Wake County Clerk of Court: Records, Case Access & Court Services
The Wake County Clerk of Superior Court is the official local court-record office for Wake County, North Carolina. People use the Clerk’s office and North Carolina eCourts systems to search public case information, check court dates, request copies, pay eligible fines or fees, file documents, access estate records, and find the right court division.
Wake County has two main state-court buildings in downtown Raleigh. The Wake County Courthouse handles civil matters except marriages, while the Wake County Justice Center handles criminal matters and marriages. The correct location depends on whether your case is civil, criminal, traffic, domestic, estates, special proceedings, or another court category.
Independent informational guide. Last reviewed September 2026. Always confirm court dates, filing deadlines, fees, courtroom assignments, record access, and office hours through the official North Carolina Judicial Branch or the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court before acting.
Wake County Clerk of Court Quick Facts
How to Search Wake County Court Records Online
Wake County uses North Carolina eCourts tools for public case information. The main public search tool is the NC eCourts Portal, which supports case searches, hearing searches, judgment searches, and some online payments.
Portal access is helpful for finding a case number, checking upcoming court dates, reviewing docket activity, and confirming whether a case is in District Court or Superior Court. However, the Portal is not the same as a certified court record. If you need an official copy for legal, licensing, immigration, employment, school, or agency use, request it from the Clerk.
Official case searchNC eCourts Portal
After opening this link:
- Choose Smart Search if you want to search court records and case information.
- Search by name, case number, citation number, attorney name, or another field supported by the portal.
- Set the location to Wake County when the portal allows county filtering.
- Open the matching case and review the case number, party names, case status, events, and hearing information.
- Use Search Hearings if you mainly need a court date or hearing location.
- Contact the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court if the case is missing, sealed, confidential, old, or if you need certified copies.
How to Get Wake County Court Record Copies or Certified Copies
For many court-record needs, a portal screenshot or printout is not enough. Agencies often require a certified copy from the Clerk of Superior Court. Examples include certified criminal dispositions, divorce judgments, estate documents, name-change orders, foreclosure documents, and official copies of filed pleadings or orders.
North Carolina Judicial Branch guidance points users to the Clerk’s office in the county where the case was filed when they need copies of court documents. In Wake County, that usually means contacting the correct division by phone or visiting the correct courthouse counter.
Official help topicObtaining North Carolina Court Records
After opening this link:
- Read the section for the record type you need: criminal, civil, court reporter transcript, audio recording, or other court record.
- Note whether the record should be requested from the Clerk, court reporter, court reporting manager, or another Judicial Branch contact.
- Gather the case number, party names, date of birth when relevant, case type, filing year, and specific document name.
- Contact Wake County Clerk staff for copies filed in Wake County.
- Ask whether the copy must be certified, exemplified, or plain before paying.
Wake County Clerk of Court Google Map, Courthouse Address & Hours
Wake County has two major state-court buildings in downtown Raleigh. The Wake County Courthouse is the main location for civil matters except marriages. The Wake County Justice Center is the main location for criminal matters and marriages.
Wake County Courthouse
Address: 316 Fayetteville St. Mall, Raleigh, NC 27601
Main phone: 919-792-4000
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday.
Best for: civil matters, civil clerk services, estates, special proceedings, family-law related civil matters, small claims, judgments, and many Clerk records requests.
Wake County Justice Center
Address: 300 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Main phone: 919-792-4000
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday.
Best for: criminal matters, traffic and misdemeanors, felonies, criminal court payments, marriages, magistrates, District Attorney, and many Justice Center court functions.
Official location pageWake County Courts Location Page
After opening this link:
- Open the Wake County Courthouse page if your matter is civil, estates, special proceedings, or civil Clerk-related.
- Open the Wake County Justice Center page if your matter is criminal, traffic, misdemeanor, felony, or marriage-related.
- Check the court date tool before visiting if you are appearing for a hearing.
- Review parking, security, building-directory, and accessibility information before arriving downtown.
- Call the specific department if your case is urgent, confidential, sealed, or time-sensitive.
Wake County Clerk Department Contacts
Wake County court services are divided by case type. Calling the right number can save time, especially if you need estate records, small claims, traffic information, judgment information, or an expunction-related record.
Official directoryWake County Court Contact Directory
After opening this link:
- Find the court department that matches your issue instead of calling every court office.
- Use the Clerk of Superior Court number for general Clerk records and filing questions.
- Use the specialized numbers for jury service, traffic, estates, small claims, domestic violence, or special proceedings.
- Have your case number, party name, citation number, hearing date, or file type ready before calling.
- Do not email Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, or other sensitive data unless official staff specifically instructs you through a secure process.
Civil Court, Small Claims, Family Cases, Judgments & Domestic Matters
Wake County civil matters are generally handled at the Wake County Courthouse. Civil records may include lawsuits, small claims, landlord-tenant matters, domestic cases, child custody matters, divorce, judgments, liens, executions, and related civil filings.
The Clerk’s role is to file, maintain, and provide access to court records according to law. Clerk staff can explain filing procedures and record access, but they cannot give legal advice, tell you which claim to file, or predict how a judge will rule.
Official Wake rules and formsWake County Local Rules and Forms
After opening this link:
- Search for the rule or form that matches your court division and case type.
- Check the document date because court procedures and local forms can be updated.
- If a local form is missing, contact courthouse personnel through the official Contact Directory.
- Confirm whether the filing must be submitted through eFiling, in person, by mail, or through another approved method.
Self-help supportWake County Legal Support Center
After opening this link:
- Review whether the Legal Support Center can help with your type of civil legal problem.
- Check the location and visiting instructions before going to the courthouse.
- Bring any court papers, notices, case numbers, and deadlines with you.
- Use this support resource as legal-information help, not as a substitute for private legal advice when your case is complex.
Criminal Cases, Traffic Tickets, Court Dates & Payments
Wake County criminal matters and marriages are conducted in the Wake County Justice Center. Criminal and traffic users should verify the case type and court date before visiting because District Court misdemeanors, Superior Court felonies, traffic citations, and disposed-case records may require different contacts.
The NC eCourts Portal can help with public search and hearing lookup, but it is not a substitute for official Clerk guidance when a record is sealed, expunged, confidential, or needed as a certified disposition.
Official Wake payment informationWake County Payment Information
After opening this link:
- Choose the payment category that matches your case: traffic, criminal, civil, family, special proceeding, or estate.
- Confirm whether your payment can be made online or must be handled at the courthouse.
- Check the case number, citation number, payment amount, and due date before paying.
- Save the receipt or confirmation number.
- Call the appropriate division if your case has a court appearance requirement or the online payment option is not available.
Court datesNorth Carolina Court Date Search
After opening this link:
- Search by name, citation number, county, or other available criteria.
- Select Wake County if a county filter is available.
- Review the date, time, courtroom, location, and case type.
- Check again close to your court date because calendars can change.
- Call the correct Wake County court contact if the listing is unclear or missing.
Estates, Guardianship, Adoption, Foreclosure, Name Changes & Special Proceedings
In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court has important responsibilities for estates and special proceedings. Wake County users often contact the Clerk for estate administration, wills, letters testamentary, guardianship, foreclosure, name changes, adoption-related matters, and special proceeding copy requests.
Estates and special proceedings can involve deadlines, notices, bond requirements, inventories, annual accounts, hearings, and restricted files. If you are unsure what to file, review the official help topics and consider legal advice before submitting documents.
Official estates helpNorth Carolina Wills and Estates Help Topic
After opening this link:
- Review the statewide explanation of estates, probate, wills, and administration.
- Identify whether the matter involves a will, estate administration, small estate, year’s allowance, or another procedure.
- Contact Wake County Estates for local filing and copy instructions.
- Prepare the decedent’s full name, date of death, file number if known, and document needed.
- Use legal advice when the estate is contested, contains real property, or involves unclear heirs or creditors.
eFiling, Guide & File, Interpreter Requests & Other Online Court Services
North Carolina has moved court filing and case management into eCourts statewide. For Wake County, many attorneys and some self-represented filers use eCourts tools for filing, document service, court records, and payments.
Online tools are helpful, but each case type may have different filing rules. Some documents may require correct service, additional local forms, party access, fee payment, or Clerk review before they appear on the docket.
Official online servicesNorth Carolina Judicial Branch Online Services
After opening this link:
- Choose the service you need: court records, File & Serve, Guide & File, payments, interpreter request, or public record request.
- Confirm that Wake County is selected when the service asks for location.
- Read whether the service is for attorneys, self-represented litigants, public users, or registered users.
- Save confirmations, filing envelopes, service receipts, and payment receipts.
- If a filing is rejected, read the Clerk’s rejection reason before resubmitting.
Portal trainingNC eCourts Portal Training and Resources
After opening this link:
- Use the guides if you are new to the Portal.
- Review how to search case records, hearing dates, and judgments.
- Check whether you need to register or can search as an anonymous public user.
- Contact the Wake County Clerk if you need to be added correctly as an attorney or party on a case.
Make Sure You Are Contacting the Right Wake County Office
“Wake County clerk” can mean different offices. The Clerk of Superior Court handles court records and court services. The Register of Deeds handles land records and vital records. Other Wake County departments handle property tax, permits, elections, sheriff records, and county administration.
Use Wake County Clerk of Superior Court for
- Court case records.
- Certified court records.
- Civil cases and small claims.
- Criminal cases and traffic court records.
- Divorce, child custody, and pending court cases.
- Estates and probate matters.
- Guardianship, foreclosure, adoption, and name changes.
- Judgments, executions, and liens tied to court records.
Use another office for
- Deeds and deeds of trust: Wake County Register of Deeds.
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates: Register of Deeds or vital records process.
- Marriage licenses: Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Superior Court.
- Property tax and appraisal: Wake County Revenue / tax offices.
- Jail, inmate, or sheriff reports: Wake County Sheriff or law-enforcement agency.
- Federal cases: U.S. District Court, not Wake County state court.
Register of DeedsWake County Register of Deeds
After opening this link:
- Use this office for deeds, real estate recordings, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, marriage licenses, and notary records.
- Choose the online request or search option that matches your document type.
- For certified vital records, review identification and eligibility requirements before ordering.
- Return to the Clerk of Superior Court only when the document is part of a court case file.
Related Internal Guides for Court Records and Clerk Services
These related county-clerk and court-record guides can help if your search belongs to another county, another court division, or a broader clerk-service topic.
Official Wake County Court and Records Resources
Use these official sources for current court-record access, contact numbers, court dates, payment options, forms, local rules, copies, and filing information.
Privacy, Public Records & Legal Use Notice
Court records can include sensitive information. Some Wake County records may be sealed, confidential, restricted, delayed, or unavailable through public online access. Juvenile matters, adoption, certain domestic violence records, mental health matters, protected personal identifiers, and expunction-related records can have additional restrictions.
This page is an independent informational guide and is not the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court or the North Carolina Judicial Branch. This website is not a consumer reporting agency. Do not use this guide or linked court-record tools for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance eligibility, or any Fair Credit Reporting Act purpose.
Wake County Clerk of Court FAQs
1. How do I search Wake County court records online?
Use the NC eCourts Portal and select Wake County when location filtering is available. Search by case number, party name, citation number, attorney name, or hearing information. Contact the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court if you need certified records or cannot find the case online.
2. What is the phone number for the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court?
The main Wake County Clerk of Superior Court phone number is 919-792-4000. The Wake County Contact Directory also lists specific numbers for jury service, traffic, felonies, estates, small claims, divorce, judgments, and special proceedings.
3. Where is the Wake County Clerk of Court located?
The Wake County Courthouse is located at 316 Fayetteville St. Mall, Raleigh, NC 27601. The Wake County Justice Center is located at 300 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601. Which building you need depends on the case type.
4. What are the Wake County courthouse hours?
The Wake County Courthouse and Wake County Justice Center list regular hours as Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed Saturday and Sunday, subject to holidays and emergency closures.
5. Which Wake County building handles civil cases?
The North Carolina Judicial Branch states that all civil matters, except marriages, are conducted in the Wake County Courthouse at 316 Fayetteville St. Mall in Raleigh.
6. Which Wake County building handles criminal cases and marriages?
Criminal matters and marriages are conducted in the Wake County Justice Center at 300 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601.
7. Is the NC eCourts Portal the official certified court record?
No. The portal is useful for public case lookup, hearing searches, judgments, and eligible payments, but official copies and certified copies should be requested from the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the case was filed.
8. Where do I request Wake County estate records?
Estate matters are handled through the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court. The Wake County Contact Directory lists the Estates Division at 919-792-4450.
9. Does the Wake County Clerk of Court handle deeds and marriage certificates?
No. Deeds, deeds of trust, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and marriage licenses are generally handled by the Wake County Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Superior Court.
10. Is this page the official Wake County Clerk of Court website?
No. This is an independent informational guide. Use the official North Carolina Judicial Branch links and Wake County court pages listed above for current records, court dates, payments, filing rules, office hours, and contact information.