Register of Deeds

Our Mission

The mission of the Jones County Register of Deeds is to record and maintain births, deaths, marriages, service discharges, notaries, assumed names, articles of incorporation, maps, and real estate transactions.

We are governed by three state agencies: the Legislature, the Secretary of State, and the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Institute of Government advises and helps us.

We assist surveyors, realtors, ministers, lawyers, genealogists, funeral homes, and the general public. It is our goal to serve every citizen in a prompt, professional, and congenial attitude.

• Real Estate Prior to 1978
• Current Real Estate Search
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Fee Schedule
• Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Information
• Notary Information
• Filing an Assumed Business Name

Birth Certificates

North Carolina started recording births and deaths in 1914. Additional birth information is available from the:

Census Bureau
PO Box 1545
Jeffersonville, IN 47131

North Carolina Vital Records can provide the necessary forms for you to obtain copies of birth and death certificates not held by this Office. The address is:

Vital Records
1903 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1903
Fax: (919) 733-1511

Real Estate

Our real estate indexes go back to the late 1700s.

Beginning January 1, 1995, the Register of Deeds Office followed the Minimum Standards for Indexing Real Property Instruments. This is published by the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Land Records Management Division in Raleigh, NC.

Documents recorded on or after July 1, 2002, must meet GS 161-14(b) as follows:

1. Be 8 1/2 x 11 or 8 1/2 x 14
2. Have a 3 inch blank margin at top of first page and 1/2 inch blank margin on remaining sides of first page and on all sides of subsequent pages.
3. Black type on white paper.
4. Font size no smaller than 10 points (Blanks in an instrument may be completed in pen and corrections to an instrument may be made in pen.
5. Only one-sided typed or printed text
6. Type of instrument at top of first page below blank margin
7. The name of the preparer must be on page one of the document.

If a document presented for recording does not meet all of the requirements, the register shall first collect the new $25.00 fee for filing a “nonstandard document.” After this fee has been collected, the register may then record the document and collect the applicable recording fees. Thus, where an instrument does not comply with the new recording standards, the register will collect two (2) fees: one for being out of compliance and another for the actual recording. The register may in his or her discretion waive the nonstandard document fee under one circumstance. If the document is printed in a font size that is smaller than the 10 point, but the register finds that it is still legible, he or she may record the document without charging the standard fee. Legible–be able to read once it is scanned.

Excise tax “stamps” is $1.00 per $500.00 of consideration on property.

Per Jones County Ordinance, all deeds must have the tax parcel ID number on the first page of the document.

Resolution

NCGS 161-31

The Register of Deeds of Jones County shall not accept deeds transferring real property for registration where property is subject to delinquent taxes. Effective date 9-1-2007

Wills

Wills are recorded in the:

Jones County Clerk of Court Office
PO Box 280
Trenton, NC 28585
Phone: (252) 448-6220

Birth Certificates

Write to us giving the name at birth, date of birth, parents’ names, and your relationship. The letter MUST be signed. The fee is $10.00, for a certified paper copy, which must be included with the request.  Also included must be a photo copy of State Issued ID. (Certified copies are issued to IMMEDIATE FAMILY ONLY) Payment types accepted are cashier’s check or money order, ONLY.  Please send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for return. Send to:

Register of Deeds
P.O. Box 189
Trenton, NC 28585

The fastest method to obtain a birth certificate will be to send a PREPAID FEDERAL EXPRESS envelope with the information and a cashier’s check or money order.

Ancestry, Genealogy, and Searches

The Register of Deeds Office is unable to do genealogical research. However, we welcome you to visit our office to search for your family history.

Marriage License Requirements

Marriage licenses are issued between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Thursday and 8:00 AM through 11:30 AM Friday, with the exception of holidays. The bride and groom must appear together, in person, between those hours.

If both parties are age 21 or over, they each must have a valid (not expired) government issued ID (driver’s license), and their social security cards. If the original social security cards are not available, an official document such as a W-2 or other type of tax form or banking form may be presented. Military ID’s will no longer be accepted due to the change over from social security numbers to the new Department of Defense issued numbers.

If either party is between the ages of 18 – 21, they must also present a certified copy of their birth certificate.

If either party is under the age of 18, they should call our office at (252) 448-2551 for more details.

If either party has ever been divorced, they must present a filed or certified copy of their final divorce judgment. If either party has been widowed they must present a copy of the death certificate of deceased spouse.

Prior to completing the marriage license application, parties will need to know their parents’ full names including mother’s maiden name; state of birth, and current address (if possible).

Marriage licenses are good for 60 days and there is no waiting period after issuance.

License Fee is $60 cash.

For further information on marriage in North Carolina, please refer to the General Statutes.

Satisfaction Methods

Satisfaction by Presentation Ended October 1, 2011

The two methods of satisfaction are:

First: Satisfaction of Security Instrument which must be signed by the secured creditor

Second: Trustee’s Satisfaction which must be signed by a trustee or substitute trustee

Note: There is no fee for recording satisfaction documents.