North Carolina Courthouse Smartwatch & Apple Watch Rules (2026)

Short answer: Yes, all 12 tracked courthouses in North Carolina allow smartwatches provided they are silenced inside courtrooms. Updated 2026-11-04

12 of 12 courthouses in North Carolina allow smartwatches (Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Fitbit) on silent mode, while 0 classify smartwatches as prohibited recording devices and ban them at the metal detector. North Carolina County Courthouses vary by Senior Resident Superior Court Judge order: Wake (Raleigh) and Mecklenburg (Charlotte) allow silenced phones, while several counties ban phones inside traffic/criminal courtrooms or at the door.

County Courthouse	City	Smartwatches & Apple Watch	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Wake County Wake County Courthouse (Raleigh) “Wake County Courthouse (Raleigh) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Raleigh	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Mecklenburg County Mecklenburg County Courthouse (Charlotte) “Mecklenburg County Courthouse (Charlotte) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Charlotte	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Guilford County Guilford County Courthouse (Greensboro) “Guilford County Courthouse (Greensboro) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Greensboro	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Forsyth County Forsyth County Courthouse (Winston-Salem) “Forsyth County Courthouse (Winston-Salem) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Winston-Salem	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Cumberland County Cumberland County Courthouse (Fayetteville) “Cumberland County Courthouse (Fayetteville) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Fayetteville	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Durham County Durham County Courthouse (Durham) “Durham County Courthouse (Durham) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Durham	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Buncombe County Buncombe County Courthouse (Asheville) “Buncombe County Courthouse (Asheville) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Asheville	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Union County Union County Courthouse (Monroe) “Union County Courthouse (Monroe) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Monroe	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Johnston County Johnston County Courthouse (Smithfield) “Johnston County Courthouse (Smithfield) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Smithfield	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Cabarrus County Cabarrus County Courthouse (Concord) “Cabarrus County Courthouse (Concord) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Concord	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
New Hanover County New Hanover County Courthouse (Wilmington) “New Hanover County Courthouse (Wilmington) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Wilmington	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated
Gaston County Gaston County Courthouse (Gastonia) “Gaston County Courthouse (Gastonia) Local Rule: "Cell phones are permitted inside the courthouse but must be silenced or powered off before entering any courtroom. Visible phones in traffic court may be confiscated by the bailiff."”	Gastonia	Smartwatches allowed (silent)	No lockers	Free Validated

Going to Court Without a Lawyer?

Skip the Security Line & Protect Your Record in NC

If you have a Traffic Ticket, Speeding/CDL Violation, DUI, Misdemeanor, or Family Court hearing in NC, a licensed local attorney can often appear in court on your behalf—saving you from missing work, risking a bench warrant, or taking points on your license.

Your Full Name Phone Number Email Address County State Case Type Upcoming Court Date Need

Brief Case Details (optional)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wear my Apple Watch to court in North Carolina?

Yes, all 12 tracked courthouses in North Carolina allow smartwatches provided they are silenced inside courtrooms.

How is this courthouse policy data verified?

We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.