How long does an arrest without conviction stay on your criminal record in North Carolina?

This will stay on your record in NC forever unless you have it expunged. However, there are many restrictions on expunctions in NC and generally you can only get one per lifetime. That means that if you get this arrest expunged and later are wrongly charged with a serious felony (for example rape, murder, armed robbery), that arrest would never be expunged. You should consult an attorney in your area to see if you are eligible for an expunction and if it would be in your best interests to do so.