North Carolina · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in New Hanover County, NC
New Hanover County (population 225,702) records real-property documents through the New Hanover 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.
New Hanover County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- New Hanover County Register of Deeds
- Mailing address
- 320 Chestnut St., Suite 102, Wilmington, NC 28401
- Phone
- 910-798-4530 (Recording Services main line 910-798-7311)
- Checks payable to
- New Hanover County Register of Deeds (per email contact mcollins@nhcgov.com)
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC, ePN
New Hanover County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $26.00 first 15 pages (general instruments); Deeds of Trust/Mortgages $64.00 first 35 pages
- Additional pages
- $4.00 per additional page; Plats $21 per sheet
- Other fees
- Non-standard document fee $25.00 in addition to recording fee; excise tax $1 per $500 of consideration
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the New Hanover County Register of Deeds before you mail a check.
What New Hanover County requires
- Page formatting
- Paper 8.5x11 or 8.5x14 in; 3-inch top margin first page, 1/2-inch other margins; black type on white paper; minimum 9-pt font; single-sided; drafter name required on deeds/DOTs; tax ID number and grantee address required on conveyances
- Submission & return
- Provide contact info for return of original recorded document; mail or in person
- Hours & turnaround
- E-recorded documents typically processed same business day
Can you e-record in New Hanover County?
Yes. New Hanover County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in New Hanover County, North Carolina
- Prepare the document so it meets New Hanover 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 Simplifile, CSC, ePN, or by mail to New Hanover County Register of Deeds.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to New Hanover County Register of Deeds (per email contact mcollins@nhcgov.com).
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a New Hanover County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for New Hanover County property are searchable at New Hanover County Tax Department (Property Assessment 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.