North Carolina · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Columbus County, NC
Columbus County (population 50,623) records real-property documents through the Columbus County Register of Deeds. Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Columbus County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Columbus County Register of Deeds
- Mailing address
- PO Box 1086, Whiteville, NC 28472 (physical: 125 Washington St., Ste. B, Whiteville, NC 28472)
- Phone
- 910-640-6625
- Recording hours
- Mon–Fri 8:30–5:00; no documents accepted for recording after 4:45
- Website
- columbusdeeds.com
- Electronic recording
- Available via CSC, Simplifile
Columbus County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $26.00 for the first 15 pages (deeds); $64.00 for the first 35 pages (deeds of trust)
- Additional pages
- $4.00 per page
- Other fees
- Non-standard document $25.00; $10.00 per extra instrument in one document; certified copies $5.00 first page, $2.00 each additional
- Transfer tax on deeds
- NC excise tax $1.00 per $500 of consideration ($2 per $1,000), paid to the Register of Deeds at recording
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Columbus County Register of Deeds before you mail a check.
What Columbus County requires
- Page formatting
- 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14; 3-inch blank top margin on page 1, 0.5-inch margins elsewhere; black print on white paper, 9-point or larger; one side only; document type at top of page 1
Checked against official Columbus County and North Carolina sources on October 6, 2026: columbusdeeds.com, ncleg.gov. Part of Jurably’s open recording-fee dataset.
Can you e-record in Columbus County?
Yes. Columbus County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Simplifile, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Columbus County, North Carolina
- Prepare the document so it meets Columbus County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through CSC, Simplifile, or by mail to Columbus County Register of Deeds.
- Pay the recording fee.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Columbus County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Columbus County property are searchable at Columbus County GIS / Tax Office property search. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in North Carolina
North Carolina requires notarized signatures from both the record owner and the purchaser, plus an expiration date (N.C. Gen. Stat. §47-119.1). See the states we file in.