North Carolina: Juvenile Court Records and Law Enforcement Records (NC-AR-1)

Records relating to a juvenile petition that the court dismissed without an adjudication can be expunged by the court once the juvenile reaches age 16. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3200(h).

Record Detail(s)

Charges dismissed

Previous Conviction Disqualifying

No statutory language

Mandatory / Discretionary

Mandatory

Hearing

Yes, if requested

Clearance Process

Petition-based

Remedy

Expunge

Ineligible Category or Citation

There is no statutory language regarding ineligible offenses.

Procedure General

The petition must be filed in the court in which the person was alleged to be delinquent. For the specific procedure, see N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3200(h).

Fees

There is no statutory language regarding fees.

Effect

The court shall order the clerk and the appropriate law enforcement agencies to expunge their records of the allegations of delinquent or undisciplined acts including all references to arrests, complaints, referrals, juvenile petitions, and orders. The clerk shall forward a certified copy of the order of expunction to the sheriff, chief of police, or other appropriate law enforcement agency, and to the chief court counselor, and these specified officials shall immediately destroy all records relating to the allegations that the juvenile was delinquent or undisciplined. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3200(h).

Forms

For an application to expunge a record in North Carolina, visit here.

Waiting Periods

The petition can be filed upon the juvenile attaining age 16. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3200(h).

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