Flock & ALPR Cameras in North Carolina
At least 3,801 automated license plate readers have been reported across North Carolina — the 9th most-surveilled state in the country by camera count.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · Live data
3,801 automated license plate readers have been reported in North Carolina as of October 11, 2026, ranking it #9 of 52 states and territories. They are documented in 378 cities and towns across 91 counties. 89 percent are Flock Safety cameras.
379 cameras were added to the North Carolina map in the last 30 days and 180 were removed. The most recent camera was reported on September 11, 2026. Charlotte (104) has the most, followed by Pineville (101) and Harrisburg (96).
30 operators are named in the records, including Lowe's, Cherokee Indian Police Department, UNC Chapel Hill Police Department. Source: community-mapped camera data (OpenStreetMap, ODbL) with DeFlock The USA’s permanent history.
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Every one of those 3,801 cameras photographs the plate of each car that passes it — logging where North Carolina drivers go, when, and how often, whether or not anyone is suspected of a crime. Here’s what that means, and what you can do about it.
In the minutes: Black Mountain Town Council Meeting, flock camera (Oct 12)
Monday, October 12 — tomorrow · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
On the agenda: Winterville October 12, 2026 Regular Meeting Agenda — Flock Camera (Oct 12)
Monday, October 12 — tomorrow · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
On the agenda: Cooleemee October 12 Regular Meeting Agenda — Flock Camera (Oct 12)
Monday, October 12 — tomorrow · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
- Oct 7, 2026 On the agenda: Nags Head Board of Commissioners Meeting — ALPR (Oct 7)
- Oct 6, 2026 On the agenda: Carthage Board of Commissioners Meeting — Flock Camera (Oct 6)
- Oct 6, 2026 On the agenda: Surf City 10/06/2026 - October 6, 2026 — flock camera (Oct 6)
- Oct 6, 2026 On the agenda: Hickory 20261006 - City Council Agenda - October 6, 2026.pdf — flock camera (Oct 6)
Every record for this area on the Docket → · nothing is ever deleted.
- Oct 10 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 10 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 10 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 10 Flock Safety camera newly reported
Newly reported by volunteers — cameras may have been up long before someone mapped them.
📷 14 new license plate readers just reported around Pineville, NC. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Pineville
📷 14 new license plate readers just reported around Winston-Salem, NC. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #WinstonSalem
What these cameras actually do
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) like those sold by Flock Safety aren’t normal traffic cameras. Each one reads every passing plate, stamps it with a time and location, and stores it in a searchable database — often shared across agencies. Across North Carolina, that’s 3,801 points quietly building a record of residents’ movements. See how the tech works and where your data goes.
How North Carolina compares
North Carolina ranks #9 of 52 states and territories by reported ALPR cameras — among the most heavily surveilled in the nation. Nationwide, volunteers have mapped over 143,000 cameras and counting. Nearby by camera count: Indiana (3,715), Michigan (3,684), New York (4,476), Pennsylvania (3,829).
The latest from North Carolina
- Sheriff’s lieutenant allegedly misused Flock cameras in North Carolina
- North Carolina sheriff’s lieutenant accused of misusing Flock cameras: SBI
- Former North Carolina deputy facing 16 charges for misusing flock cameras
- North Carolina former deputy faces 18 charges, accused of misusing Flock cameras
- Flock rep says he's 'lightheaded' after being pressed on privacy and accountability in North Carolina
On camera in North Carolina — each opens right here on DeFlock:
The conversation about North Carolina:
KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts,@[email protected]MastodonFlock Is Catching Flak. Experts Say Other Police Surveillance Tools Are More Worrisome https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2026/10/10/flock-is-catching-flak-experts-say-other-police-surveillance-tools-are-more-worrisome/13 hours ago
Terry Mahaffey@terrymahMastodonYou’ve Been Flocked While we have been having a pretty active debate in Apex about Flock and ALPR systems, the state approved a permanent, statewide surveillance network that reads, records, and stores the movements of every driver in…2 weeks ago★ Our signal
DeFlock The USA@deflocktheusa.bsky.socialBluesky📷 14 new license plate readers just reported around Pineville, NC. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Pineville4 weeks ago★ Our signalDeFlock The USA@deflocktheusa.bsky.socialBluesky📷 14 new license plate readers just reported around Winston-Salem, NC. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #WinstonSalem1 month ago★ Our signalDeFlock The USA@deflocktheusa.bsky.socialBluesky📷 13 new license plate readers just reported around Shallotte, NC. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Shallotte1 month ago
SJones@sjoneswastaken.bsky.socialBlueskyCivilians with cell phones are not comparable to a national policing network hooked up to a searchable database maintained by a private company. Now they're putting their spycams on drones. This isn't appropriate for a free society. It's…1 month agoAll surveillance news → · All video & feeds →
What you can do in North Carolina
You don’t have to accept it — and you don’t have to be anti-safety to demand accountability. File a public records request to learn your town’s retention and data-sharing policy, speak up at a city-council meeting, and see the full playbook on our Take Action page.
Not sure what one looks like? See photographs of installed cameras before you go looking.
DeFlock North Carolina — North Carolina
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Wilmington — Wilmington, North Carolina
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Moore County — Moore County, North Carolina
Moore County residents organizing against Flock license-plate readers.
Join the fight ↗Flock & ALPR cameras by city in North Carolina
We track 375 North Carolina cities and towns with reported cameras — each with its own local report:
Flock & ALPR cameras by county in North Carolina
91 North Carolina counties have at least one reported camera. Tap any county for its full local report.
Counts come from the open-source DeFlock project’s volunteer reports and update as new cameras are mapped. A county not listed has no reported cameras yet — not necessarily none. Spot one? Report it.