About Public Records in North Carolina

• General Jurisdiction / Upper Courts


• Superior Courts - 46 districts.
• Civil - tort, contracts, and real property for claims over $10,000.
• Civil - estate.
• Criminal - felony and misdemeanor.



 

• Limited Jurisdiction / Lower Courts


• District Courts - 40 districts.
• Civil - tort, contracts, property rights to $10.000. Small claims to $4,000.
• Civil - mental health and domestic relations
• Criminal - felony, misdemeanor, drunk driving.
• Traffic and other violations.
• Juvenile
• Preliminary hearings.

North Carolina real and personal property tax records are kept by the County Tax Office in each county.
 

North Carolina deeds and general document recording are handled by the Register of Deeds office in each county. Larger offices have separate divisions for recording. Records kept include deeds, mortgage documents, easements, powers of attorney, marriage licenses, and liens.
 

The North Carolina Vital Records Unit is responsible for registering all births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and divorces which occur in North Carolina, coding those events for statistical research purposes, maintaining the records properly, and locating and providing certified or uncertified copies of those records. The registration process involves a statewide system of hospitals, funeral directors, registers of deeds, local health department staff, and others who register vital events. Once vital events have been registered, the individual vital records are preserved in a secure environment. When appropriate, they are corrected, amended, or even replaced. Certified and uncertified copies are provided when requested for legal actions, passports, law enforcement investigations, child support enforcement, health-related research, and official identification. Standard fees authorized by law are charged for services.