Friday, April 26, 2013

Public Records North Carolina

By Claire Dowell


Like any other state in the country, North Carolina keeps vital documents for public access. Birth certificates, death, marriage and divorce data are maintained and distributed by the North Carolina Vital Records office in Raleigh, North Carolina. For criminal history dossiers, which are NC public records as well, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has that responsibility. It oversees the Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) section, which is the state's main repository when it comes to criminal history profiles. And like any other government office, each of these departments has its own policies and procedures when granting vital records access to the general public.

For individuals in the field of genealogy and background research, accessing vital information and other public documents is a crucial aspect to their effectiveness in doing their jobs. And the different government agencies that provide these types of data do play a huge role in providing its citizens accurate and up-to-date information. But public records like birth certificates and death reports don't always go as far as most of us prefer. Records of birth in this state only go as far back as October of 1913, while death reports are only available after January 1930.

Furthermore, other vital records like marriage certificates and divorce decrees are accessible through the county Register of Deeds office or the Clerk of Court's office in the county where the event materialized. Although the Vital Records office has these documents as well, they only handle data that were filed on or after 1962 for marriage information; and 1958 and beyond for the divorce accounts. But just to be certain, you can give the Vital Records Office a call for additional enquiries on how and where you can obtain the public documents you are seeking.

Another public domain data that require a slightly different process are criminal history profiles. To access the state of North Carolina's criminal records database, requesters must complete the necessary forms, pay the $14 fee, and have their fingerprints taken. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to gain access to third party profiles, only law enforcement and other government agencies can do that. Access to such information is done through State Name Check or via State Fingerprint Check.

Going through all the proper channels to gain access to public information is sometimes time consuming and demanding because of the lengthy procedures and tough requirements. But the policies that government agencies put in place are meant for our own protection, whether we want it or not, since most of the information contained within public documents are quite personal in nature. Luckily, the presence of alternative sources of this type of information has allowed us to have the option to go for an online record search website to get the information we need, instead of settling for the traditional methods.

Nowadays, all you need to collect vital information or do background searches is a reputable data fetching website with a wide-ranged database, and you are ready to access free public records online without having to worry about filing forms or waiting in lines. You don't even have to leave your home just to screen potential job applicants, access a fianc's marital history, or trace your family's lineage.




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