We would like to welcome you to the Register of Deeds website for Alexander County located in Taylorsville in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina. We encourage all of you to visit our courthouse and wonderful county in North Carolina’s apple country.

Alexander County Register of Deeds (RoD) office provides a standardized, permanent record of real estate ownership and transfers. Our office records deeds, deeds of trust, satisfactions, cancellations, plats, assumed names, powers of attorney and other miscellaneous documents related to real estate. Our office also records and issues vital records such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, marriage licenses, military discharges, and maintains records of notary public commissions.

Our website contains general information, fees, recording requirements, Real Property Indexes, Real Property Documents and much more. We are always interested in your personal requirements, so let us know what we can do to improve this site for you.

Our records include Vital Statistics, Marriages, Births, and Deaths as well as Veterans Discharge Records (DD-214s). While these are not shown here they are available in our office in the Courthouse Annex, here in Taylorsville.

You may call us with questions regarding any thing to do with our preservation of records for your use.

Scott H. Hines serves as the Register of Deeds for Alexander County.

He comes from a service oriented family with many members serving the country in the United State Air Force in the Armed Forces. He and his father, Benjamin W. Hines, and brother and brothers-in-law have a combined service to the country of over 125 years! As a military dependent, Scott grew up living across the USA in North Carolina, Georgia, North Dakota, Wyoming, California, Missouri. Scott’s heritage in Alexander County dates back to Pioneer James Watts who arrived in the area in the 1700s and is buried at Three-Forks Baptist Church.

Scott has an Associate’s degree from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor’s degree from University of Central Missouri, and two Master’s degrees including a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland in 2018.

He was elected by the people of the county to serve as Register in November 2018. He serves the people of Alexander and beyond for their real estate and vital record needs. The Alexander County Register of Deed’s motto is Excellence, Integrity, Service. Scott said, “We strive to be as professional, considerate, and proficient as possible. We want everyone’s visit to our office to be a pleasant and fulfilling experience.”

The Register of Deeds office is located in the Alexander County Services Center near Adams Funeral Home and the intersection of Highway 16 South and West Main Avenue. The office records, manages and preserves real estate and land records, vital data on birth, death and marriage certificates, and military discharge and service records. Notary oaths and commissions are administered in the office.

Fees

The fees charged in the Register of Deeds office are governed by North Carolina General Statutes, specifically GS § 161-10 Uniform fees of Registers of Deeds. All fees received in this office are uniform fees throughout the state and are deposited in the Alexander County’s general fund.” Then include a link to the general statute: GS § 161-10

When a document is presented for registration that consists of multiple instruments, the fee will be ten dollars ($10.00) for each additional instrument. 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.

Request For Redaction Of Personal Information

(2) Any person has a right to request a register of deeds or clerk of court to remove, from an image or copy of an official record placed on a register of deeds’ or clerk of court’s Internet Web site available to the general public or on an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds or clerk of court to display public records, any social security, employer taxpayer identification, driver’s license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in an official record. The request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person, to the register of deeds or clerk of court. The request must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information that identifies the location within the document that contains the social security, employer taxpayer identification, driver’s license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted. No fee will be charged for the redaction pursuant to such a request. Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation. G.S. 1321.10

Redaction Form Request

Checks should be made payable to: Alexander County Register of Deeds

Fee Schedule

Genealogy

Birth Certificates
1913-current

The state of North Carolina officially began keeping birth certificates in 1913. (In some outlying areas it began a bit later.) Birth certificates tell where a child was born, who the parents were and their age at the time of the birth. Other information is sometimes listed such as occupation of the father, number of children already in the household, etc.

Delayed Birth Certificates (delayed births)
1913-current

If someone, somehow, escaped the notice of a birth certificate registrar or happened to be born before births were listed, they could have applied for a delayed birth certificate. To obtain such a certificate, individuals had to supply documentation, often a family Bible record.

Death Certificates
1913-current

North Carolina began keeping Death Certificates in 1913. If an ancestor died before this time, one must turn to such records as wills, tombstones, and family Bibles to find the death date. Death certificates contain the date of death and birth as well as the parents’ names and cause of death–and sometimes a good bit more.

One must remember that this information was not supplied by the subject under consideration. All information on a death certificate is supplied by an “informant.” Informants are often family members but that does not mean that the information they supplied is 100 percent accurate.

Marriage Records
1859-current

During the majority of North Carolina’s history, most of its citizens got married in any manner that suited them. Ministers and magistrates were nice, but often, one concludes, not necessary. This makes the existence of public marriage records chancy at best, but some do exist.

Officially, there were two ways to get married in the state up until 1868. One was through the publication of banns whereby a marriage would be announced on three consecutive Sundays in church. If no one spoke up against the merger, then the couple was free to wed. A certificate stating that this procedure had been followed was supposed to have been created, but, of course, did not have to be placed on file anywhere.

The second method which lasted from 1741-1868 (and overlapped the period of banns) involved the issuance of a marriage bond. The bridegroom obtained these through the Clerk of the County Court. They signified nothing more than that the couple listed intended to marry. It is possible that they changed their mind later and never tied the knot. Originals to all marriage bonds–except those from Granville County which retained its copies–are in the State Archives. Bonds were filed in the County where the intended bride resided. Information on Bonds include bride and groom’s names, the bondsman’s name and witness (often the clerk of court). Marriage licenses existed for most of North Carolina’s history but were not required to be kept until 1851. In 1868, bonds were discontinued and the Register of deeds in each County issued the required marriage licenses.

Wills

Wills are maintained by the Alexander County Clerk of Court
(828) 635-3113

Marriage License Requirements

All engaged couples who intend to apply for a marriage license in Alexander County, N.C. must meet the following requirements. Please note you can obtain your marriage license from any Register of Deeds office located in North Carolina as long as your wedding ceremony is scheduled to take place in North Carolina. These requirements may vary from office to office. The state laws governing marriage license issuances are found in General Statute Chapter 51.

• The prospective applicants cannot be married to anyone at the time of applying for the marriage license.
• The wedding ceremony must take place in North Carolina and occur within sixty (60) days of issuance of the marriage license.
• The fee for the marriage license is $60.00 and must be paid with cash, money order or credit card. Only Visa and MasterCard credit cards are accepted. We do not accept personal checks.
• Each applicant must provide appropriate I.D. for determining age and Social Security number. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Each applicant must provide a certified copy of their birth certificate. Any certified birth certificate that is not written in English must be translated prior to coming into the office.
• Birth certificates that are torn, taped, stained or altered in any way will not be accepted.

Marriage License – Required Documents for each Applicant *

1. Certified Copy of Birth Certificate (Government issued; not hospital or mother’s copy).
2. Government-Issued Photo Identification (ID)
3. Social Security Card

Required documents that are expired, torn, taped, stained, laminated, or altered in any way (e.g. mangled, separted plastic, marked-on, etc.) will not be accepted.

Explanation of Required Documents

Acceptable Birth Certificate

• Each applicant must provide a certified copy of their birth certificate (Government issued; not hospital or mother’s copy)
  Birth certificates that are torn, taped, stained or altered in any way will not be accepted.
• If you were not born in the United States, you must have a certified birth certificate (raised-seal) with parent’s name on the certificate.
• Any certificate that is not in English must be presented along with a certified translation in English.

Acceptable Photo ID

• Driver’s license
• State Issued ID Card
• U.S. Passport
• Valid Foreign Passport along with Visa (such as, but not limited to K-1
• Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fianc(é)e or E1-E5 Employment-based immigrant Visa)
• United States Military ID

Acceptable Proof of Social Security Number*

• Original Social Security Card (no photocopies)
• W-2 Form, Income Tax Return, Insurance Card with complete 9-digit SS number
• Valid ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
• United States Military ID (with SS number readily identified)
• Some other reasonable proof (please call)

*Note: An alien admitted to the United States for permanent residence or to engage in employment must be issued a Social Security number. Applicants who are not eligible for a Social Security number may sign an affidavit attesting to this fact.

• Each applicant must be eighteen (18) years old at the time of application and issuance of the marriage license. Anyone under the age of 18 should contact our office by telephone (828) 632-3152 for further details.
• Should circumstances be that either applicant is unable to appear for application, again contact the Register of Deeds office for additional instructions.
• If this is to be a remarriage for either party to the marriage, the month and year that your last marriage ended will be needed. If it was completed due to a divorce during the past 6 months, we will need to see a copy of the filed divorce decree.
• Marriage licenses are issued between 8:00a.m. and 4:00p.m. We urge all prospective marital couples to be present in our office no later than 4:00p.m. (EST) in order to apply for and obtain their marriage license the same business day.
• There is no waiting period following issuance of the marriage license. The engaged couple may marry immediately.
• No physical exams or blood tests are required.
• The photographing of applicants or Register of Deeds staff during the Marriage License process is prohibited without the consent of the Register of Deeds Staff member(s). [Effective May 1, 2015.]
• The staff of the Alexander County Magistrate’s Office are available to officiate your ceremony. You may contact their office at (828) 635-3119 for location, hours, fees and further information.

Marriage License Application

Location and Contact Information

Alexander County Register of Deeds
151 W Main Ave. Suite 9
Taylorville, NC 28681
Phone: (828) 632-3152
Fax: (828) 632-1119

Business Hours

Monday thru Friday, 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m. for marriage license issuances.
Our office is closed on legal holidays.

Vital Records

The following types of records are maintained by the
Alexander County Register of Deeds office:

• Marriage records
• Birth and Death records
• Delayed births

The only persons by law that may request a certified copy of a vital record are:

• Yourself
• Your spouse
• Your mother/father
• Your brother/sister
• Your child/grandchildren
• Your grandmother/grandfather
• A person seeking information for legal determination
  of personal or property rights (proof required)
• An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the person named on the vital record

NOTE: Uncertified copies are available to the public.

ONLINE: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record online click the following link. Permitium

U.S MAIL: To obtain a certified copy by mail of a record and pay using check or money order, you may use the following printable form: Application for Certified Copy of Vital Record

Certified copies: $10.00 each
Non-certified copies thru the mail: $ 1.00 each

Send check or money order to the following address:

Scott Hines
Register of Deeds Alexander County
151 W Main Ave. Suite 9
Taylorsville, NC 28681

Self-addressed stamped envelopes and a copy of a valid state-issued ID are required.

Important Recordation Notice

NOTICE
Per GS 132-1.10. (g):

Any person preparing or filing a document for recordation or filing in the official records may not include a social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords in the document, unless expressly required by law or court order, adopted by the State Registrar on records of vital events, or redacted so that no more than the last four digits of the identification number is included.

Any person has a right to request a register of deeds to remove, from an image or copy of an official record placed on a register of deeds’ Internet Web site available to the general public or on an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds to display public records, any social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in an official record. The request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person, to the register of deeds. The request must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information that identifies the location within the document that contains the social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted. No fee will be charged for the redaction pursuant to such a request. Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.

NOTICE

Per GS 45-21.17A(b)

A Request for Notice is a separate instrument unless it is stipulated within the body of Deed of Trust.

G.S. 45-21.17A(b) provides clear instructions on indexing these instruments. A Request for Notice of Sale or Foreclosure is indexed on the grantor index in the names of the debtors on the original deed of trust and also in the names of the persons making the request.

Note:
The rules for indexing a Request for Notice are contained in GS 45-21.17A(b). Although GS 161-14.1 addresses indexing procedures for subsequent instruments, GS 45-21.14A(b) takes precedence because it contains specific instructions for Request for Notice. The grantee on the original instrument do not have to be indexed as grantees on the request for notice. Each index entry for the request for notice may refer to the book and page number of the original instrument. The original book and page number may be entered in the description column or field.

Effective October 1, 1994
The register of deeds shall provide and keep in her or his office full and complete alphabetical indexes of the names of the parties to all liens, grants, deeds, mortgages, bonds, and other instruments required or authorized to be registered, and such indexes shall state in full the names of all parties, whether grantors, grantees, vendors, vendees, obligors, or obligees. The full names of parties shall be entered in the indexes in accordance with the minimum indexing standards adopted pursuant to G.S. 147-54.3(b) and (b1). Reference shall be made, opposite each name, to the book and page or other location where the instruct is registered. All instruments shall be indexed on with the temporary or permanent index within 24 hours of registration. The register of deeds shall be required to index an instrument that is part of a document containing multiple instruments, as defined in G.S. 161-109(a) (1), unless the title of that instrument is shown on the first page of the document and the additional registration fee is paid as required by G.S. 161-10(a) (1).

The first page of the sample instrument that follows clearly indicates that it is a deed of trust. The titles does not give any information about multiple instruments. Page four of the document contains language that relates to a request for notice. G.S. 161-22(a) states that the register of deeds shall not be required to index an instrument that is a part of a document containing multiple instruments unless the title of that instrument is shown on the first page of the document and the additional registration fee is paid. This document should only be indexed as a deed of trust because the first page did not refer to the request for notice, and the multiple instruments fee was not paid.

Alexander County Electronic Document Recording Services
The Register of Deeds offers electronic recording (eRecording) of land records, mortgages and other instruments. Documents that originate on paper, such as loan closing documents, are scanned and placed into their proper recording order. When fully integrated, the electronic document recording process takes only seconds.

Advantages of eRecording with Alexander County:
· Reduced labor, materials, postage and courier costs
· Shortened time gap to record
· Reduce turnaround time for recordings from days by mail to hours by eRecording
· Reduce time for handling rejected documents from days and weeks to hours
· Eliminate escrow accounts at the county level
· Increased security when sending and receiving documents
· More efficient payment mechanisms
· Improved tracking and filing of documents
· Reduced consumption of resources like fuel, man-hours, electricity, and paper
· Improve customer service

How eRecording Works
Want to know how it works? Click here to see information about how electronic recording with the Register of Deeds office works. Visit https://simplifile.com/e-recording/what-is-e-recording/ to find out about eRecording Laws and Legislation as well as how to get started.

How to get started
A computer, scanner, and internet connection are all you need to begin eRecording today. Alexander’s Register of Deeds accepts documents for electronic recording from CSC eRecording at erecording.com; from Simplifile at www.simplifile.com; and, ePN at goepn.com. Please contact one of these vendors to get started.

Vendors that support eRecording in Alexander County:

CSC Contact Information
CSC support: 866-652-0111
erecording@cscglobal.com

Simplifile Contact Information
Simplifile support: 800-460-5657
support@simplifile.com

Electronic Recording Partners Network
ePN support: 888-325-3365
support@GOePN.com