North Carolina Background Check & Apostille Guide

Issuing agency

North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)

Steps to request and apostille your record

1. STEP 1Request Your Background Check

   • Request a criminal background check from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) using their Right to Review process.
   • Download the Right to Review form from the SBI website at ncsbi.gov. Complete the form and obtain your fingerprints on an FD-258 fingerprint card at your local law enforcement agency.
   • Include a certified check or money order for $14.00, payable to 'North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.' Personal checks are not accepted.
   • Mail the completed form, fingerprint card, and payment to the SBI. The mailing address is available on the SBI forms page.
   • Note: The SBI Right to Review provides a non-certified, statewide criminal record search covering North Carolina records only. For immigration purposes, this is the state-level document you need. Whether you also need a separate FBI background check depends on your route and current Ecuador eVISAS guidance — confirm before ordering.

2. STEP 2Receive Your Results

   • Processing times vary significantly. As of May 2026 (observed report), the SBI was processing requests received approximately 4 weeks prior. Recheck current status before filing by emailing CIISHelp@ncsbi.gov or calling (919) 582-8660.
   • Results are mailed via U.S. Mail to the address on your application.
   • The SBI background check covers North Carolina arrest and conviction records only. It does not include records from other states or federal records.

3. STEP 3Apostille Your Background Check

   • Submit your SBI background check results to the North Carolina Secretary of State, Authentication Division, for apostille.
   • The apostille fee is $10.00 per document.
   • IMPORTANT: North Carolina standard mail apostille processing is slow relative to most states. As of May 2026 (observed report), standard mail processing was 45 days or more. Walk-in/hand-delivery processing is faster — typically processed within a few days. Recheck the Authentication Division page before filing.
   • There is no official expedited service. If timing is critical, hand-deliver your documents or use a third-party courier service.
   • Submit requests to: NC Secretary of State, Authentication Division. Download the apostille request form from sosnc.gov.

4. STEP 4Translate via EcuadorTranslations.com

   • After your background check is apostilled, submit it to EcuadorTranslations.com for certified Spanish translation and notarization.
   • Cost: $150 per document ($130 per document when submitting 3 or more). Price includes notarization.
   • Turnaround: 3 business days.
   • Upload a clear, color scan (300 DPI minimum) of the full apostilled document — including the apostille certificate itself.

Apostille authority

Key notes

• North Carolina has extremely long apostille processing times — 45 days or more by mail. Plan accordingly or hand-deliver documents to the Secretary of State's office for faster turnaround.
• The SBI background check fee of $14.00 is one of the lowest state background check fees in the country.
• Payment for the SBI check must be by certified check or money order only. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
• The SBI Right to Review is non-certified by default. For apostille purposes, the Secretary of State will authenticate the document as-is.
• Check current SBI processing status before submitting, as wait times can fluctuate. Contact: CIISHelp@ncsbi.gov or (919) 582-8660.

Sources and verification