Wake County Background Check

Wake County is the most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat is Raleigh, which also serves as the state capital. With over one million residents, Wake County generates a large volume of court records and public safety data each year. The Clerk of Superior Court, the Sheriff's Office, and the Register of Deeds all manage different categories of public records. Background checks can be conducted locally at the Wake County Justice Center or through statewide databases. This guide covers the key offices, tools, and processes for obtaining background check records in Wake County.

Wake County Sheriff's Office

The Wake County Sheriff's Office serves the entire county. It is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the state. The office handles patrol, detention, court security, and civil process. Arrest records and incident reports are maintained by this office.

Below is the Wake County Sheriff's Office website.

The sheriff's office website lists contact numbers, services, and public safety information. You can also find details about the detention center and inmate lookup tools through this site.

Wake County's size creates a complex law enforcement landscape. In addition to the sheriff, there are police departments in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Garner, Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon, Morrisville, and Rolesville. Each of these agencies handles arrests within its jurisdiction. All criminal charges, regardless of which agency filed them, are ultimately processed through the Wake County court system. When conducting a background check, you do not need to contact each police department individually for court records. The Clerk of Superior Court at the Wake County Justice Center holds all case files in one location.

Wake County Clerk of Court Background Check

The Wake County Clerk of Superior Court manages all court records. The office is in the Wake County Justice Center in downtown Raleigh. Criminal case files, civil actions, and special proceedings are all stored here. Due to the county's size, the clerk processes a high volume of records requests.

Free self-service terminals are available for non-certified searches. These terminals allow you to look up criminal case data by name. For a certified search, submit Form AOC-CR-314 with a $25 fee. Certified results carry an official stamp.

The following image shows the Wake County Clerk of Court listing on the NC Courts website.

Check this page for current hours and contact details. The Wake County courts handle a large caseload, so plan for possible wait times if visiting in person.

Note: Certified searches from the clerk cover only cases filed in Wake County. A statewide search requires contacting the SBI.

Wake County Register of Deeds

The Wake County Register of Deeds manages property records, vital records, and notary commissions. This office is separate from criminal records. Land deeds, marriage licenses, and birth certificates are on file here.

Here is the Wake County Register of Deeds website.

Property records can be searched online through the county portal. All records maintained by the Register of Deeds are public under North Carolina Chapter 132.

Wake County's population exceeds one million, making it the busiest county in North Carolina for court proceedings. The volume of criminal cases processed each year is significantly higher than in any other county. This means that background check searches at the Wake County Justice Center may return a large number of results for common names. Using additional identifying information such as date of birth or middle name can help narrow results. For individuals with common names, the fingerprint-based SBI search is the most reliable method to avoid misidentification.

Wake County Government Portal

The Wake County government website provides centralized access to department information, online services, and public records resources. It is a useful starting point before visiting any county office in person.

The image below shows the Wake County government homepage.

From this portal you can navigate to specific departments, find phone numbers, and locate office addresses across the county.

Statewide Criminal Background Check

The NC State Bureau of Investigation operates the statewide criminal records repository. Located in Raleigh, the SBI has maintained this system since 1937. The Computerized Criminal History file collects data from law enforcement agencies across all 100 counties.

Name-based checks are processed quickly. Fingerprint-based checks take longer but produce more accurate results. The SBI uses SAFIS, the Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System, to process prints and match them against records on file. Chapter 114 of the NC General Statutes governs this process.

The NC Courts background check page explains both options and links to relevant forms.

Wake County Background Check Methods

With Wake County being the largest in the state, there are many ways to access records. Here is a summary of the available methods:

• Use free self-service terminals at the Wake County Justice Center in Raleigh
• File Form AOC-CR-314 with $25 for a certified single-county search
• Request a statewide search from the SBI by name or fingerprint
• Search the NC Sex Offender Registry online for free
• Look up state inmates using the NC DPS Offender Search

For the most complete picture, use both a county search and a statewide search. The county search covers Wake County records. The SBI search covers all of North Carolina.

Because the SBI headquarters is located in Raleigh, residents of Wake County have the convenience of being in the same city as the state's central criminal records office. In-person visits to the SBI are possible for those who prefer to handle their request face to face. However, the SBI also accepts mail-in and channeler submissions, so visiting in person is not required. Wake County's large population of over one million means the clerk's office processes a very high volume of cases. Expect longer wait times at the courthouse compared to smaller counties, especially during morning hours and early in the week.

Note: The expunction process may remove some records from view, and Legal Aid of North Carolina at 1-866-219-5262 can help with the application.