How does eFiling work?
Electronic filing, or eFiling, enables filers and courts to efficiently process documents and fees online. eFiling and Guide & File may be used by attorneys and self-represented litigants. eFiling manages the flow of information among filers, clerks, court personnel and judges:

• Filer Submits Documents: Filers log in to file case-­related documents online to any court in North Carolina.
• eFiling Delivers Documents to the Court.
  • Note: Filers may "recall" a submission up until the time the clerk begins review of that submission. Once a clerk begins reviewing a submission, the filer must request, in writing, that the clerk reject the writing to prevent filing.
• Clerks Accept or Return for Correction Submissions: Court clerks receive the electronically filed documents and associated fees for processing and acceptance, review the documents, accept the filings or return them for correction, and provide an electronic timestamp notification to the filer for the accepted documents.
• See the Support and Training section below for resources and more information.

Is eFiling secure?
Yes. The eFiling system adheres to state and federal security regulations and meets Payment Card Industry Security Standards to protect filer and transaction information.

What is eService?
eService is a feature provided by eFiling where documents are electronically served to other parties in a case via email. Using this option, you can track when each party received and opened the filing.

Note: Initial filing service must be served in person.

How do I serve other individuals with my eFiled documents?
Filers are responsible for accomplishing service of all filings as required by applicable court rules. For this purpose, filers may use the mail service, serve by hand delivery, send an email, or use eFiling as it offers the option of electronic service of each filing to the designated service contact.

Can I use eService without filing a document with the court?
Yes, eFiling may be used to exchange documents between parties without filing the documents through the courts.

Additional information and rules

• Service Options in File & Serve and Proposed Order Submissions
• Effective October 2, 2023, File & Serve descriptions for some filings are changing as follows.
• New “Address of Record with the Court” - August 1, 2023
• New Filing Code for Criminal Filings in File & Serve Effective June 1, 2023
• General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts
• Supreme Court Approves Amendments to Rule 5 and Rule 5.1 of the General Rules of Practice for Superior and District Courts - February 1, 2023
• Supreme Court Adopts Electronic-Filing Rules for the Implementation of eCourts - effective May 10, 2021
• Questions for NCAOC?

Is eFiling mandatory for my court?
In eCourts counties, it is mandatory for attorneys and optional for self-represented litigants. See the General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts.

What type of cases can I eFile?
All case types are available. Specific case types per court can be viewed by logging into eFiling and viewing the available options.

Note: eFiling for Appellate Courts and Business Courts are not in File & Serve.

When can I use eFiling?
eFiling is available 24/7. Consult your local court rules for court schedules. Note: The system may be temporarily offline from time to time for maintenance purposes.

When I need to file with a specific court, how will I know whether the county has transitioned to the new system?
The list of North Carolina counties currently accepting filings through the eFiling system is available on our eCourts page.

Can I use eFiling if I don't have a lawyer?
Yes, you can use eFiling even if you don't have a lawyer, but you are not required to use the site. Self-represented litigants may use eFiling and Guide & File with or without an attorney. Additionally, you may also file court documents at the courthouse.

You may view the Guide & File section to see if a guided interview is available for your case type. The service asks step-by-step questions to help you prepare court documents to file for certain case types. You may be able to eFile documents at the end of the process through Guide & File or the eFiling site.

• DVPO: DV Agency Advocates Quick Reference Guide (see Guide & File Support and Training section)

Learn more about finding an attorney and other information in our Help Topics.

Do I have to register to use eFiling?
Yes, all users must register prior to using eFiling.

• Firm Account: Firm Administrator
  The firm administrator will set up the firm account and invite the individual users (attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, etc.) to set up their own accounts. From the landing page, the firm administrator can register for their firm account by creating their individual user account credentials and then adding the firm information. After registering, the firm administrator will receive an email to activate their account.

• Firm Account: Individual Users
  Firm Account Users include:
  • All legal professionals including:
    • Solo practitioners
    • Attorneys, paralegals, and staff at firms with multiple filers

  Individual users in a firm will be invited to create an account within a firm by the firm administrator. Once the firm administrator has added them to the firm account, the user will receive an email to set up their credentials.

  Note: Attorneys may be required to enter an attorney number. If you do not have an attorney number from this state, register as an individual.

• Individual Account Users
  Individual Users of File & Serve include:
  • Filers without lawyers (pro-se filers or self-represented litigants)
  • Process servers
  • Landlords and tenants (renters)
  • Pro hac vice or out-of-state attorneys
  • Other non-parties (for example, employers filing garnishment information)

  These users can register individually for their account here and scrolling down to ‘Register for an Individual Account.’ From there they will set up their account credentials and information. They must fill out all required fields. After submitting, they will receive an email with a link to activate their account.
   
  Note: Users must enter credit card information when setting up a File & Serve account that is needed to eFile a document.

Is support available for the eFiling system?
Yes, support is provided for both attorneys and pro se litigants. Please visit the support site and you can search for answers to your questions, or contact the Tyler Technologies eFiling support team (call, email, chat).

Is training available for using eFiling?

• Getting Started / Overview
  • File & Serve Overview Process Reference Guide
  • File & Serve Training Video (YouTube)
  • Register for Live Training for Attorneys and Judicial Partners
    • Submitting Attendance for CLE / CPE
• Advanced
  • Additional Information Guide for File & Serve Filers
  • Case Types Available in Each County Court Location for File and Serve
  • Service Options in File & Serve and Proposed Order Submissions
    • Service Options in File & Serve *NEW*
    • Proposed Order Submission in eCourts Counties
  • DVPO
    • DVPO File & Serve Job Aid
    • DVPO: DV Agency Advocates Quick Reference Guide
  • IVC Petitions
    • IVC Petition Filer Training Video
    • IVC Petition User Guide
  • Juvenile Filings
    • eFiling Process for Juvenile Abuse/Neglect/Dependency Petitions
    • eFiling Process for Juvenile Delinquency/Undisciplined Cases
  • Probation Officers
    • Filer Process for Probation Officers
    • Filer Video Guide for Probation Officers
  • FAQs for Attorneys
• Standards and Codes
  • Document Naming Standards for File & Serve Filers
  • eFiling Codes Available for Filers - District, Superior, CSC
  • eCourts Name Indexing Standards
  • eCourts County Codes for Enterprise Justice
• Tyler Technologies eFiling Cloud Knowledge Base
  • Tyler Training Videos
  • Tyler User Guide List
  • Tyler How-To for PDF Conversion
  • Learn more by topic
  • How to file a new case - read more  |  watch video
  • How to file into an existing case -  read more  |  watch video
• Additional Support: eFiling Support and Help Center (call, email, chat)

What hardware and software are required for eFiling / File & Serve?

• Browser Requirements - Chrome™, Mozilla® Firefox®, Microsoft® Edge®, or Safari®
  • It is recommended to NOT use Safari to set up a payment account. Users can file in Safari only after they have a payment account set up from another browser.
• Operating Systems - Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, Chrome OS™ Android™, iOS, and OS X®
• Recommended Hardware:
  • Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD A6 processors with at least a 2.0 GHz clock speed
  • 4 GB of RAM
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution of both desktop computers and mobile devices
• High-speed Internet connection
• Document Format - Adobe® PDF

Is there a fee to use eFiling?
Not all eFilings have fees associated with them. For those filings that fees are assessed, the amount is automatically calculated by the system based on the case, filing, and service information the filer provides.

• Standard court filing fees: Contact your local court for information on filing fees.
• Convenience fees: A convenience fee is assessed to cover the credit card processing fees.
• Service fees: A service fee is assessed for use of the eFiling system.

File & Serve does not charge filing fees to the designated form of payment until the filing is accepted by the clerk. If a filing is rejected by the clerk, the filer will not be charged twice.

What is the convenience fee?
A convenience fee is assessed to cover the credit card processing fees.

What about filings with no charge?
Filers must select payment method when filing a document for which there is no charge, such as a proposed order. File & Serve will not charge that credit card, but the system requires this selection in order to accept the filing.

What about subsequent filings?
Users filing subsequent filings in a case must pay through "Additional Services" in order to ensure that fees are properly assessed.

• Absolute Divorce*
• Adult Guardianship
• Adult Name Change
• Application for Certificate of Verification of Prior Expunction
• Domestic Violence Protective Order*
• Motion to Claim Exempt Property*
• Petition to Proceed as an Indigent*
• Probate
  • Year’s Allowance
  • Summary Administration
  • Small Estate Administration
• Request for Dismissal or Speeding Reduction for Traffic Citations* (eCourts counties only, not available in Alamance, Carteret, Chatham, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Jones, Mecklenburg, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Person, Sampson, Union, Vance, Warren)
• Request for Relief from Fines, Fees, and Other Monetary Obligations
• Small Claims*
  • Money Owed*
  • Repossession of Personal Property*
• Summary Ejectment
  • Complaint in Summary Ejectment*
  • Tenant’s Answer and Counterclaims*
  • Appeal to District Court

*eFiling is available for these case types in eCourts counties only.

• Guide & File FAQs and How-To Basics
• Guide & File Support
• DVPO: DV Agency Advocates Quick Reference Guide
• Request for Dismissal or Speeding Reduction for Traffic Citations User Guide (eCourts counties only, not available in Mecklenburg)
• News: May 2023  |  March 2021  |  August 2020  | Guide & File video
• Guide & File Fact Sheet

• Portal Options (learn more in the FAQs and Support and Training section)
  • Smart Search: Provides users with a detailed and near to “real-time” Case Summary (also known as the Register of Actions). You can find a detailed listing of a court file’s timeline that would include the Case Summary, Case Information, Assignment Information, Party Information, Causes of Action (Civil, Family, Probate, and Mental Health cases), Case Events, Dispositions, Hearings, and Financial Information (when applicable). SMART SEARCH has Advanced Filtering Options (Civil Actions, Special Proceedings (nonconfidential), Estates, and Criminal Actions), in accordance with NCGS 7A-109(b)(1-4). SMART SEARCH houses crucial information and should be used in conjunction with NC JUDGMENT SEARCH to provide the most detailed listing of information. Select Advanced Filtering Options for options to filter your search by location (General Options), party name, DOB, etc. (Party Search Criteria), and/or case type, case status, case filing date range (Case Search Criteria).
  • Search Hearings: You can search current court calendars for hearing locations and times. SEARCH HEARINGS allows users to search by case number, party name, business name, attorney name, attorney bar number, judicial officer, or courtroom.
  • Make Payments: Criminal court fees and fines can be paid online without visiting the courthouse. The following payment types are accepted online: Cost and Fees, Restitution, Criminal Attorney Fees, Probation and Parole Fees.
  • NC Judgment Search: Allows the public to search by a party’s name or case number for N.C. Judgment Indexes entered in the N.C. Judicial System’s database in accordance with NCGS 7A-109(b)(6). Results include judgments related to Civil, Family, Small Claims, Special Proceedings, Criminal, and Miscellaneous court items. The NC JUDGMENT SEARCH can be filtered to help users’ narrow results based on the case type, status, location, and date of the judgment. Results provided will feature case number, disposition status, index date and time, parties to the action, and judgment comments that are relevant to the disposition. However, to view the complete case summary, a searcher must navigate to the SMART SEARCH portlet.
• Case Numbers: In Enterprise Justice there are four parts: year (2 digits), case type (letters), case sequence number (6 digits), and county identifier (3 digits). Example: 21CR000003-910
  
• Partial Name or Number Search: To perform a wildcard search using a case number, enter at least four characters, followed by an asterisk (*); for a business name or nickname, use a minimum of four characters followed by an asterisk and to perform a name search using the wildcard, type a minimum of three characters followed by an asterisk for the last name, and a minimum of one character followed by an asterisk for the first name. View the Name Indexing Standards.

What payments can be made in eCourts Portal?

Criminal court fees and fines can be paid online without visiting the courthouse by using Portal’s MAKE PAYMENTS portlet.

The following payment types are accepted online:

• Cost and Fees
• Restitution
• Criminal Attorney Fees
• Probation and Parole Fees

The following CANNOT be paid online:

• Alimony
• Bond Forfeitures
• Cash Bonds
• Child Support Payments
• Civil Judgments
• Condemnations
• Rent Bonds
• Trust Funds
• Upset Bids

See Portal FAQs for more information.

Registration for Portal is not required for anonymous users to search and view publicly available court information.

Please see more information about Portal and how to register. The public may register if they plan to visit often and would like the ability to save cases to the ‘My Cases’ tab. Only those users who have a verified business need and authority granted by statute will be approved for elevated access to access restricted case types or non-public information.

• Registration is completed through the “Register/Sign In” link located in the top right corner of the Portal screen.
• Attorneys who are not assigned to restricted case types, and do not wish to request elevated access, may register in Portal.
• Attorneys should reference the Portal Elevated Access Roles document for more information about attorney elevated access, and links to access File & Serve and the AOC-A-264 Portal Elevated Access Request/Agreement (Counsel).
• Registration provides access to the “My Cases” Portlet and allows the user to save cases of interest for quick access.
• Registration does NOT provide additional access to information or restricted case types; registered users have the same access to information as an anonymous/public user.

For more information, please see the Portal information and FAQs.

Elevated Access

• Judicial Branch Expands Elevated Access for Private Counsel in eCourts
• Requests must be submitted through File & Serve, using the AOC-A-264 form.
• Granted for all attorneys and allows access to restricted information on all cases which you are entitled to by statute and are an Enterprise Justice ACTIVE Party / Participant assigned to the case.
  • Non-attorney staff are not eligible for elevated access; the requestor must be assigned a bar number.
• Registration is NOT required and should NOT be completed. The ‘My Cases’ feature in Portal is available once Elevated Access is approved.
  • A Portal password email link is sent if an Attorney registers in Portal prior to requesting and being approved for Elevated Access. No additional notification is sent.
• Portal uses the email address as the User ID. Portal permits one user to be associated with an email address.
• Only ONE request is necessary; once AOC verifies the attorney is listed in Enterprise Justice, Elevated Access is granted with the Attorney Party ID and the attorney will be able to view ALL cases for which they are listed as an ACTIVE attorney in Enterprise Justice.
  • Attorneys do NOT need to submit a request for each case or restricted case type.
  • Attorneys will NOT be able to view restricted information until they are listed as an Enterprise Justice ACTIVE attorney on the case.
  • Contact the applicable county Clerk of Court to be properly added as an Enterprise Justice ACTIVE attorney to an applicable case.

• Getting Started / Overview
  • Portal Overview Guide
  • Portal FAQs
  • How-To Videos Playlist (YouTube)
    • Introduction and Overview, Elevated Access, Smart Search, Search Hearings, Make Payments, Judgment Search, Transcript Search
  • Register for Live Training for Attorneys and Judicial Partners
    • Submitting Attendance for CLE / CPE
• Advanced
  • Portal Advanced User Guide
  • Elevated Access
    • Portal Elevated Access Roles
    • Portal Government Agency Elevated Access FAQs
    • Portal Domestic Violence Agency Elevated Access FAQs
• Standards and Codes
  • eCourts Name Indexing Standards
  • eCourts County Codes for Enterprise Justice
  • FAQs for Attorneys
  • Portal Fact Sheet
• Additional Support: Contact [email protected] for questions or issues.

What hardware and software are required for Portal?

• Portal uses similar system requirements as eFiling / File & Serve
• Browser Requirements - Chrome™, Microsoft® Edge®
  • Note: Using the recommended browsers on MacOS may result in unexpected errors and issues.
• Operating Systems - Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, Chrome OS™ Android™, iOS, and OS X®
• Recommended Hardware:
  • Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD A6 processors with at least a 2.0 GHz clock speed
  • 4 GB of RAM
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution of both desktop computers and mobile devices
• High-speed Internet connection
• Document Format - Adobe® PDF