The cost of a background check in North Carolina runs from $14 for a state-level self-check to more than $100 for a full employment or tenant screening through a private company. What you pay depends on who is running the check, how many jurisdictions get searched, and whether extras like credit history or employment verification get added on.
The Cheapest Option: SBI Self-Check for $14
If you want to see your own North Carolina criminal record, the State Bureau of Investigation runs a fingerprint-based check called a Right to Review Application for $14. Payment has to be a money order or certified check made out to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Cash, credit cards, and personal checks are not accepted.1North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. FAQ – Background Checks on Myself
The $14 is not quite the full price. You also need a fingerprint card with legible prints, and most local police departments and sheriff’s offices will ink them for a fee. Jackson County charges $10 for two cards.2Jackson County, NC. Fingerprinting Your local agency’s price may differ, so call ahead.
Everything moves by mail. You send the fingerprint card, the request form, and your payment to the SBI Applicant Unit in Raleigh. There’s no online submission, no in-person drop-off, and no expedited service. Processing usually takes about seven business days but can stretch to 20. Results come back to you by regular mail, and the SBI won’t send them to a third party.1North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. FAQ – Background Checks on Myself
County Court Check: $25 Per Name, Per County
The Clerk of Superior Court in any North Carolina county will run a criminal record search for $25 per name. That price is set by state statute.3North Carolina Judicial Branch. Criminal Background Check4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 7A Judicial Department – Section 7A-308 The request goes in on Form AOC-CR-314, available from the North Carolina Judicial Branch website.
The county search is a name-based lookup, not a fingerprint check, and it only pulls records from the one county you file in. Multi-county history means paying $25 for each county separately. If you’ve spent your whole life in a single county, this works. If you’ve moved around, the statewide SBI check or a private multi-county search gives you a fuller picture for closer to the same total spend.
Employment Background Checks: $30 to Over $100
Employers almost never run these checks themselves. They hire a consumer reporting agency, and packages typically start around $30 for a basic criminal search. The number climbs past $100 when credit history, education verification, past employment confirmation, and driving records get bundled in. In most cases the employer pays, though certain industries build the cost into an application or licensing fee.
If you’re the applicant, federal law puts some structure around the process. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an employer has to give you a standalone written notice that it plans to run a report and get your written permission first. The notice can’t be tucked inside the job application itself. If something in the report leads the employer to reject you, they have to send you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights before making that decision final, giving you a chance to dispute anything inaccurate.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports
Tenant Screening: Usually $25 to $75, Paid by the Applicant
Landlords and property managers commonly use third-party screening services. A basic criminal and eviction check runs about $25. Add a credit report, income verification, and employment confirmation and the price climbs to $75 or more. You’ll pay this as a nonrefundable application fee.
North Carolina does not cap rental application fees. The general expectation is that the fee reflects the actual cost of screening rather than generating income for the landlord, but no statute sets a dollar limit. A landlord charging $75 when the underlying screening costs $35 is not violating any state rule. Before paying, ask what the fee covers, and factor in that a competitive rental search may mean paying application fees at several properties.
What Pushes the Price Up
Scope is the biggest driver. A $25 name search in one county is cheap. A $14 SBI check plus fingerprinting is still affordable. Once a private company enters the picture and starts pulling records from multiple counties, checking federal courts, verifying employers, and running a credit report, expect $50 to $150 or higher.
Private screeners also pass through the fees they pay local courts for record access. These per-jurisdiction fees vary from roughly $2 to $50 depending on how each court charges. The more places you’ve lived, the more of these get stacked onto your report.
Speed adds cost too. The SBI has one timeline, seven to twenty business days, and no rush option. Private providers can turn results around in one to three days, but faster service means a higher price. Starting an SBI check early is often cheaper than paying a private company for a rush.
Cleaning Up Your Record: $175 for Expungement
If an old case is showing up on background checks and hurting your job or housing prospects, North Carolina allows expungement (formally called expunction) for a range of offenses. Dismissed charges, acquittals, and certain misdemeanor and nonviolent felony convictions may qualify, each with its own eligibility rules and waiting periods.6North Carolina Judicial Branch. Expunctions
Filing costs $175 in most cases. Charges that were dismissed or ended in a not-guilty verdict can be expunged with no fee, unless the dismissal came through a diversion program.6North Carolina Judicial Branch. Expunctions You file with the Clerk of Court in the county where the charge or conviction occurred. Some petitions require a hearing; others move on paper. The full process can take several months. A successful expungement removes the record from both the county court system and the SBI database, so it stops appearing on most background checks. For someone losing job or housing opportunities to an old record, the $175 often pays back quickly.