About Us

Thank you for visiting the Guilford County Register of Deeds!

We are committed to be the best organization, a role model by using the most advanced technology and innovative business practices. By providing courteous, professional, and excellent customer service, we seek to not only to meet, but to exceed your expectations.

The mission of the Register of Deeds office is to record, preserve, maintain, and provide access to real estate and vital records in an effective and efficient manner in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes.

We set high standards and achieve them in service to our customers. In partnership with Business Information Systems (BIS), we provide easy and timely access to our records all the way back to 1771. Customers can apply for a marriage licenses and request birth and death certificates online. In addition, Guilford County Register of Deeds office was the first county in North Carolina to do wholesale redaction of social security numbers in our land records. We implemented a Property Fraud Alert system for customers to receive notification if a land record is filed in your name.

I’m proud that the Guilford County Register of Deeds received a 2010 North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Local Government Federal Credit Union “Excellence in Innovation” Award for our employee cross training award that saved nearly $400,000 in our annual budget. In 2015, we received our second “Excellence in Innovation” Award for Guilford County Thank a Vet which is a partnership with 500 local businesses serving our Nation’s veterans. In 2017 we started Guilford County Passport Services and 2021 started the Good Grief Podcast series designed to provide information and support for those dealing with the loss of loved ones.

We look forward to serving you each day in our Greensboro and High Point offices!

Jeff Thigpen was elected Guilford County Register of Deeds in 2004. Previously, he served on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners from 1998- 2004.

As a former commissioner, Thigpen had a passion for public education and best practices in county government. As Register of Deeds, his office is known for outstanding technology, organizational transformation, and customer service. He brought national attention to his office as a leading advocate for holding the financial industry accountable for fraud and forgery in public land records through the practice of robo-signing. Thigpen has sought to be an innovator through “value-added” services including Slave Deeds Research, Thank a Vet, Passport Services, and The Lance Cpl. Christopher Phoenix “Jacob Levy Flag Retirement" Initiative.

To be a leader in your community, Thigpen believes you must work in your communities. He has been on the Boards of Communities in Schools, Triad Highland Games, Piedmont Interfaith Council, Other Voices through the Greensboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Guilford County Coalition on Infant Mortality and Greensboro Economic Development Council.

Thigpen served on numerous County Government Appointed Committees: Efficiencies, Human Services Consolidation, Strategic Long Range, County Manager’s Selection, Board of Education/Commissioners Joint Committee, Juvenile Crime Prevention, Mental Health, and Parks and Recreation.

He is also a certified mediator with the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission.

Thigpen grew up in a small farming community outside of Burgaw in southeastern North Carolina. Jeff is a 1993 graduate of Guilford College with a bachelor's degree in political science and bachelor of science degree in justice and policy studies. He received a Master of Arts (M.A.) in public affairs from UNC-Greensboro in 1998. He’s a recipient of Forty Leaders under 40 by the Triad Business Journal and UNC-G Bryan School of Business. Thigpen is author of the book “On Point”—The Voices and Values of the Young Elected Officials published by Polar Bear and Company in Salon, Maine. He is also a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro.

He is married to Michelle Coughlin Thigpen and has two children, Elle and Aiden.

The first land record filed in the Guilford County Register of Deeds office came into the office on May 4, 1771. Historically, our office has provided a place to record a land transfer in a book with the names of the parties, terms of sale and payment and descriptions of the property. In this space, we are a place to determine who owns what, that parties are who they say they are, and essential to plainness in fair dealing. In sum, Register of Deeds offices are essential to democracy, commerce, and the rule of law.

Guilford County was established in 1771 by the North Carolina General Assembly. Today, the county’s population is nearly 500,000. The Register of Deeds is one of the few counties in North Carolina with two major urban cities: High Point and Greensboro. We have two offices and process about 110,000 land record documents each year. In addition, our office issues marriage licenses, certified birth and death certificates and military discharges.

Registers of Deeds of Guilford County, North Carolina

Listed below are registers of deeds of Guilford County from 1866 to our current register of deeds Jeff Thigpen.

• 1866-1870 John W.L. Parker
• 1870-1886 William W. Steiner
• 1886-1890 Jonathan Washington Causey
• 1890-1910 Abel G. Kirkman
• 1910-1918 William Henry Rankin
• 1918-1936 Robert H. Wharton
• 1936-1960 John Hilliard McAdoo
• 1960-1964 John Bennett Carpenter
• 1964-1980 Julius Mark Stewart
• 1980-1990 Kay F. Patseavouras
• 1990-2004 Katherine Lee Payne
• 2004-Present Jeff L. Thigpen

• Certified Birth, Death, or Marriage: $10
• Uncertified via mail: $1
• Uncertified in person: $.05
• Marriage license: $60
• Marriage keepsake: $1

Contact the vital records staff at 336-641-7730.

Our real estate, vitals and passport offices accept cash, checks, money orders, credit and debit cards for services rendered. For passport applications, a check or money order is required for payment to the US Department of State. Please call 336-641-7730 for details.

Visit our Vital Records page.

Greensboro:

201 W. Market St.
Greensboro, NC 27402

• Vitals Department - 1st Floor
  Land Records Department - 2nd Floor

High Point:

325 E. Russell Ave. Room 155
High Point, NC 27260

We are open Monday through Friday (excluding county holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Marriage licenses and county birth records are issued between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Passport applications are accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We now offer an overnight express service. Overnight delivery requests will be processed and completed if submitted by 3 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Signature required upon delivery. The expedite fee is $26.90. You can access this service by going to NCVITALS.

No. Adoption records are not available at the Guilford County Register of Deeds office. You can obtain further assistance by contacting NC Vital Records at 919-733-3000.

If you were born inside the United States:

Birth certificates are maintained by each state for the people who are born in that state. Contact the county or state vital records in the state where you were born to get a copy of your birth certificate. There is a Web site that can help you find out where you should write for vital records across the United States.

If you were born outside the United States:

If you were born outside the United States and your parents were United States citizens at the time of your birth, you can write to:

US Department of State
Washington Passport Agency
1111 19th Street NW - Suite 300
Washington DC 20522-1705
202-647-0518

Contact the Register of Deeds staff in Greensboro at 336-641-7730 or in High Point at 336-641-6935.

Contact the Clerk of Court at 336-412-7400.

Contact the Estate Division of Clerk of Court at 336-412-7550.

Contact the Special Proceeding Division of Clerk of Court at 336-412-7575.

For obtaining certified copies of vital records, picture identification that shows name is required. Examples are state issued driver's license, state issued ID card and passports.

First, the license must be purchased in North Carolina. The license is valid in any county in the State of North Carolina, but must be returned to the county in which it was issued. The license is valid for sixty (60) days. A religious officer or a magistrate may perform the ceremony. For more information on obtaining a marriage license.

Magistrate offices in both Greensboro and High Point will perform marriage ceremonies. To schedule appointments, call 336-412-7870 for Greensboro and 336-822-6719 for High Point. This is subject to change.

The Register of Deeds office does not provide legal advice. It is advised that you speak to an attorney. A separation agreement may be filed in our office once the document is complete and properly notarized.

• A person requesting a copy of the person, own vital records or that of the person, spouse, sibling, direct ancestor (child or grandchild) or descendent (parents or grandparents) or stepparent or stepchild
• A person seeking information for a legal determination of personal or property rights
• An authorized agent, attorney or legal representative of a person described above