Wilkes County Arrest, Court, and Public Records

What are Wilkes County Arrest Records?

Wilkes County arrest records are official documents with information on the recurrence of arrests in the county. It also provides information on the number of arrest warrants issued and alleged offenders or arrested persons. Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office generates and maintains these records and provides data on the rate of crimes solved in the county. Although arrest records may suggest that a person has been taken into custody as part of an active investigation, it does not conclusively mean that the person was involved in the crime or conviction. Therefore, arrest records should not be used as an alternative for criminal history information.

Crime Statistics

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) compiles an annual report of crime statistics for all counties in the state. In 2017, Wilkes County had a total number of 1,340 crimes reported. This number included 158 violent crimes and 1,182 property crimes. Violent crimes included 1 murder, 7 rapes, 15 robberies, and 135 aggravated assaults. Property crimes reported include 309 burglaries, 784 larcenies, and 89 motor vehicle thefts. The 2017 crime figures represent a significant decline in crime rate over a 5-year period in the county. Between 2012 and 2017, there was a decline in 4 out of 7 major crimes in Wilkes County. Murder, robbery, burglary, and larceny rates decreased by 50%, 32%, 50%, and 41% respectively. While aggravated assault and motor vehicle theft rates increased by 4% and 33% respectively. The crime figures for rape remained the same.

What are Wilkes County Criminal Records?

Criminal records are the official documents detailing the criminal activities of an individual. Wilkes County criminal records are kept in the county’s courthouse and the state law enforcement agency. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation acts as the central system for criminal information for the state. It provides members of the public and authorized agencies with access to criminal background checks.

How Do I Get Wilkes County Criminal Records?

Wilkes County criminal records are maintained by the Wilkes County Clerk of Court. Requesters can obtain Wilkes County criminal records by using the public self-service terminal at the Superior and District Courthouse in the county. Personal and third party criminal records can be obtained through this terminal. This service is free but provides uncertified copies of records.

The Wilkes County Clerk of Court can be queried to obtain certified criminal records. This service comes at a fee of $25. Interested persons should complete the AOC-CR-314 form. This form, along with a valid ID and payment, should be submitted in person or via mail to:

Wilkes County Clerk of Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-4400

Uncertified checks of criminal records can also be done using the public access computers at the office of the Clerk of Court. This service is free, but if the requester wishes to print a hard copy of the report, there may be charges for the printing service. Please note that criminal history checks at the county level are name-based, thus these records are not completely reliable. Fingerprint checks are much more reliable.

Fingerprint criminal background checks are provided by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Each request is processed at $14. To use this service, a requester should submit a fingerprint card and a completed AOC-CR-314 form in person or via mail to:

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

The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office assists residents with the procurement of their fingerprints at $10. Interested persons, with their valid ID and fingerprint cards, should visit:

Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office
381 Executive Drive,
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 903-7600

How to Find Wilkes County Sex Offender Information

The SBI maintains the sex offenders registry of the state of North Carolina. Residents of Wilkes County may use this registry to locate sex offenders in their neighborhoods. Interested persons can also sign up to receive email alerts when a sex offender relocates to a place close to them. For more inquiries, contact the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Unit at (336) 990-0475.

How do I Visit an Inmate in Wilkes County Jail?

The Wilkes County Jail is operated by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office. This jail facility is located at 502 Courthouse Drive, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. The contact number for this facility is (336) 903-7623. Family, friends, and professionals interested in visiting an inmate should look up the various visitation platforms and the policies that guide them on the visitation portal. To deposit or send money to an inmate or send commissary items to an inmate, the various ways to do this can be checked online.

Where and How to Find Wilkes County Inmate Information

Information on inmates currently being held in the jail facility can be obtained by contacting the Jail Administrator of the jail facility at (336) 903-7623.

What are Wilkes County Court Records?

Wilkes County court records are public records accessible to members of the public. These court records are maintained by the Wilkes County Clerk of Court. Persons interested in obtaining court records can make a written request in person or via mail to:

Wilkes County Clerk of Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-4400

Location of all Courts in Wilkes County

Wilkes County has two trial courts, namely one Superior Court and one District Court. The Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. Appeal cases from the county District Court are also heard at the Superior Court. The District Court handles divorce cases and other civil matters of domestic orientation. Below are the addresses and contact details of these courts:

Wilkes County Superior Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-4400
Fax: (336) 651-4401

Wilkes County District Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-4400
Fax: (336) 651-4401

What are Wilkes County Vital Records

Wilkes County vital records provide official documentation of vital events that took place within the borders of the county. These vital records consist of divorce, marriage, birth, and death records. The Wilkes County Register of Deeds is the primary custodian of marriage, birth, and death records in the county. Divorce records are maintained by the office of the County Clerk of Court. At the state level, the North Carolina Department of Public Health provides access to vital records such as divorce, marriage, birth, and death records.

Where And How To Get Wilkes County Divorce Records

Persons interested in obtaining divorce records should inquire at the office of the Clerk of Courts. Requests should be made through a written request providing all the information needed for a divorce record search, such as:

Full names of the divorced parties
The date of divorce
The place of divorce
Case number of the divorce

The information in the written request, a copy of a valid ID, and payment should be submitted in person or via mail to:

Wilkes County Clerk of Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-4400

Where and How to Get Wilkes County Marriage, Birth, and Death Records

The Wilkes County Register of Deeds is the primary custodian of marriage, birth and death records in the county. The office of the Register of Deeds is located at:

Wilkes County Register of Deeds
500 Courthouse Drive
Suite 1000
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: (336) 651-7351
Fax: (336) 990-0041

All vital records can be requested in person or via mail by submitting a written request and providing the necessary information. Mail-in requests must include an address where the record will be sent to. Information required for marriage record requests include:

Groom’s name
Bride’s name at the time of the marriage
Place of marriage
Date of marriage

To request birth records, the following information is required:

Full name at birth
Place of birth
Date of birth
Names of both parents

For a death record request, the written request should provide the following information:

The names(s) of the deceased
Place of death
Date of death
Date of birth
Age at the time of death
Race

The cost of a certified copy marriage, birth, or death record is $10. Each uncertified copy costs 25 cents for in-person requests and $1 for mail-in requests.

Requests should be submitted in person or mailed to the address above.

Wilkes County vital records can also be obtained from the North Carolina Department of Public Health. These vital records include registered births since 1913, deaths from 1930, marriages since 1962, and divorces. Interested individuals should fill out the appropriate form:

The filled-out form, payment, a state-approved form of ID, and proof of relationship with the record bearer or court order, should be submitted in person or via mail to:

North Carolina Vital Records (Cooper Memorial Health Building)
225 N. McDowell Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-1382

The mailing address is:

North Carolina Vital Records
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.