Public Notices
Recording Fees
New Fee Structure Effective October 1, 2011
Session Law 2011-296 (S 384) modifies the fees for recording instruments and simplifies their
allocation to state accounts. G.S. 161-10(a)(1), (1a), (16); G.S. 161-11.3; G.S. 161-11.5 (effective
October 1, 2011). The changes follow a recommendation by the North Carolina General Assembly’s
Fiscal Research Division based on a study of data received from the North Carolina Association
of Registers of Deeds, the North Carolina Office of State Management and Budget, and
the North Carolina Department of Revenue. These changes take effect October 1, 2011, but the
statute contains an automatic sunset provision by which these changes expire on July 1, 2013,
unless the General Assembly hereafter extends them. There will no longer be a fee for verification
(currently $2.00).
Notice of Statutory Changes to Satisfaction Methods
Effective October 1, 2011
Session Law 2011-246 (H 312) ends use of satisfaction by presentation effective October 1,
2011. The methods no longer available include presentation by secured creditors or trustees of
original security instruments and notes endorsed by the creditors or trustees (formerly G.S.
45-37(a)(2)); presentation by grantors, mortgagors, or their attorneys or agents of original security
instruments and the instruments they secure if the maturity date is more than ten years old
(formerly G.S. 45-37(a)(3)); and presentation by bearers or holders of original negotiable instruments
and the instruments they secure, signed and marked paid, provided no prior notice was
given of a loss or theft of the instruments (formerly G.S. 45-37(a)(4)).
There continues to be no
fee for satisfaction documents.
Document Format Requirements
Out-of-State Drafter Required Effective June 27, 2011
Margin and Font Changes Effective October 1, 2011
Session Law 2011-351 (S 519) expands the requirement for the identification of a person or
law firm that drafted a deed or deed of trust executed after January 1, 1980, to include all such
instruments, even if prepared outside North Carolina. G.S. 47-17.1 (effective June 27, 2011).
Note that the only entity or organization name that is sufficient alone is a law firm; otherwise
a person’s name must appear as drafter. Note also that as before the change, a drafter’s name is
required on the first page; a drafter’s signature is not required. The register is not to accept such
an instrument for recording without the information. The legislation took effect on June 27, 2011.
Session Law 2011-296 (H 384) also makes changes to the margin and font requirements in
G.S. 161-14(b) on documents other than plats. Effective October 1, 2011, side margins must be at
least one-quarter inch (the current requirement is one-half inch) and a font size no smaller than
nine points is considered legible (the current requirement states that a font size no smaller than
10 points shall be considered legible).
Access To Military Discharge Documents
Widow and Widower Authorized Effective June 23, 2011
Session Law 2011-246 (H 312), sec. 8, revises
G.S. 47-113.2(b)(1) to give the subject’s widow or widower the ability to file and receive a copy
directly rather than only with another authorized person’s written permission.
North Carolina Legislation Increases Fees
MARRIAGE LICENSES: G.S. 161-10(a)(2) was amended to increase the marriage license fee from $50.00 to $60.00, effective September 1, 2009, and applies to licenses issued on or after that date. The $10.00 fee is to be deposited in the State Domestic Violence Center Fund, increasing the total amount of that deposit from $20.00 to $30.00.
Randolph County Board of Commissioners Resolution
Effective SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
Pursuant to Randolph County Board of Commissioners resolution on September 4, 2007, notaries may not
be sworn in after 4:30 p.m. in the Randolph County Register of Deeds Office.
Identity Theft Protection Act
Per GS 132-1.8 (g)
Effective DECEMBER 1, 2005
Viewable at: www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2005/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1048v6.html
Any person preparing or filing a document for recordation or filing in the official records may not include a social security,
employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card,
or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords in the document, unless expressly required by law or court order,
adopted by the State Registrar on records of vital events, or redacted so that no more than the last four digits of the identification number
is included.
Any person has a right to request a register of deeds to remove, from an image or copy of an official record placed on a register of deeds'
Internet Web site available to the general public or on an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds to
display public records, any social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account,
savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in an official record. The request
must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person, to the register of deeds. The request
must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information
that identifies the location within the document that contains the social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification,
passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted. No fee will
be charged for the redaction pursuant to such a request. Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction,
punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.
Request for Redaction Form (MS Word-fillable)
Request for Redaction Form (Adobe)
Registers' Review
NC Session Law 2005-123 (Senate Bill 734)
Registers' Review
Effective OCTOBER 1, 2005
Viewable at: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2005/Bills/Senate/HTML/S734v5.html
Registers no longer “pass” on instruments in the manner previously
required. Session Law 2005-123 has eliminated the requirement that
registers certify that execution by one or more signers has been “duly
proved or acknowledged” and that the proof or acknowledgment is “in due
form.” The revised statute limits the register’s review to seeing if the
instrument has a proof or acknowledgment if one is required, and then only
checking that the proof or acknowledgment “by one or more signers
appears to have been proved or acknowledged before an officer with the
apparent authority to take proofs or acknowledgements, and the said proof
or acknowledgement includes the officer’s signature, commission expiration
date, and official seal, if required.” If these elements are present, registers
simply record the instrument; if not, the instruments are not to be accepted
for recording. G.S. 47-14(a) (2005)
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