Police Radio Encryption in North Carolina
North Carolina has an encryption rate of 8%. Out of 652 tracked public safety agencies, 9 are fully encrypted, 84 are partially encrypted, and 559 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in North Carolina
- ATF Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Harrahs Cherokee Casino and Hotel (Jackson County) — Encrypted
- Haywood EMC (Transylvania County) — Encrypted
- Henderson County (Polk County) — Encrypted
- Pine Knoll Shores (Carteret County) — Encrypted
- Radio Technicians (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Sheriffs Office (Lee County) — Encrypted
- Union County Schools (Union County) — Encrypted
- Yadkin County Law Enforcement (Yadkin County) — Encrypted
- Airports (Bladen County) — Partial
- Alamance County (Alamance County) — Partial
- Alcohol Law Enforcement ALE (Statewide) — Partial
- Anson County (Anson County) — Partial
- Asheville (Buncombe County) — Partial
- Attractions (Wake County) — Partial
- Brunswick County (Brunswick County) — Partial
- Buncombe County (Buncombe County) — Partial
- Business (Caswell County) — Partial
- Businesses (Davie County) — Partial
- Businesses (Halifax County) — Partial
- Businesses (Mitchell County) — Partial
- Businesses (Wake County) — Partial
- Businesses (Yadkin County) — Partial
- Businesses in Currituck County (Currituck County) — Partial
- Camden County (Camden County) — Partial
- Cary/Wake P25 (Wake County) — Partial
- Catawba County Businesses (Catawba County) — Partial
- Charlotte UASI (Union County) — Partial
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Mecklenburg County) — Partial
- Chatham County (Chatham County) — Partial
- Chowan County (Chowan County) — Partial
- Claremont (Catawba County) — Partial
- Clay County (Clay County) — Partial
- Cleveland County (Cleveland County) — Partial
- Clinton (Sampson County) — Partial
- Currituck County (Currituck County) — Partial
- Dare County (Dare County) — Partial
- Dare County Public Safety (Dare County) — Partial
- Davie County (Davie County) — Partial
- Drug Enforcement Agency (Statewide) — Partial
- Duplin County (Duplin County) — Partial
- Duplin County Airport (DPL) (Duplin County) — Partial
- Durham County (Durham County) — Partial
- Durham-Fayetteville (Durham County) — Partial
- EMS/Rescue (Alleghany County) — Partial
- Emergency Management (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal (Durham County) — Partial
- Fire (Stokes County) — Partial
- Fire/EMS (Madison County) — Partial
- Fire/EMS (McDowell County) — Partial
- Fire/Rescue (Jones County) — Partial
- Forest City (Rutherford County) — Partial
- Forest Service (Statewide) — Partial
- Gaston (Northampton County) — Partial
- Gates County (Gates County) — Partial
- Greensboro / Guilford County (Randolph County) — Partial
- Halifax County (Halifax County) — Partial
- Harnett County (Harnett County) — Partial
- Hickory Airport (HKY) (Catawba County) — Partial
- High Point (Guilford County) — Partial
- Hotels (Pitt County) — Partial
- Iredell County (Iredell County) — Partial
- Johnston County (Johnston County) — Partial
- KEQY Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport (Union County) — Partial
- Lee County (Lee County) — Partial
- NC Department of Health and Human Services (Alamance County) — Partial
- NC General Assembly (Statewide) — Partial
- NC HART (Statewide) — Partial
- Nash County (Nash County) — Partial
- North Carolina National Guard (Statewide) — Partial
- Pasquotank, County (Pasquotank County) — Partial
- Person County (Person County) — Partial
- Pineville (Mecklenburg County) — Partial
- Police (Alleghany County) — Partial
- Police (Randolph County) — Partial
- Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) (Wake County) — Partial
- Randolph County (Randolph County) — Partial
- Retail (Onslow County) — Partial
- Rich Square (Northampton County) — Partial
- Rowan County (Rowan County) — Partial
- Sampson County (Sampson County) — Partial
- Sheriff (Avery County) — Partial
- Sheriff (Transylvania County) — Partial
- Sheriffs Office (Cleveland County) — Partial
- State Bureau of Investigation (Statewide) — Partial
- Statesville Public Safety (Iredell County) — Partial
- Statewide Medical Transport (Statewide) — Partial
- Statewide/Common (Alamance County) — Partial
- Stokes County (Stokes County) — Partial
- Wilson County (Wilson County) — Partial
- Winston-Salem / Forsyth County (Forsyth County) — Partial
- Winston-Salem / Forsyth County (P25) (Forsyth County) — Partial
- Woodfin (Buncombe County) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across North Carolina.
- ATF Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (North Carolina VIPER) — Encrypted
- Radio Technicians (North Carolina VIPER) — Encrypted
- Alcohol Law Enforcement ALE (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- Drug Enforcement Agency (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- Emergency Management (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- Forest Service (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- NC General Assembly (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- NC HART (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- North Carolina National Guard (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- State Bureau of Investigation (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
- Statewide Medical Transport (North Carolina VIPER) — Partial
County Breakdown
102 counties tracked across North Carolina. 51 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 102 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 75% |
| Currituck County | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50% |
| Jackson County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| Bladen County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Chatham County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Gates County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Alleghany County | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33% |
| Northampton County | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33% |
| Yadkin County | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30% |
| Transylvania County | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 25% |
| Anson County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Camden County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Caswell County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Randolph County | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 21% |
| Davie County | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 20% |
| Buncombe County | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 19% |
| Union County | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 18% |
| Durham County | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 17% |
| Avery County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Jones County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Mitchell County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Catawba County | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15% |
| Carteret County | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14% |
| Halifax County | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 14% |
| Iredell County | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 14% |
| Polk County | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14% |
| Sampson County | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 14% |
| Chowan County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Clay County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Harnett County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Wilson County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Stokes County | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11% |
| Cleveland County | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10% |
| Johnston County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Rowan County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Wake County | 22 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 9% |
| Duplin County | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9% |
| Alamance County | 18 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 8% |
| Madison County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Nash County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| McDowell County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Person County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Rutherford County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Dare County | 16 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 6% |
| Pasquotank County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Forsyth County | 18 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 6% |
| Onslow County | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6% |
| Pitt County | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5% |
| Mecklenburg County | 26 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 4% |
| Brunswick County | 15 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3% |
| Guilford County | 16 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 3% |
| Cumberland County | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0% |
| Henderson County | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0% |
| New Hanover County | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0% |
| Robeson County | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| Watauga County | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| Orange County | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0% |
| Ashe County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Richmond County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Burke County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Craven County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Hoke County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Swain County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Wayne County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Caldwell County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Granville County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Macon County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Stanly County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Wilkes County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Alexander County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Davidson County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Moore County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Rockingham County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Surry County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Beaufort County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Franklin County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Gaston County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Graham County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Haywood County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Pender County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Washington County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Cabarrus County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Cherokee County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Edgecombe County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Vance County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Yancey County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Hertford County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Hyde County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lenoir County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lincoln County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Martin County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Perquimans County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Bertie County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Columbus County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Greene County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Itinerant County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Montgomery County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Pamlico County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Scotland County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Tyrrell County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| UNKNOWN County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Warren County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for North Carolina Residents
North Carolina has a relatively low encryption rate of 8%. The majority of public safety agencies (559 out of 652) still broadcast in the clear, meaning scanner listeners and journalists retain access to most emergency radio traffic.
Encryption status can change at any time as agencies upgrade equipment or adopt new policies. The RTDNA considers police radio encryption the #1 threat to journalism in America. Use our search tool to check specific cities and counties in North Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, 9 out of 652 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 84 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 8%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in North Carolina?
Yes — 559 agencies in North Carolina still broadcast in the clear and can be monitored with a scanner. Check specific agencies using our search tool for detailed channel information.
How often is North Carolina data updated?
Data for North Carolina is synchronized weekly from RadioReference.com. Encryption status reflects the latest known radio configurations, though agencies can change their setup without notice. Report incorrect data.
Search all 652 agencies in North Carolina →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Oregon (8%) · Washington (8%) · Arkansas (8%) · Iowa (8%) · Illinois (8%)
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