours, and links to various departments here. The sheriff's office, which handles law enforcement and the county jail, is listed on the site along with other key offices.
The image below shows the Davie County government home page.
The Davie County Sheriff's Office covers the entire county. Arrest records, booking data, and warrant information from the sheriff are public. Mocksville has its own police department for cases within town limits. For anything outside town, the sheriff's office is the primary agency.
If you plan to visit the courthouse in Mocksville, try to go on a weekday morning when foot traffic tends to be light. Bring a form of photo ID with you. The self-service terminals are in a public area, so you do not need to check in with staff to use them. For a certified search, you can hand your form and fee to the clerk at the front desk. Staff in Davie County tend to be helpful and can walk you through each step if this is your first time. Because Davie is a small county, wait times are short on most days.
Note: The Davie County government website lists contact details for the sheriff, clerk, and other county offices.
Statewide Background Check Resources
A county search only shows what has been filed in Davie County. For a broader look, the NC State Bureau of Investigation runs the statewide criminal history database. The SBI was established in 1937 and maintains the Computerized Criminal History file. This file, called CCH, stores data from all 100 counties in North Carolina.
You can request a name-based or fingerprint-based check from the SBI. Name-based searches are quick. Fingerprint-based searches use the SAFIS network to match prints and tie results to a specific person. The NC Courts background check page explains both methods. Chapter 114 of the NC General Statutes sets the legal rules for how criminal history information is handled.
Davie County borders Forsyth, Yadkin, and Iredell counties. People in this area often cross county lines for work and daily life. A statewide search catches records from any NC county, which is important in a region where counties are close together.
Free Online Lookup Tools
Several free state databases can add to a Davie County background check:
- The NC Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name or location
- The NC DPS Offender Search shows current and past prison inmates
- Self-service terminals at the Davie County Courthouse provide free case lookups
The sex offender registry is managed by the SBI and updated regularly. The DPS offender search lets you look up people in the state prison system by name or offender number. Both tools are free and require no account. They cover different types of records than what you would find at the courthouse.
Davie County Background Check Process
Running a background check in Davie County is straightforward. The simplest option is to visit the courthouse in Mocksville. Self-service terminals are open to the public. For a certified copy, submit the AOC-CR-314 form with payment. For a statewide check, contact the SBI directly.
Each path has a different scope. A Davie County search covers only local cases. The SBI check covers the whole state. Online tools like the sex offender registry and DPS search add another layer. Using more than one method gives you a more complete picture. Chapter 132 of the NC General Statutes ensures public access to most government records in the state.
You can also request a Davie County background check by mail. Send a filled-out Form AOC-CR-314 and a $25 check or money order to the Clerk of Superior Court in Mocksville. Include the full legal name and date of birth of the person you are searching. The clerk will process the request and mail back the certified results. Allow one to three weeks for the round trip. This mail option works well for those who do not live close to Davie County or who find it hard to get to the courthouse during work hours.
Note: Combining a county search with a statewide SBI check gives the broadest view of a person's record in North Carolina.
Expunctions and Record Removal
Some records in Davie County may have been expunged. An expunction removes a charge or case from the public file. Once removed, it does not appear in standard searches. The NC Courts expunction page outlines the eligibility rules and filing steps. The fee is $175 in most cases, with waivers possible for dismissed charges.
Legal Aid of North Carolina can help with the expunction process. Call 1-866-219-5262 for assistance. They offer free help to those who qualify. The NC General Assembly has updated expunction laws multiple times, so what qualifies today may differ from past rules. An expunged record will not show up in courthouse or SBI searches.