Kinston, NC Public Records
Kinston is an incorporated city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, with an estimated population of 19,519 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2024 estimate) and 18.3 square miles of land. That is down about 291 residents since the 2020 Census base.
🏢 Kinston City Hall
Kinston's own city government keeps its local records: council or board meeting minutes, local ordinances and resolutions, local permits and licenses, and its own budget and contracts. Requests for those records go to the city clerk under North Carolina's Public Records Law. Birth and death certificates, marriage records, deeds and court files are generally kept by county and state offices rather than by the city; see the offices below.
📇 Kinston Contact on File
| Government | City Of Kinston |
| Mailing address | PO Box 339, Kinston, NC 28502 |
| Phone | Not stated |
| Official website | www.ci.kinston.nc.us |
| Source | U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units listing ↗ |
This is the mailing address the government reported to the U.S. Census Bureau; it may be a post office box or the office of an elected official rather than a public counter, and the source does not list a phone number. The website was reported by the government and was answering when we last checked. Call or check the official website before you visit.
↑ Back to record types🏛️ County Courthouse & Records Office for Kinston
Kinston is in Lenoir County. In North Carolina, deeds, mortgages and other land records are recorded by the county Register of Deeds. Divorce cases in North Carolina are heard by the District Court in each county. Wills and estates in North Carolina are handled by the Clerk of Superior Court in each county.
📍 Lenoir County at a Glance
| County | Lenoir County |
| County population (2024 est.) | 55,332 Source: www2.census.gov ↗ |
⚖️ Lenoir County Courthouse (Lenoir County Clerk of Superior Court)
| Address | 130 S Queen St, Kinston, NC 28501 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (252) 520-5300 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Records available | Court case records (civil, criminal, traffic, small claims, divorce/custody), estates and special proceedings are handled by the Clerk of Superior Court |
| Official website | nccourts.gov |
| Sources | nccourts.gov/…/lenoir-county-courthouse ↗ nccourts.gov/…/contact-directory ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
See the full Lenoir County records page →
↑ Back to record types📋 Where to Get Records for Kinston
Where to get the most-requested public records for people and property in Kinston, NC:
📋 Kinston Records Guide
| Birth & death certificates | North Carolina Vital Records (NCDHHS)In North Carolina, certified birth and death certificates can also be ordered from the county Register of Deeds. |
| Deeds & property records | In North Carolina, deeds, mortgages and other land records are recorded by the county Register of Deeds. |
| Court cases & divorce | Lenoir County courthouse. Divorce cases in North Carolina are heard by the District Court in each county. |
| Wills & estates | Wills and estates in North Carolina are handled by the Clerk of Superior Court in each county. |
| State court system | North Carolina Judicial Branch |
| Sex offender registry | North Carolina Sex Offender Registry (State Bureau of Investigation) |