Learn to Access North Carolina Public Records

As per the State General Statute 132, North Carolina public records can be papers, photographs, recordings, magnetic tapes, films and so on that have been created or received by the state agencies as pursuant to law. These records are complied by state operated agencies and can be accessed by general public for free or for a marginal fee.

Request Procedure

To request for the certified copies of public records, you need to fill up an application form. This form can be obtained from the website of Records Branch of the North Carolina government. The forms are in two formats-pdf and MS Word. For Pdf format, go to http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/forms/serieslistingform_GRB99s.pdf and for the form in MS Word, go to http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/forms.htm.

Follow the instructions to fill up the forms. You will get the instructions at http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/forms/99SInstructions0307amended.pdf.  Providing all the required information, send the form to Government Records Branch, 4615 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4615.

About Vital Records

Vital records are the most commonly requested public records. Vital records include birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates. There are two kinds of service to request for these records- standard service takes three to five weeks and expedite service, for which there are three options.

When you opt for a faster service, you can place your request through mail but pay additional service charge for faster processing. You can drop-off the request but collect it personally on same day by paying more. Or you can order for the certificate online or over phone. You use your credit card for making payments for this service.

To order for birth certificates, download the form from http://vitalrecords.nc.gov/vitalrecords/documents/bcertificatapp.pdf. Birth records since 1913 to the present day is available in the database. Fill up the form and send it to North Carolina Vital Records, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903. Enclose the check of $24 and $15 for every additional copy, payable to North Carolina Vital records along with.

For death, marriage and divorce records, download the form from http://vitalrecords.nc.gov/vitalrecords/documents/othercert.pdf. Records of deaths taken place since 1930, marriages since 1962 and divorces since 1958 can be collected from North Carolina Vital Records. Search fees are same as that of birth records. The processing fee for the expedite service is $15. For detailed schedule of tariff, go to the page of fees at http://vitalrecords.nc.gov/vitalrecords/fees.htm.

For standard service through USPS, send the request mail at North Carolina Vital Records, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903. For special service, send through FedEx at N.C. Vital Records, 225 North McDowell Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603-1382.

When you search North Carolina public records, you must know that the requests for these certificates are processed only when they come from the immediate family members, an authorized legal agent or representative of the immediate family members and if someone requires this information for legal determination of property and/or personal rights.

The birth certificate of an adopted child is issued to the baby that is the adoptee itself, its parents, spouse, siblings and children. By all these relationships, adoptive relations are meant. The original certificates holding original information are sealed files and are not accessible.