G.S. ch. 8, art. 3

in effect

G.S. 8-34 Copies of official writings.

§ 8-34. Copies of official writings. (a) Copies of all official bonds, writings, papers, or documents, recorded or filed as records in any court, or public office, or lodged in the office of the Governor, Treasurer, Auditor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Adjutant General, or the State Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, shall be as competent evidence as the originals, when certified by the keeper of such records or writings under the seal of the keeper's office when there is such seal, or under the keeper's hand when there is no such seal, unless the court shall order the production of the original. Copies of the records of the board of county commissioners shall be evidence when certified by the clerk of the board under the clerk's hand and seal of the county. (b) The provisions of this section shall apply to records stored on any form of permanent, computer-readable media, such as a CD-ROM, if the medium is not subject to erasure or alteration. Nonerasable, computer-readable storage media may be used for preservation duplicates, as defined in G.S. 132-8.2, or for the preservation of permanently valuable records as provided in G.S. 121-5(d). (1792, c. 368, s. 11, P.R.; R.C., c. 44, s. 8; 1868-9, c. 20, s. 21; 1871-2, c. 91; Code, ss. 715, 1342; Rev., s. 1616; C.S., s. 1779; 1961, c. 739; 1973, c. 476, s. 48; 1999-131, s. 3; 1999-456, s. 47(c); 2011-326, s. 13(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)

G.S. 8-35 Authenticated copies of public records.

§ 8-35. Authenticated copies of public records. All copies of bonds, contracts, notes, mortgages, or other papers relating to or connected with any loan, account, settlement of any account or any part thereof, or other transaction, between the United States or any state thereof or any corporation all of whose stock is beneficially owned by the United States or any state thereof, either directly or indirectly, and any person, natural or artificial; or extracts therefrom when complete on any one subject, or copies from the books or papers on file, or records of any public office of the State or the United States or of any corporation all of whose stock is beneficially owned by the United States or by any state thereof, directly or indirectly, shall be received in evidence and entitled to full faith and credit in any of the courts of this State when certified to by the chief officer or agent in charge of such public office or of such office of such corporation, or by the secretary or an assistant secretary of such corporation, to be true copies, and authenticated under the seal of the office, department, or corporation concerned. Any such certificate shall be prima facie evidence of the genuineness of such certificate and seal, the truth of the statements made in such certificate, and the official character of the person by which it purports to have been executed. (1891, c. 501; Rev., s. 1617; C.S., s. 1780; 1939, c. 149.)

G.S. 8-35.1 Division of Motor Vehicles' record admissible as prima facie evidence of convictions of offenses involving impaired driving.

§ 8-35.1. Division of Motor Vehicles' record admissible as prima facie evidence of convictions of offenses involving impaired driving. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 15A-924(d), a properly certified copy under G.S. 8-35 or G.S. 20-26(b) of the license records of a defendant kept by the Division of Motor Vehicles under G.S. 20-26(a) is admissible as prima facie evidence of any prior conviction of a defendant for an offense involving impaired driving as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(24a). (1975, c. 642, s. 1; c. 716, s. 5; 1983, c. 435, s. 3.)

G.S. 8-35.2 Records of clerk of court criminal index admissible in certain cases.

§ 8-35.2. Records of clerk of court criminal index admissible in certain cases. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 15A-924(d) or 15A-1340.4(e), certified copies of the records contained in the criminal index or similar records maintained manually or by automatic data processing equipment by the clerk of superior court, are admissible as prima facie evidence of any prior convictions of the person named in the records, if the original documents upon which the records are based have been destroyed pursuant to law. The index must contain at least the following information: (1) The case file number; (2) The name, sex, and race of the defendant; (3) His address; (4) His driver's license number, if the conviction is for a motor vehicle offense and the number is available; (5) The date of birth of the defendant, if it is available; (6) The offense for which he was charged and the date of same; (7) The disposition of the charge and the date of same; (8) Whether the defendant was indigent; (9) Whether he was represented by an attorney, and if so, the name of the attorney; (10) Whether the defendant waived his right to an attorney, and (11) The name and address of any victim, if available. (1985, c. 606, s. 1; 1997-456, s. 27.)

G.S. 8-36 Authenticated copy of record of administration.

§ 8-36. Authenticated copy of record of administration. When letters testamentary or of administration on the goods and chattels of any person deceased, being an inhabitant in another state or territory, have been granted, or a return or inventory of the estate has been made, a copy of the record of administration or of the letters testamentary, and a copy of an inventory or return of the effects of the deceased, after the same has been granted or made, agreeable to the laws of the state where the same has been done, being properly certified, either according to the act of Congress or by the proper officer of such state or territory, shall be allowed as evidence. (1834, c. 4; R.C., c. 44, s. 7; Code, s. 1343; Rev., s. 1618; C.S., s. 1781.)

G.S. 8-37 Certificate of Commissioner of Motor Vehicles as to ownership of automobile.

§ 8-37. Certificate of Commissioner of Motor Vehicles as to ownership of automobile. In any civil or criminal action in which the ownership of a motor vehicle is relevant, evidence as to the letters and numbers appearing upon the registration plate attached to such vehicle or of the motor vehicle identification number, together with certified copies of records furnished pursuant to G.S. 20-42 by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles showing the name of the owner of the vehicle to which such registration plate or vehicle identification number is assigned, or a certified copy of the certificate of title for such motor vehicle on file with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, is prima facie evidence of the ownership of such motor vehicle. (1931, c. 88, s. 1; 1943, c. 650; 1979, c. 980.)

Source: North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov)URL: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_8.htmlFetched: 10/19/2026