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FOR FLOCK'S SAKE

ALPR records in North Carolina

Ask your police department or sheriff what their license-plate cameras log, who they share with, and what they cost. A starting point, not legal advice.

Public records law

North Carolina public records law

N.C.G.S. § 132-6

Response deadline

Copies must be furnished “as promptly as possible” (no fixed number of days in this section).

Checked against the official statute text on 2026-10-13. Laws change, so read the source before you rely on it.

Fees & appeals

  • Set a fee cap in your letter and ask for an estimate before any work that would exceed it.
  • Ask for electronic copies. They're usually cheaper than paper.
  • If anything is withheld, ask for the specific exemption and the reasonably segregable parts.
  • If you're denied or the deadline passes, ask the agency in writing how to appeal; the appeal route is set out in North Carolina's statute (source).

General guidance, not state-specific fee or appeal rules.

What to ask for

  • Search audit logs

    Every ALPR search: date, the officer or agency, the plate or reason entered, and the case number. This shows who is looking, and why.

  • Contract & invoices

    The vendor agreement (Flock Safety or other), renewals, purchase orders and what it costs.

  • Retention policy

    How long plate reads are kept and the records retention schedule that applies.

  • Sharing list

    Every outside agency or organization that can search your local cameras, and the ones your agency can search.

  • Hot lists

    Which watch lists are loaded into the system, who can add plates, on what basis, and how many alerts fired.

  • Policy & camera list

    The written use policy or general order, and the number and locations of cameras.

Your North Carolina request

Using N.C.G.S. § 132-6. Deadline: Copies must be furnished “as promptly as possible” (no fixed number of days in this section). State guide →

Every state's law differs on deadlines, fees and how to submit. Find yours in the Reporters Committee Open Government Guide. Not legal advice. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

[Your Name]
[Address · Email · Phone]
October 13, 2026

To: Public Records Officer, [Agency name]

Re: Public records request: automated license plate reader (ALPR) records

Under the North Carolina public records law (N.C.G.S. § 132-6 and related provisions), I request copies of the following records, in electronic format where available:

1. All contracts, purchase orders, renewals, and invoices with any ALPR vendor (including Flock Safety) from January 1, 2024 to present.
2. Any policy, general order, or procedure governing ALPR use, data retention, sharing, and access.
3. A list of outside agencies or organizations with which ALPR data is shared, or which have access to your ALPR system or network.
4. Audit logs, search logs, or audit reports of ALPR queries from January 1, 2024 to present, including the stated reason for each search where recorded.
5. The number and locations of ALPR cameras operated by or on behalf of the agency.
6. Any records retention schedule that applies to ALPR data.
7. Any hot lists, watch lists, or alert lists loaded into the ALPR system (or records describing who may add entries and on what basis), and the number of hot-list alerts from January 1, 2024 to present.

If any portion is withheld, please cite the specific exemption and release all reasonably segregable portions. If fees will exceed $25, please contact me before proceeding. I request a fee waiver because this information is in the public interest and is not sought for commercial purposes.

Thank you,
[Your Name]
Open in email

City files in North Carolina

Each city file links to a request prefilled for that city. Find the exact agency name and records portal on the agency's website.

North Carolina ALPR law

§ 20-183.30 to .33

Requires state or local law enforcement agencies to adopt a written policy governing the use of an ALPR system before the system is operational. Requires policies to address databases used to compare data obtained by the system, data retention and sharing of data with other law enforcement agencies, system operator training, supervision of system use, and data security and access. Data obtained by a law enforcement agency shall be obtained, accessed, preserved, or disclosed only for law enforcement purposes. Data obtained shall not be used for enforcement of traffic violations. Requires audits and reports on system use and effectiveness. Limits retention of ALPR data to no more than 90 days, except in specified circumstances. After one year from the date of the initial preservation request, if one was made, the captured plate data shall be destroyed unless the custodian receives within that period another preservation request, in which case the retention period established shall reset. Provides that data obtained by the system is confidential and not a public record. Establishes that any person who violates the provisions of the article is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

Summary quoted from NCSL, Automated License Plate Readers: State Statutes, updated September 28, 2026. Not legal advice; read the statute.