Edgecombe County Background Check

Edgecombe County is in the eastern part of North Carolina. The county seat is Tarboro, a town with deep roots in the state's history. Rocky Mount sits partly in Edgecombe County and partly in Nash County. Public records here are held by the Clerk of Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office. Criminal case files, court documents, and arrest records are available for public review under state law. This page covers the key steps and tools for running a background check in Edgecombe County.

Edgecombe County Clerk of Superior Court

The Clerk of Superior Court in Edgecombe County is the official keeper of court records. The office is at the Edgecombe County Courthouse in Tarboro. Criminal cases, civil filings, and other legal documents are stored here. You can visit during office hours and use a self-service terminal to search records at no charge. These free searches are helpful for a quick look but are not certified.

Here is the Edgecombe 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 carries the court seal. This search is limited to cases filed in Edgecombe County. If you need records from Nash County (where part of Rocky Mount sits), you would need to search there separately.

If you plan to visit the courthouse in Tarboro, bring a valid photo ID and plan your trip for a weekday morning. The self-service terminals are in the public area of the building, and you do not need an appointment to use them. For a certified search, hand your form and fee to the clerk at the front desk. Staff can help you fill out the form on site if you have not done it before. Because Edgecombe County is not as busy as some of the larger urban courts, you should be able to get in and out in a short time on most days.

Note: Rocky Mount spans two counties, so records may be filed in either Edgecombe or Nash County depending on where the incident occurred.

Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office

The Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement outside of town limits. The office manages patrol, arrests, warrants, and the county detention center. Arrest records and booking data from the sheriff are public. Tarboro and Rocky Mount each have their own police departments for cases within their city lines.

If an arrest happened in a rural part of the county, the sheriff's office would have the initial record. Once charges are filed, the case moves to the court system. The clerk's office at the courthouse holds all filed cases, regardless of which agency made the arrest. For a complete picture, checking with both the sheriff and the clerk is a good approach.

Statewide Background Check Resources

A county-level search only covers cases filed in Edgecombe County. For a broader check, the NC State Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal history file. The SBI was established in 1937 and operates from Raleigh. The Computerized Criminal History file, called CCH, holds records from all 100 NC counties.

Below is the NC SBI background check page.

The SBI offers name-based and fingerprint-based searches. Fingerprint checks use the SAFIS network and are tied to a specific person. SAFIS stands for the Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Name-based checks are faster but can produce false matches with common names. The NC Courts background check page explains both methods and their costs.

Free Online Lookup Tools

Several free tools can support a background check in Edgecombe County. The NC Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name or by location. You can see registered offenders in the Edgecombe County area or search statewide. The SBI manages this registry and keeps it current.

The NC DPS Offender Search covers the state prison system. It shows current inmates, past inmates, and details like charges and release dates. Both tools are free and require no account. They add a different layer of information to what you can find at the courthouse.

Edgecombe County Background Check Steps

There are several ways to search records in Edgecombe County. Here are the main methods:

• Use a self-service terminal at the Edgecombe County Courthouse for a free search
• File Form AOC-CR-314 with $25 for a certified county search
• Contact the SBI for a statewide name-based or fingerprint search
• Check the NC Sex Offender Registry by name or address
• Search the NC DPS Offender Search for prison records

Each method covers different ground. A county search shows only Edgecombe County cases. The SBI search spans all of North Carolina. Online tools cover the sex offender registry and the prison system. Using more than one method gives the most complete results. Chapter 114 and Chapter 132 of the NC General Statutes set the legal framework for these searches.

A mail-in request is also an option for an Edgecombe County background check. Send a filled-out AOC-CR-314 form along with a $25 check or money order to the Edgecombe County Clerk of Superior Court in Tarboro. Include the full legal name and date of birth. The clerk will process the request and mail back certified results. Allow a few weeks for the round trip. This works well if you live outside the area or if it is hard for you to get to the courthouse during the work week.

Note: Combining local and statewide searches is the best way to get a full picture of someone's record in North Carolina.

Expunctions in Edgecombe County

Some records in Edgecombe County may not appear in a search because they have been expunged. An expunction removes a charge or conviction from the public record. The NC Courts expunction page explains who is eligible and how to file. The standard filing fee is $175. Cases that were dismissed may qualify for a fee waiver.

Legal Aid of North Carolina can help with expunctions at no cost. Their phone number is 1-866-219-5262. They offer guidance on eligibility and assist with the paperwork. The NC General Assembly sets the rules for expunctions. These rules have been revised over the years, so check the current statutes before filing. Once a record is expunged, it is removed from both courthouse and SBI search results.