Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A query entered in a search box is sent to the third-party company that operates the tool. That provider processes the name or location and supplies its results. We do not keep or record those search terms on our servers.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When a visitor emails us, we retain the message as needed to answer it. The message is not disclosed outside our organization unless the law requires disclosure.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers receive routine technical information when a page loads:
- Page-view dates and times
- The device's assigned IP address
- Browser name and version
- Operating system and device category
- Pages viewed and time spent on them
- The referring website, when available
Cookies and Analytics
Small cookie files and analytics services help show how the site is used, including popular pages and common exit points. A visitor may block cookies through browser controls. Some functions may then work differently.
What We Do With This Data
- Operate the website and maintain reasonable load times
- Route a search to the selected partner service
- Diagnose and repair technical problems
- Understand which reference pages visitors use
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Wake County Criminal History does not keep, compile, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general instructions for reaching the Wake County clerk and sheriff, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. The site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not assembled into a consumer report or a dossier about another person. Official access is governed by the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. 7A-109 for clerk records, and G.S. 14-208.10 for specified registry information.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search tools that appear on some pages. Information submitted through a tool falls under that company's privacy policy, retention rules, and sharing practices. We do not control those terms. Visitors should review the provider's policy before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Wake County offices, North Carolina court and agency portals, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor leaves this website, the destination's privacy policy applies. Review it before providing personal information.
Advertising companies may use their own systems to recognize activity across websites and choose targeted ads. We do not operate that tracking infrastructure.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Limited data may be available to:
- A search partner that receives a query
- An analytics vendor measuring site traffic and performance
- An advertising network serving ads
- A government or law-enforcement body acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Standard safeguards are used to protect the information we hold. No internet-connected service can guarantee perfect security, however. We take reasonable steps to reduce risk but cannot promise that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
This website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from a person under 18. If information from a minor comes to our attention, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Rights can vary with a visitor's location and the law that applies. North Carolina's Chapter 132 governs records held by public agencies, while G.S. 132-1.4 limits access to criminal investigative material and G.S. 14-208.10 controls specified public registry information. Those government-record laws are separate from this site's visitor data. A visitor may still:
- Request a copy of personal information we hold
- Ask that inaccurate personal information be corrected
- Seek deletion of personal information
- Object to certain forms of processing
Updates to This Policy
This privacy policy may change. A revised policy becomes available on this page with an updated effective date, allowing visitors to review the current practices.
Effective date: August 2, 2026