Real Estate

Recording Documents

Divorces, Wills and Estates information are filed in the Clerk of Court office.

Types of Documents Recorded

• Deed
• Deed of Trust, Mortgages
• Notice of Foreclosure
• Satisfaction
• Assumed Business Name
• Right-of-Way
• Plat (Map)
• Lease, Covenant Agreement
• UCC
• Affidavits
• Separation Agreement
• Prenuptial Agreement
• Power of Attorney
• Living Will

Real Estate instruments are recorded during the hours of 8am - 5pm Monday thru Friday. Documents can be recorded in the office, by mail, or E-file. If recording via mail, business checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks are accepted for payment. Send the exact amount for the recording fees. Make payable to the Forsyth County Register of Deeds. Do not send cash. A self-addressed stamped envelope is required for all Real Estate transactions if you would like the document to be returned by mail. If you are recording in person, the document will be returned to you at that time. Copies are available to purchase for $.25 per page.

For questions about mobile home titles contanct the NC DMV.

Electronic Recording

Maps or instruments that are recorded electronically are not required to have the name and address of the person to whom the map or instrument is to be returned. The register is not required to return the map or instrument recorded electronically unless the register undertakes to do so in the authorizing agreement.

Most documents are accepted for Electronic Recording (E-File). Maps are not included. Before a document can be recorded electronically, an Electronic Recording Submitter Agreement must be filed with an authorized E-Recording provider and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) completed. NCGS 47-14 (al)(5).

Authorized E-File Vendors

CSC - Corporation Service Company - 770-643-9920
EDL - Electronic Document Logistics, Inc - 919-341-4101
EPN - Electronic Partner Network - 888-325-3365
IGS - Indecomm Global Services - 651-766-5126
Simplifile - 800-460-5657

Electronic Recordings (E-Files) must be received in the office Monday through Friday no later than 5:00pm of the business day, except for holidays. Documents must be submitted and received in the office before the deadline to ensure recording of the record.

The Register of Deeds office acts as a recording office only. North Carolina General Statute prohibits the Register of Deeds and staff from practicing law or giving legal advice. We do not advise how to draft a document. Consult an attorney if you have legal questions about the preparation of a document.

Recording Standards

• Documents presented for recording should have original signatures in the acknowledgement.
• Documents submitted for recording should be the original instrument or a certified copy of the original.
• A Deed should have a current mailing address for the Grantee or seller on document
• A Deed and Deed of Trust prepared in North Carolina should have the draftsman name on the front page of the document.
• Documents that do not meet the required recording standard will be charged an additional fee of $25.00 for non-standard document. GS 161-10(a)(I9).

Document Format

All documents must meet the following recording standards. GS 161-14(b)

• Paper size 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14
• Have a 3 inch blank margin at top of first page
• Minimum side margins on instruments ½ inch.
• Black type on white paper
• Font size 9 points or larger
• Single sided typed or printed text
• Type of instrument at top of first page below blank margin

Cancellations and Satisfactions

Deeds of Trust and Mortgages are security instruments that are canceled or satisfied by the noteholder after the debt has been paid in full. The Satisfaction document is recorded in the Register of deeds office. Deeds are titles to property showing ownership, they are not canceled.The Deed is given to the borrower after the sale or transfer of the real property. It is not held by the bank or the lender like a mortgage or Deed of Trust.

It is the responsibility of the owner or noteholder to cancel the Deed of Trust in the county where it was recorded. There is NO FEE to cancel a note.

The borrower can contact the Register of deeds office to verify that the loan has been marked satisfied or canceled before requesting a copy of the record.

Note:Copies of Mortgage Payoffs, Cancelations, and Satisfactions are not automatically mailed to the customer after the loan has been paid in full.

Deeds of Trust and Mortgages can be canceled or satisfied with one of these documents.

• Satisfaction of Security Instrument
• Trustee’s Satisfaction
• Notice of Satisfaction
• Certificate of Satisfaction
• Affidavit of Satisfaction

UCC (Uniform Commercial Code)

Effective July 1, 2001, only UCC originals and amendments, including terminations, whose collateral includes Fixtures, Timber to be cut, or as-extracted collateral will be filed in the local Register of Deeds Office. County level fees for filing original UCC’s, Corrections, Amendments and Terminations can be found on our fees page. Mail these types of documents to our office with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Revised NC General Statutes 25 - 9.

All other original and amended UCC's, including terminations, are to be filed with the Secretary of State.

Search a Record Online

Free public online searches for land records, miscellaneous documents, and vital records indexes recorded in Forsyth County. Start your search at forsythdeeds.com.

This website is an easy convenient way to search real estate title work, vital records indexes, family genealogy and historical events. While documents were not officially recorded in Forsyth County until 1913, there are some instruments that were recorded in 1849 when the county was formed. Actual images of recorded real estate documents are available to view. There are no images of birth, death, or marriage records online, only indexes.

Historical Facts about Forsyth County Records:
1849- 1904 Early records were copied by hand
1904 - 1929 Documents were typed until photocopy equipment arrived
1954 - Microfilming introduced
1962 - Birth, Death, Marriage records were integrated into the system
1965 - Started using computerized indexes

Technical support is provided by Business Information Services (BIS) If there is a problem accessing the website, call 866-670-9085 or the Register of Deeds office at 336-703-2700.

The Forsyth County Register of Deeds Online Record Search services is hosted by a third party vendor, Business Information Services, BIS. If there is a problem accessing the online website, call the BIS support line at (866-604-3680).

Military Discharge

A Veteran may record his Military Discharge record, also known as the DD-214 form, at the Register of Deeds office. The record serves as the official Report of Separation from the armed services. To file or obtain a certified copy of the discharge, the service member or authorized agent must show a government issued ID. NC law restricts public access to the record, NCGS 47-113.2(b)(1). Only certain people are authorized to register, request, or obtain a certified copy of the discharge record. There is NO FEE to record the discharge form.

Military Discharge records may be filed or obtained by the following people:

• Service Member/Veteran
• Widow or widower of deceased spouse
• Authorized Agent from Veteran Affairs
• Authorized court official
• Representative of N. C. State Archives
• Executor acting on behalf of the deceased veteran
• Agent or representative with authorization in writing from the subject

A Military Discharge must be filed in person by the authorized party. It can not be mailed to the Register of Deeds office to record or request copies.

Thank a Veteran

The Forsyth County Register of Deeds office issues Thank A Veteran Discount Cards to Veterans for discounts at local participating businesses. The card is free.

To obtain the card, the Veteran should bring the original DD- 214 Form Discharge form or a copy of the record as proof of service. A certified copy is not required. If the discharge form has already filed in the office, it can be verified when applying for the card. Valid government issued photo ID must be presented by the Veteran before the card is issued. Only the Veteran is entitled to the card. Spouses and children are not eligible.

The discount card cannot be used in place of a Veterans Administration Card (VA Card), Military ID, or any other type of official identification.

The discount ID Card is issued Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00am - 11:00am and 2:00pm- 4:00pm.

For a list of participating merchants - click here to View Merchant List

Thank You For Your Service