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Free Mecklenburg County Public Records Search

Access Mecklenburg County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Free Mecklenburg County public records are readily accessible, may be searched for any reason and provide insightful information on another individual.

Public information about citizens and the government can be obtained online, in-person or via mail in most cases thanks to the North Carolina Records Law enacted in the early part of the 20th and the Freedom of Information Act. However, finding the agency that distributes a certain record type can be challenging if you don’t know where to look.

The resource below contains everything necessary to find public records in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, quickly and efficiently; begin the search today by following the links and processes within.

How To Look Up Mecklenburg County Records of Arrest, Mugshots & the Reason for Detainment

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency in Mecklenburg County and operates the Mecklenburg County Detention Center with a capacity of nearly 2000 and is the source of Mecklenburg County arrest records.¹

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes, viewing criminal records by the public has little restriction and anyone has the right to view these records in the state and by extension, Mecklenburg County barring some exemptions.² These include expunged, sealed and juvenile records.

As a result and like many county sheriff’s offices in the U.S., the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) maintains a database of its inmates from Mecklenburg County bookings processed during inmate intake—this database can be accessed by the public using a versatile Mecklenburg County Arrest Records Search Tool.

This people finder is free to use for residents who are looking to find out if someone is in jail and searches for arrests that have occurred within the past 3 years in the county. It is queried using:

• Last name
• First name
• Arrest data
• PID
• Arrest number

The arrest inquiry search tool shows mugshots, charges and previous arrests of offenders.

In addition to this public index, the MCSO also has a Mecklenburg County Inmate Inquiry Search Tool which searches for and displays inmates within the last 3 years inclusive of current inmates. It allows users to view recent arrests showing mugshots, sentencing information and charges.

This search which can also be used to find someone’s mugshot can be queried using:

• Last name
• First name
• PID
• JID
• Prisoner types (state, federal, BOP etc.)

Access Arrest Information & Reports From Police Departments Within Mecklenburg County North Carolina

In addition to finding arrest records from the county sheriff’s, residents of Mecklenburg County have the option for looking at jail records in city police departments that are dotted throughout the county.

The most notable of the city police departments is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) which was formed with the merger of the now defunct Charlotte City Police Department and the county’s rural police department. Free arrest history reports are no longer being provided by CMPD and arrest history information requests will need to be diverted to the clerk of court.⁵

Some city police departments may operate jails. Nevertheless, majority of these do not have jail rosters that can be accessed online or some will have links pointing to the MCSO’s inmate searches such as Town of Mint Hill Police Department, implying offenders are transported to the county jail.

Therefore, to obtain recent arrest reports from city police jails, Mecklenburg County citizens will need to contact these city police departments either by making in person visits or calling them and verifying the location of inmates to find daily arrests.

To find inmates that may be located in city jails, interested parties can run an internet search using these words: “[city name] [state] arrest record search” to find city jail records in Mecklenburg County.

As is often the case with many police departments, it is possible that they will not operate jails, and therefore residents will need to find the actual city jail with the jurisdiction of their location. Another search can be applied here to accomplish this: “[city name] police department contact information.”

Some example of city police departments are listed below with links pointing either to their contact information or inmate rosters if available:

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD): (704) 336-7600
• Concord Police Department: (704) 920-5000
• Town of Mint Hill Police Department: (704) 545-1085
• Matthews Police Department: (704) 847-5555
• Pineville Police Department: (704) 889-7867

How To Retrieve & View Mecklenburg County Marital Records

In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, everyone has access to uncertified records of vital records in North Carolina, which includes marriage and divorce records. However, certified copies can be retrieved from the subject of the record or an approved relation.

Pursuant to NC General Statute 130A-93, only certain individuals have a right to obtain certified copies of vital records in North Carolina; these include:⁷

• Subject of the record
• Brother/sister
• Child/step child
• Spouse
• Parent
• Attorney/ authorized agent etc.

The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds provides marriage records and the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office provides both marriage and divorce records. When available, the county level should be checked first as long as the searcher knows the event happened within the county, while the NC vital records office is best for finding marital information that happened in other counties. 

Note, the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court does not issue Mecklenburg County divorce records and neither does the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds.⁸

Obtain Marriage Records From the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds

Anyone can obtain uncertified copies of marriage records and certified certificates from the County Register of Deeds which is also tasked with issuing other Mecklenburg County public records such as birth and death records.⁹

This can be done through the Mecklenburg County marriage record tool which allows citizens to find uncertified copies of marriage records using:

• Name
• Date of marriage
• License #
• License status (issued, returned, expired) etc.

Certified and uncertified marriage certificates can be obtained from the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds either through:

• Online requests
• Mail in requests
• In person requests

Online Requests: Marriage certificates that are ordered online from the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds are done through Permitium software who charge a processing fee and accept credit card payments (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa).

To complete this request, proceed to the marriage certificate request (Spanish) and specify if the marriage certificate being requested is for yourself or someone else.

Then select whether a certified or uncertified certificate is required. Certified marriage certificate cost $10.00 and uncertified marriage certificate are $1.00. Next, list the requestor’s details or your information, attach a valid photo ID, and pay via credit card. 

Requests are processed in 5 weeks but a rush service is able which will shorten the time to 3-5 business days.

Mail Requests: Complete these requests by mail, fill out the marriage certificate request (Spanish) and input the information from the certificate such as groom and bride and the requestor information. Then specify the relationship to the owner of the records (self, spouse, parent, sibling etc.

Certified copies costs $24.00 for the first copy and $15.00 for subsequent copies, uncertified copies costs $24 for the first and $15 for any beyond that. Now ensure that a copy of the ID of one of the subjects of the record is present and fill out credit information if that is the chosen mode of payment.

If paying by money order or check, this should be enclosed and made payable to “VitalChek.”

In Persons Requests: To make an in person request for a marriage certificate, interested persons should bring an ID of the person that the certificate belongs to. The following IDs are acceptable; a valid, or non expired state issued driver’s license or ID, a valid passport or visa (photo included) or a valid U.S. military ID.

In person requests done at the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds are issued on the same day and can be done at the following address.

Mecklenburg Register of Deeds
720 E. 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

(704) 336-2443
[email protected]

Access Marriage & Divorce Records From the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office or VitalChek

Both marriage and divorce records and certificates can be retrieved from the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office and VitalCheck, which is the only authorized vendor for state issued birth and death certificates.¹² These can be ordered online or by phone, in-person or via mail.

Online/Phone Requests: Online requests for marriage and divorce records and certificates are done through VitalChek.

Current processing time for online and phone orders through VitalChek is 4-5 months. The costs is $13.95 for the first copy and $15.00 for additional copies. Note, shipping costs are separate and depend on the shipping address.

It is also possible to order marriage and divorce through VitalChek through the phone by calling +1-(800) 669-8310 (For orders outside the United States (615) 372-6800).

In Person Requests: Mecklenburg County residents have the option of obtaining marriage and divorce records and certificates by physically visiting the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office. These are by appointment only and there is an additional $15.00 processing fee (expedited service) for these requests.

To book an appointment, visit North Carolina Vital Records Appointments or call (984) 236-7268.

Mail Request: First, download and print the application for a marriage record (Spanish) or application for a divorce certificate (Spanish) for a marriage and divorce certificate respectively. Copy for the first certificate for both records is $24.00 and any more copies will cost $15.00 excluding the VitalChek fee. Credit cards are accepted but money orders and checks payable to “VitalChek” should be enclosed if this is the mode of payment.

Cash should never be sent and the amount should be exact, otherwise it will cause delays. Mail the documents to the following address.

North Carolina Vital Records
ATTENTION: VC Certificate Orders
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

Processing times vary from 30 days to 5 months depending on the type of record and the year of the event.¹³

How To Find Criminal Records in Mecklenburg County NC

Residents of Mecklenburg County have multiple avenues to find criminal records from federal, state and county law enforcement agencies—these include:

• Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office
• Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department
• The NC State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI)
• North Carolina state agencies such as the North Carolina Department of Safety and the North Carolina State Sex Offender Registry
• Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

Locate Criminal Records Using the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department

Citizens of Mecklenburg County and agencies that do not have statutory authority to access CHRI can turn to the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department. These checks can also be performed by individuals who may want to obtain criminal records for others. It is not a statewide search, but only finds records in Mecklenburg County.

Mail and In-Person Requests: To perform these criminal record checks, interested parties should fill Form AOC-CR-314. The fee for this is $25.00 which can be paid either via credit card, money order, cash or certified check when done in person. Mail payments should be through certified checks or money and not personal checks.

These should be mailed to the County Courthouse.

Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court — Criminal Department
832 East 4th Street #2132
Charlotte, NC 28202

Self Service Requests: It is also possible to find and view these criminal records using computer terminals at the court for statewide and count searches at the clerk’s office in the courthouse. The search does not yield certified copies and printing charges will apply.

This can be done at the same address above.

Using eCourt for Requests for Criminal Records: The state of North Carolina is rolling out a new system known as eCourts that will allow its citizens to locate Mecklenburg County public records and court dockets online.¹⁵ Interested parties can Search for Mecklenburg County Criminal Records via eCourts using several criteria such as name, case number, attorney name, and court date.

Not all counties are yet in the new system, however residents will soon be able to access Mecklenburg County court records later in 2023. It is not necessary to register to use the portal which is free to the public, but registering will allow functionalities such as the ability to save searches.

Search Criminal Records & Arrest Reports Through the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office does maintain arrest logs of inmates that have been arrested and in custody having been charged with suspected crimes. These are not considered full criminal records since the offenders have not been convicted of the crimes yet.

Residents can however use the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Criminal Record Search tool to ascertain an individual’s run in with a law and get some idea of their criminal past. Nevertheless, it should be noted that just because someone has arrest records, it doesn’t mean that they are guilty of the crime.

If someone realizes during their search that a crime occurred in one of the surrounding counties instead, Mecklenburg County agencies will not have information on the incident. However, interested parties can utilize our resource on finding any North Carolina public information for free, as all sorts of records and the best ways to obtain them can be seen there–including arrests, property ownership, court documents, birth and death certificates, marital records, and more.

Utilize the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) to Find Criminal Proceedings

The NC State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) is the primary repository for criminal data in the state of North Carolina. As a result, the NCSBI provides both the public and authorized agencies results from criminal background checks. The agency allows for two main forms of background checks, personal background checks and professional background checks.

Personal Background Checks Through the NCSBI: The NCSBI through state and federal laws provide residents of North Carolina and by extension Mecklenburg County ability to review their criminal history for completeness and ensure they are accurate. This type of check is known as the “right to review” and is a fingerprint based search (biometric) that costs $14.00.

Performing the right to review in North Carolina involves the following steps:¹⁷

1. Interested parties will need to obtain a set of fingerprints on a FD-258 Applicant Fingerprint Card from a local law enforcement agency such as the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and police departments. Provide page 4 of this right to review request form  to the law enforcement agency. Proof of identity will be required when going to get fingerprints.
2. Enclose a money order or certified check for $14.00 which should be made payable to “NC State Bureau of Investigation.” It is possible to make more than one request in one envelope. Cash and personal checks are not accepted.
3. Make sure to print the right to review request form and state the reason for the request such as employment, travel visa, name change etc.
4. Mail all the documents:

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Information and Identification Section
ATTENTION: Civilian Services Unit — Right to Review
P.O. Box 29500
Raleigh, NC 27626-0500

Citizens have the right to challenge the accuracy of the criminal records by submitting a “Right to Review Request Criminal History Written Exception” form. The Criminal Information and Identification Section (CIIS) will then commence an audit of these records. If accuracies are indeed found, the CIIS will liaise with the arresting agency and take appropriate action.

The CIIS will then communicate with the petitioner the audit results in writing.

In cases where the audit does not uncover any inaccuracies, the challenger may pursue an administrative hearing as mandated by G.S. § 150B-23.¹⁸

It is also possible to complete national checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a national identity history summary check which can be done electronically or by written request via mail. This is also a biometric search and costs $18.00.

All mail requests will be sent to:

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Rd.
Clarksburg, WV 26306

(304) 625-5590

Employers/Licensing Entities Background Checks Through the NCSBI: The nation’s central records repository for information as it pertains to law enforcement is the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and shares criminal justice (CJ) and noncriminal justice (NCJ) purposes. The FBI has designated the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) as the criminal justice agency for North Carolina.

Criminal history record information (CHRI) that is held by the NCSBI is only released to entities that have a statutory authority.¹⁹ Access to this criminal data for employment or licensing is lawful only if there are federal, state, or local mandates for the same.

These agencies and organizations will therefore need to provide this statutory authority that will allow them to perform checks on job applicants and employees. This can be done by Requesting access to CHRI per NCGS (North Carolina General Assembly).

Agencies that do not have this statutory authority will need to perform checks based on the government agencies that appear in the next section. These companies may also obtain criminal history information from 3rd party vendors.

Background Checks for Other Individuals: These types of checks are not carried through the NCSBI, but will conducted through the North Carolina Judicial Branch— Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the North Carolina State Sex Offender Registry.²⁰

These will all be covered in the sections that follow. and named based background checks can also be done 3rd party vendors but it should be noted that these organizations are not affiliated with the NCSBI. These companies procure information from the courts and then furnish it to requestors.

The NC Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) maintains a list of criminal background check companies that obtain information from them.²¹ The NCAOC reiterates that while the information from these companies is a reflection on what is in their databases, they don’t guarantee that the information is accurate and up to date.

Finding Criminal Records in Mecklenburg County & Beyond Using North Carolina State & Federal Resources

Mecklenburg County residents can also run a free criminal record check from several federal and state government agencies including North Carolina DPS and the Sex Offender Registry.

North Carolina Department of Safety (DPS)—The North Carolina Criminal Record Search Tool can be used to search the database of inmates that are serving, have served state prison sentences and those on parole.

North Carolina State Sex Offender Registry—North Carolina Sex Offender Search Tool can be used to locate individuals that have been convicted of sex offenses for free. In addition to this, there is also a National Sex Offender Search to locate offenders at a national level.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)—Mecklenburg County citizens may look up someone’s criminal record of offenders who have federal criminal records using the Federal Criminal Records Search Tool for free.

How To Get a Background Check Done in Mecklenburg County NC

Residents of Mecklenburg County who require to perform a background check may do so through the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department. The county clerk has several ways to accomplish this including mailing in the request, making an in person request or searching in the computer terminals located at the courthouse and these are delved into the sections below.

While the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office does provide fingerprinting services that cost $10.00 to capture up to 5 prints, the MSCO only does this for non-criminal purposes.

Searchers may also choose to run background checks using state resources—in particular, the NC State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). This may be done for personal and professional reasons and is discussed in the sections below.

There are two types of background checks that are performed by employers, these are:

• Name based also known as level 1 checks.
• Fingerprint based or biometric checks which are also referred to as level 2 checks.

Level 2 checks are the checks that are carried out by the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI for employment purposes, and they tend to be more accurate since individuals may use aliases in their names which could mean the wrong records are pulled up.

Background Check Statutes & Protections

North Carolina, like many other states, has laws and statutes in place that protect employees privacy rights with regard to criminal background checks. North Carolina does not prohibit employers from obtaining background checks on employees—nevertheless, the state does have ban-the-box laws that apply to state agencies due to the signing of Executive Order 158 by the governor.²⁵

This ban the box laws prohibits state agencies from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal history or any police reports they may have during the initial employment application.

In addition to state laws, certain federal agency laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) Summary of Rights and the Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Employee Rights do protect residents of Mecklenburg County in regards to background checks.

For example, employers will need to obtain consent (written) from employees before performing a background check as per FCRA mandates—they give direction to employees on the steps that they should take before they proceed not to hire an applicant due to results from a criminal background check.

The EEOC on the other hand provides employers with directions on how to assess an applicant’s criminal record as it pertains to the role of the job.

Professional vs Personal Background Checks

There are two types of background checks that are carried out in North Carolina, namely personal background checks and professional background checks which are mostly carried out by employers and businesses.

Personal Background Checks: Mecklenburg County residents will conduct personal checks for several reasons including the right to review their own information, for employment, or checking other people’s backgrounds. :

The NCSBI‘s “right to review” checks are fingerprint based checks that cost $14.00 and were discussed earlier. Rather than the through the NCSBI, checks done for individuals will usually be via the courts, sheriff’s office or federal and state agencies—these were expanded upon previously.

It is also possible to conduct searches for Mecklenburg County public records through 3rd party vendors. These services are convenient as there is no need to know the agency that has custody of the records and by not needing to contact government agencies, requests are private.

Information from North Carolina arrest records should never be used for sinister purposes such as threatening or intimidating other citizens and persons who have access to someone’s background records should abide to moral standards.

Professional Background Checks: Employers and government agencies will conduct background checks for several reasons. Some of these reasons include:

• Government agencies will conduct these checks before the issuance of licenses such as nursing, doctors, real estate agents, appraisers etc.
• Background checks allow employers to verify the credentials of applicants which ensures qualified employees are hired.
• Background checks guarantee that trustworthy employees are hired and in doing so, employers can ensure the safety of their assets.
• To safeguard public safety by hiring competent employees who are charged with the care of vulnerable members of the society such as children, North Carolina mandates level 2 checks on these persons pursuant to North Carolina Child Care Law — General Statute 110-90.2.²⁶

How To Find Mecklenburg County Arrest Warrants

Warrants are public information but unlike several states in the union, North Carolina does not have a central database that can be accessed to find this information—nevertheless, Mecklenburg County residents have three options to find if someone has a warrant, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department and background checks through the NCSBI.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office: The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office maintains a database of offenders who have warrants in the county.

This database can be accessed quickly and for free by using the Mecklenburg County Warrant Search Tool.

After having performed a warrant search from these police records, this tool will include several pieces of data including the name of the offender, description of the offense, type of warrant and jurisdiction.

The Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department: In addition to the sheriff’s office, Mecklenburg County residents can obtain warrant information from the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department as these are issued by them.

As mentioned earlier when retrieving criminal records, this can be accomplished using several methods including:

• Mail in requests
• Visiting the clerk of court’s offices and searching the computer terminals
• Using eCourts which will be available for Mecklenburg County residents in the later part of 2023.

The process for performing these searches was outlined when retrieving criminal records and can be used as a reference.

Warrant Searches via the NCSBI: This option only allows for a self-search to determine if there are any active or outstanding warrants. By simply performing a fingerprint based (biometric) search, interested parties can make a determination of this information.

The process of conducting background checks as a right to review criminal history information records (CHIR) was and unlike the other 2 methods outlined earlier, this method is not free.

Third party vendors may also be sought when looking to obtain warrant information. For individuals who may be wary of dealing with government agencies for fear of being arrested, this would be an ideal option. However, the information may sometimes not be up to date or current.

How To Check Mecklenburg County Probation Records

Interested parties that want to obtain probation information will turn to the Mecklenburg County State Probation Office. Probation as defined by the North Carolina Legislature § 15A-1343 is the court ordered supervision of an offender who has been convicted of a crime in lieu of a prison sentence—these conditions are a necessity to ensure the defendants lead a life in obedience to laws and help them do the same.²⁸

Probation information is limited public information and there is not much that probation offices can release to the public. Information such as physical descriptors of the offender or court proceedings in regards to the probation will not be released to the public.

The Mecklenburg County State Probation Office is located in Charlotte and can be contacted for more information.²⁹

Additionally, the North Carolina Department of Safety (DPS) has 273 field offices throughout North Carolina with 2000 probation/parole offices—the DPS has an office in Charlotte which is Judicial District 26.³⁰

How To Retrieve Court Records via the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, Clerk of Superior Court & eCourts

Mecklenburg County has several courts in its jurisdiction including:

• Supreme Court—Supreme Court is the state’s highest court.
• Court of Appeals—Court of appeals hears review hearings from the lower courts.
• Business Court—Business court deals with corporate and commercial law.
• Family Court—This court deals with family’s legal issues.
• Mental Health Court—The mental health court liaises with mental health providers and the courts.
• Youth Drug Treatment Court—This court deals with juvenile drug offenses.
• Adult Drug Treatment Court— The adult drug treatment court helps drug offenders become law abiding citizens.
• Family Drug Treatment Court— This court works with parents and guardians who may lose child custody due to charges such as abuse or neglect.
• DWI Treatment Court— DWI treatment court works with drug and alcohol offenders to alter their behaviors after being convicted.³¹

The Clerk of Superior Court Office will be primary contact to obtain Mecklenburg County judicial records including and they provide cases about criminal records, civil matters, probate, estate, lawsuits, small claims, traffic and fines.³²

There are four ways to run a Mecklenburg County case search through the clerk’s office:

In Person Visits—All county courthouses including Mecklenburg County Courthouse have public terminals at the clerk’s office that can be used to access all court records for free. These are non-certified records when printed. Printing fees will apply.

Written Requests—It is possible to mail in written requests for all court records by completing and mailing Form AOC-CR-314. This costs $25.00 and can either be mailed in or dropped off at the clerk’s office.

eCourts— eCourts is a new online system being implemented by the North Carolina Judicial Branch that will bring all county records within online access and eliminate the need to visit the courthouse to view uncertified court records. The system is accessed by this Search for Mecklenburg County Court Records tool which is free for the public to use.

Remote Public Access Program— The Remote Public Access Program allows online access similar to eCourts but requires licensing to access court records and allows for bulk data extracts. It permits access to criminal and civil court records. The RPA license is expensive to acquire with stringent requirements and is more suited for businesses and employers rather than the public.

For more information, email the Remote Public Access Program.

How To View or Request Birth & Death Records or Certificates in Mecklenburg County

Certified and uncertified birth and death records and certificates can be obtained from the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds so long as the event took place in Mecklenburg County.

Uncertified Birth and Death Records: This can be done through the Mecklenburg County birth & death record access link which allows citizens to find uncertified copies of birth and death records. Both sets of records can be printed.

Searching for birth records can be done by either the child’s name or the date range when the child birth took place. The tool is free to use and does not require registration.

To search for uncertified copies of death records, the death tab can be chosen and this will allows users to query death records using:

• Deceased name
• Date of death
• Certificate number etc.

Online Requests for Certified & Uncertified Birth & Death Certificates: Certified and uncertified copies of birth and death certificates that are ordered online from the Mecklenburg County Register are done through Permitium software who charge a processing fee and accept credit card payments (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa).

To complete this request, proceed to the birth certificate request or death certificate request and specify if the birth/death certificate being requested is for yourself or someone else. Then select whether a certified or uncertified certificate is required. The costs for each are below:

• Certified birth/death certificate— $10.00 for all copies.
• Uncertified birth/death certificate— $1.00 for each copy.
• Delayed birth certificate—1st copy is $10.00, each additional copy is $1.00

Mail in Requests for Certified & Uncertified Birth and Death Certificates: To request a birth and death certificate by mail, interested parties will need to download either the birth certificate application (Spanish) or death certificate application (Spanish).

Certified copies are $10.00 each, uncertified copies are $1.00 each and wallet size (only for birth certificate) are $7.50 for one copy or $10.00 for additional copies. The documents can be mailed to:

Office of Vital Records
618 North College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

Request Death & Birth Records From the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office

Individuals can also retrieve birth and death records and certificates is the North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office.

In Person Requests for Birth & Death Record and Certificates: Mecklenburg County citizens may also obtain birth and death records and certificates by physically visiting the NC Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office. These are by appointment only and there is an additional $15.00 processing fee (expedited service) for these requests.

To book an appointment, visit NC vital records appointments or call (984)-236-7268.

Mail In Requests for Marriage & Divorce Record and Certificates: First, download and print the application for a birth certificate (Spanish) or application for a death certificate (Spanish) for a birth and death certificate respectively. There is a report of fetal death and certificate for a stillbirth which can be requested using application for a fetal death or stillbirth certificate (Spanish).

Attach a valid copy of the owner of the certificate is enclosed in the application, include a money order or check for $24.00 for the first copy and $15.00 for any after that and mail it to:

North Carolina Vital Records
ATTENTION: VC Certificate Orders
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

Note, birth and death records can be ordered through VitalChek online or by phone: +1(800) 669-8310 (For orders outside the United States (615)-372-6800).

How To Find Property Records & Taxes Through the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds & the Assessor’s Office

Mecklenburg County citizens have two ways to search for property records which are considered public records in the county.

Search Property Information via the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds: The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds is the primary and official repository for property records.³⁴

It has the task of recording, maintaining and protecting public records that are registered; these include deeds of trust, maps, mortgages, real estate conveyances etc. There are 2 databases that are maintained by this office:

Modern Land Records—This database has property records that were added from March 1990 to present and is accessed using the Mecklenburg County Property Search Tool using several criteria including party name, grantor, date filed etc.

Historical Property Records—This database has records on historical land records and any images recorded from 1763 to February 1990. It is accessed using the Mecklenburg County Historical Property Search Tool via several criteria including sub-type, book and page.

It is also possible to visit the Register of Deeds Office to view real estate and property records during business hours on weekdays except holidays.

720 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

(704)-336-2443

Finding Records Through the Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Office: The Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Office is tasked with listing, discovering and assessing real and personal property in Mecklenburg County.³⁷

The database of property records can be accessed using the Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Property Records Search tool which can queried using:

• Owner name
• Address
• Parcel number
• Additional owners (if applicable)

Summary of Agencies Who Host & Distribute Mecklenburg County Public Records

To summarize, residents of Mecklenburg County can locate criminal and arrest records from several government agencies including:

• Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office
• City police departments that may operate city jails
• Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department
• NC State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI)
• State and federal agencies—these include the North Carolina Department of Safety, North Carolina State Sex Offender Registry & the Bureau of Prisons

Court records of all types can be obtained by contacting the Clerk of Superior Court Office or using eCourts. Requesters may also make an in person visit to the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and/or make a written request by mailing in Form AOC-CR-314.

Limited probation information can be obtained from the Mecklenburg County State Probation Office and the North Carolina Department of Safety – Charlotte Office (Judicial District 26).

Warrant information can be sought from:

• Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office
• Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Criminal Department
• North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI)

Residents can check if someone is married or divorced and obtain uncertified and certified marriage and divorce certificates from:

• Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds (only marriage certificates)
• North Carolina Division of Public Health – NC Vital Records Office and online through VitalChek

A free public records search for property records in Mecklenburg County can be done through two agencies, namely the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds and the Mecklenburg County Assessor’s Office.

Mecklenburg County public records are located in multiple government agencies which may make finding them challenging and confusing to the layman—having knowledge of what type of record resides in which government entity empowers citizens to find public information on anyone quickly and efficiently.