Charlotte Police Records
Charlotte police records are kept by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, known as CMPD. The department serves the largest city in North Carolina with close to one million people in the metro area. You can search Charlotte police records through the CMPD online portal or by visiting their records office in person. Incident reports, crash reports, and arrest data are all part of what CMPD makes available. Most basic police records in Charlotte can be found at no cost when you know where to look. The search process is simple and works for both city residents and those outside the area.
Charlotte Police Records Quick Facts
Charlotte CMPD Records Division
The CMPD Records Division is at the department headquarters at 601 E. Trade Street in Charlotte. Staff handle all types of police record requests during normal hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can call the records line at (704) 336-2848 or email CMPDPoliceRecords@cmpd.org for help with your request. Walk-in visits work well for same-day needs.
Crash reports are free when you pick them up in person at any CMPD division office in Charlotte. This saves the online fee that the NC DMV charges for the same report. Incident reports are also free if you gave the officer your email at the time of the report. You can get them sent to you at no charge. For those who need a local arrest history in Charlotte, that now goes through the Clerk of Court at 832 E. Fourth Street, not through CMPD. The fee for an arrest history search is $25.00 in cash, certified check, or money order.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department homepage at charlottenc.gov/CMPD has links to crime data, records, and other services for the public.
CMPD also has a crime mapping tool on their site that lets you view crime areas across Charlotte. This tool shows recent activity by location and type.
How to Search Charlotte Police Records Online
Charlotte offers an online public records portal through JustFOIA. This is the main way to submit formal requests for police records from your home or office. You can track the status of your request and get updates as the city processes it. The portal at charlottenc.justfoia.com/publicportal handles all types of public records requests for the city of Charlotte.
You can also email your request to PublicRecordsRequest@charlottenc.gov or call 704-336-2248 to start the process by phone. Written requests by mail go to the Records Division at 601 E. Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202. Each method gives you access to the same Charlotte police records, so pick the one that works best for you.
Note: Due to past legal issues, online accident reports are no longer available through LexisNexis in Charlotte and must be requested through the NC DMV.
Charlotte Police Record Types
CMPD maintains several kinds of police records in Charlotte. What you can access depends on the type of record and how you request it. Some records are open to anyone online, while others need an in-person visit. The state public records law under N.C.G.S. Chapter 132 sets the rules for what is public and what is not.
Records you can find online in Charlotte include crime statistics and maps, general incident data, and public records request tracking. For in-person requests only, CMPD handles sexual assault reports, domestic violence incidents, suicide reports, and vice and narcotics cases. DMV-349 accident reports now go through the NC DMV rather than CMPD.
Charlotte police records that are part of an active criminal investigation may be withheld under N.C.G.S. 132-1.4. This law protects records of criminal investigations and intelligence information from public release with limited exceptions. Basic facts like the date, time, and nature of an incident are still public even during an open case in Charlotte. The name, age, and address of an arrested person are also part of the public record once an arrest takes place.
Charlotte Police Records Fees
Many Charlotte police records are free. Crash reports cost nothing when you pick them up at a CMPD office. Incident reports are free when emailed or picked up in person. Online crash reports through the NC DMV cost $6.00 each.
A local arrest history search in Charlotte costs $25.00. This is handled at the City Clerk's Office, not at CMPD. You must pay in cash, by certified check, or with a money order. The NC State Bureau of Investigation also offers statewide criminal background checks for $14.00 per person. SBI checks cover all of North Carolina, not just Charlotte.
Visit CMPD for Police Records
Going to CMPD in person is the fastest way to get most Charlotte police records. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff at the headquarters lobby can pull records for you while you wait in most cases. You do not need an appointment for basic requests. The office is at 601 E. Trade Street in uptown Charlotte, close to public transit and paid parking.
You can also go to any CMPD division office in Charlotte for crash reports. This is helpful if the headquarters is too far from your part of the city. Call 311, the non-emergency line, if you are not sure which office is closest to you. The MyCMPD app is another tool that connects you with CMPD services from your phone.
Note: Charlotte police records requests by mail should be sent to CMPD Records Division, 601 E. Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Statewide Police Records for Charlotte
Several state agencies hold records that relate to Charlotte residents and cases. The NC Department of Adult Correction runs an offender search tool that covers anyone in the state prison system. This includes people convicted of crimes in Charlotte who are now in state custody. The NC SBI sex offender registry at ncsbi.gov lets you search by name, address, or zip code for registered offenders in the Charlotte area.
Court records for criminal cases in Charlotte go through the Mecklenburg County courts. The NC Judicial Branch portal gives you access to case information statewide. You can search by name or case number to find criminal cases filed in Mecklenburg County courts that cover Charlotte.
Mecklenburg County Police Records
Charlotte is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. All criminal cases from Charlotte go through the Mecklenburg County court system. The county also has its own sheriff's office that handles law enforcement outside Charlotte city limits. For county-level police records, court records, and other public documents, visit the Mecklenburg County police records page.