How to Look Up Eviction Records in North Carolina 2026
Court portal, certified copy fees, and expungement laws for North Carolina
Where to Search North Carolina Eviction Records
Online portal: NC eCourts
Certified copy fee: $0.25/page
In North Carolina, an eviction record begins in Magistrate Court, where summary-ejectment (landlord-tenant) cases are filed and decided; if either side appeals, the case moves up to District Court. Because North Carolina runs a unified court system, those records are reachable from one place rather than county courthouse by county courthouse: the state offers statewide online case search through NC eCourts, so you can typically pull up a filing by party name without driving to the clerk's window.
The expungement picture is the other half of the story, and here North Carolina is blunt: there is no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record. A summary-ejectment case stays in the public court index. That single fact shapes everything below, from how a landlord should screen an applicant to what a tenant can realistically expect. Certified copies, when you need them for a dispute or an appeal, run $0.25 per page.
How to look up a North Carolina eviction record
Start with the statewide portal. NC eCourts lets you search the public case index by party name across the counties that have rolled onto the system, which is how most North Carolina eviction (summary-ejectment) cases surface today. Search the tenant's full legal name, then open the case to confirm the county, the parties, and the case type before you rely on it.
If a record predates the digital rollout in a given county, or you need the underlying filings, go to the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the rental sits; the clerk's office holds the paper file for both Magistrate Court and District Court matters. Plan to pay $0.25 per page for certified copies, which you will want if the record is going into a screening file, a court exhibit, or an appeal.
Reading the result: a filing is not a judgment
The most common mistake is treating any hit in the index as proof the tenant lost. It is not. A summary-ejectment case can be dismissed, settled, or decided for the tenant, and an appeal to District Court can reverse a magistrate's ruling. A filing is not a judgment, always open the case and read the disposition before drawing a conclusion.
Look for the outcome line: was a judgment for possession actually entered, was the case voluntarily dismissed, or is it still pending? Note the date and the court (Magistrate versus District Court on appeal). Two records with the same caption can mean very different things depending on how each resolved, and a screening decision built on the filing alone rather than the result is both unfair and legally exposed.
Expungement reality and what it means for screening
North Carolina has no eviction-record expungement or sealing statute. Unlike states that let tenants petition to seal a dismissed or old case, a North Carolina summary-ejectment record generally remains in the public court index indefinitely. That permanence is exactly why accuracy matters so much on the landlord side.
Screening here is governed primarily by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. If you pull eviction history through a tenant-screening company, the FCRA requires accurate reporting, a permissible purpose, and proper adverse-action notice when you deny based on a report. Because nothing in North Carolina law removes stale or dismissed cases for you, verify each record's disposition against the court file before acting. Denying an applicant over a dismissed filing invites a dispute you will struggle to defend.
The tenant's side: what you can and cannot do
For renters, the hard truth is that North Carolina does not provide a path to expunge or seal an eviction record, so the usual advice elsewhere, petition the court to wipe an old or dismissed case, does not apply here. What you can do is make sure the record is correct and that its outcome is visible.
If a screening report shows an eviction you believe is wrong, outdated, or misreported, you have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act: dispute the entry with the screening company in writing and require it to verify or correct the information. You can also request the certified court file from the Clerk of Superior Court ($0.25 per page) to document a dismissal or a ruling in your favor, then hand that to a prospective landlord so the disposition speaks for itself rather than the bare filing.
Step-by-Step: How to Search North Carolina Eviction Records
- Go to NC eCourts. Open https://www.nccourts.gov in your browser.
- Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
- Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
- Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
- Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
- Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Magistrate Court (Summary Ejectment) / District Court on appeal clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.25/page.
This page was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts, which operates the NC eCourts statewide case search, and the county Clerks of Superior Court that maintain summary-ejectment files. North Carolina has no eviction-record expungement statute. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; consult a licensed North Carolina attorney about a specific record or case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up eviction records in North Carolina?
Search the statewide NC eCourts portal by the tenant's full legal name to find summary-ejectment cases, which are filed in Magistrate Court (and District Court on appeal). For older records or the full file, visit the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the property is located. Always open the case and read the disposition rather than relying on the index entry alone.
Are North Carolina eviction records public?
Yes. North Carolina court records, including summary-ejectment (eviction) cases, are part of the public record. Because the state runs a unified court system, they are searchable statewide through NC eCourts, and the county Clerk of Superior Court holds the underlying paper files. There is no statute that automatically seals these cases.
Can a tenant expunge an eviction in North Carolina?
No. North Carolina has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a summary-ejectment case generally stays in the public court index. A tenant's best options are to make sure the record's outcome (such as a dismissal or a ruling in their favor) is accurately reflected, and to dispute any inaccurate screening-report entry under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
How much does a certified copy of an eviction record cost in North Carolina?
Certified copies from the Clerk of Superior Court cost $0.25 per page in North Carolina. You will typically want a certified copy when a record is going into a tenant-screening file, a court exhibit, or an appeal from Magistrate Court to District Court, where the documented disposition matters.
Related North Carolina Landlord Guides
Court portal information sourced from the North Carolina court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published North Carolina statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.