Recording and Real Estate
General Information
A standard document meets the following criteria. If a document fails to meet any one of these criteria, the non-standard document fee will be added.
- Paper size is 8.5″ x 11″ or 8.5″ x 14″
- Blank margin of 3″ at top of first page
- Blank margin of at least 1/4″ on remaining sides of first page and on all sides of subsequent pages
- Typed or printed in black on white paper in a legible font
- A font size no smaller than 9-point shall be considered legible
- Blanks in an instrument may be completed in pen and corrections to an instrument may be made in pen
- One-sided only
- Instrument type is stated at top of first page
- Documents presented in-person or by mail, must contain the name and address of the person to whom the instrument is to be returned to. (N.C.G.S. § 161-30)
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
A UCC non-fixture is a security agreement on personal property that is recorded to protect the lender's or secured party’s investment. In a security agreement, a loan of money is secured by personal property as collateral, thereby giving the lender rights in the property. All non-fixtures will be filed at the Secretary of State’s Office only. The local Register of Deeds Office will only file fixture (real estate related) filing UCC’s. All original UCCs and amended UCCs to be filed in North Carolina will be filed at the Secretary of State’s Office in Raleigh, unless the UCC or amendment form indicates that the document is to be filed in the real estate records of the local filing office and meets all requirements of Revised Article 9. Only financing statements or amendments whose collateral includes fixtures, timber to be cut, or as-extracted collateral should be filed in the local filing office.
Local filings may be mailed to:
Register of Deeds
P. O. Box 3427
Greensboro, N.C. 27402
All other N.C. filings:
N.C. Secretary of State
UCC Division
P.O. Box 29626
Raleigh, N.C. 27626-0626
Satisfactions
No longer can accept presentation of original deed of trust and note to satisfy or discharge a record. A Satisfaction of Security Instrument is a document that shows an individual has paid a deed of trust or a mortgage in full. A Security Instrument is a document that creates an interest in real property. Security Instruments include deeds of trust, mortgages and other grants of security interest such as assignments of leases and rents. A recorded satisfaction releases the Security Instrument from the land records in the county where the property is located. Please check with your own attorney or mortgage company for further assistance. Three (3) ways to record a Satisfaction of Security Instrument:
- Satisfaction of Security Instrument: This document shows that a loan has been satisfied, and the Security Instrument is terminated. It must be signed by the secured creditor (except a trustee), acknowledged by a Notary Public and contain the required information from the original Security Instrument. N.C.G.S. § 45-36.10(a).
- Trustee’s Satisfaction of Security Instrument: The Trustee or Substitute Trustee may submit a “Trustee’s Satisfaction of Deed of Trust.” It must be signed by the Trustee or Substitute Trustee, acknowledged by a notary public and contain the required information from the original Security Instrument. N.C.G.S. § 45-36.20.
- Affidavit of Satisfaction: A borrower’s attorney may prepare and record an Affidavit of Satisfaction to reflect a lender’s unjustified failure to provide a record of Satisfaction. The affidavit must be signed by an attorney licensed to practice law in North Carolina and acting as a “Satisfaction Agent.” This affidavit must also be acknowledged by a notary public and contain all the information required from the original Security Instrument. N.C.G.S. § 45-36.16.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deeds of Trust and Mortgages | $64 for the first 35 pages $4 each additional page |
| All other documents / instruments | $26 first 15 pages $4 each additional page |
| Additional Deed of Trust references on Assignments | Free First Reference $10 each additional reference |
| Non-standard document fee | $25 In addition to standard recording fee |
| Multiple Instruments A document consists of multiple instruments when it contains two or more instruments with different legal consequences or intent, each of which is separately executed and acknowledged and could be recorded alone. | $10 for each additional instrument, in addition to recording fee |
| Right-of-Way Plans/Highway Maps | $21 first page $5 each additional page |
| Satisfaction of Security Instruments, Affidavit of Satisfaction, Trustee’s Satisfaction of Deed of Trust | No fee |
| Certified copy | $5 first page $2 each additional page |
| Map | |
| Map (Plat) recording | $21 per page |
| Uncertified Copy(18”x24”) | $.50 per page, $5 for certified copy |
| Condominium Map recording | $21 per page |
| Excise Tax Calculation on Deeds | |
| Aug. 1, 1991, to present | $2 per thousand |
| Jan. 1, 1968 to July 31, 1991 | $1 per thousand |
| Prior to Dec. 31, 1967 | $1.10 per thousand |
| Notary | |
| Notary Oath | $10 |
| Notary Authentication | $1 per notary per page |
| UCC Initial Filings, Amendments & Terminations | $38 ($45 if greater than 2 pages + $2 per page exceeding 10 pages. For example, a 13-page filing would cost $51) |
Indexing Corrections Request
The Indexing Correction Request form may be used to correct information that was not indexed correctly. The Register of Deeds has no authority to correct an error appearing in the original instrument, such as a misspelled name, a defective property description or an incorrect loan amount pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 132-1.10. The register records the instrument as it is, and under no circumstances alters the text of a recorded instrument. If you have questions, please send email to GuilfordDeeds@guilfordcountync.gov or call 336-641-7556.
Personal Information Redaction
- Tips on Protecting Yourself
- Identity Theft Contacts
- Request for Redaction of Personal Information Form
Real Estate Document Request
A certified copy of a real estate document is $5 for the first page and $2 each additional page. A regular photocopy of a real estate document is 5¢ per page in-house or $1 by mail. A regular photocopy of a map is 50¢ per copy. All certified plats cost $5 per copy.