Asheville Property Deed Records
Asheville deed records are kept by the Buncombe County Register of Deeds. The city sits in the heart of western North Carolina and serves as the county seat of Buncombe County. All Asheville property transfers, liens, and land documents go through the county office at 205 College Street. The register of deeds maintains an online database of recorded deeds that dates back to the late 1700s. Residents and title professionals can search Asheville deed records in person or through the county portal. The office also handles plats, deeds of trust, and other real estate filings for the Asheville area.
Asheville Deed Records Quick Facts
How Asheville Deed Records Work
Asheville does not run its own deed records office. The city directs all real estate and property records requests to the Buncombe County Register of Deeds. This is true for every city in North Carolina. State law gives each county register of deeds full control over land records. The office led by Drew Reisinger serves as the sole keeper of Asheville deed records and all other Buncombe County land filings.
When you buy or sell a home in Asheville, the deed must be filed with Buncombe County. North Carolina is a "race to record" state under G.S. 47-18, known as the Conner Act. This means the first person to record a deed holds legal priority. No conveyance of land is valid against a later buyer for value until it is registered in the county where the land lies. For Asheville, that county is Buncombe.
The register of deeds office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. You can reach the real estate and recording line at 828-250-4302. A Spanish language line is also available at 828-250-4307.
Asheville Property Record Search
The Buncombe County Register of Deeds offers an online database for searching Asheville deed records. Property records from the 1700s have been digitized and made available through this system. You can look up deeds by grantor name, grantee name, or book and page number. The office also maintains full alphabetical indexes of all recorded instruments as required by G.S. 161-22.
The City of Asheville Development Services Department handles permits and zoning but does not hold deed records. Their Permit Application Center is at 161 S. Charlotte St. For zoning questions, call 828-259-5450. For building code issues, call 828-259-5967. But for any deed or land record, you must go through the county.
Buncombe County GIS also provides helpful tools for Asheville property research. The Buncombe County GIS portal lets you view parcels, street data, aerial imagery, and elevation contours. GIS data is refreshed daily at 6 am on weekdays. Keep in mind that GIS data is for information purposes and not a substitute for a formal survey.
Recording Fees for Asheville Deeds
Asheville deed records follow the statewide fee schedule set by North Carolina law. The NCARD recording fees page lists all current rates. A standard deed costs $26 for the first 15 pages and $4 for each page after that. Deeds of trust and mortgages cost $64 for the first 35 pages with the same $4 per page charge beyond that limit. These fees apply to all recordings in Buncombe County.
The Asheville deed records screenshot below shows the current fee structure published by the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds.
You can view the full fee schedule on the NCARD website.
View the NCARD recording fee schedule for Asheville deed recordings.
Plats cost $21 per sheet. A nonstandard document adds $25 on top of other fees. Satisfaction instruments have no recording fee. These rates are the same across all 100 North Carolina counties.
Asheville Deed Document Standards
All documents filed as Asheville deed records must meet state formatting rules. Under G.S. 161-14, papers must be 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches. The first page needs a blank top margin of three inches. All other margins must be at least half an inch. Text must be typed or printed in black ink on white paper using a font no smaller than 9 points.
Documents must be printed on one side only. The type of instrument must appear at the top of the first page. For deeds and deeds of trust executed after January 1, 1980, the drafter's name must be shown on the first page per G.S. 47-17.1. Failure to meet these standards results in a $25 nonstandard document fee.
Asheville Transfer Tax Information
When you record an Asheville deed that involves a sale, an excise tax applies. Under G.S. 105-228.30, the rate is $1 for every $500 of the sale price or any fraction of that amount. The seller must pay this tax to the Buncombe County Register of Deeds before the deed can be recorded. On a $300,000 Asheville home, the excise tax would be $600.
This image from the City of Asheville shows the development services portal where property owners can access permits and zoning data.
While the city handles zoning and permits, all deed-related taxes go through the county office.
Historical Asheville Deed Records
Buncombe County holds some of the oldest deed records in western North Carolina. Property filings date back to the late 1700s and have been scanned and digitized. The office has also preserved the Slave Deeds of Buncombe County, which are now available in digital form. These records offer a window into the region's past and are used by genealogists, historians, and legal researchers.
The City of Asheville Public Records portal confirms that it does not hold real estate records. All property records are managed by the Buncombe County Register of Deeds. Property tax data is available through the Buncombe County Tax Office. The city's Simplicity portal can show you basic details like the property owner, zoning district, and appraised value.
The image below shows the official City of Asheville website where residents can find links to county deed record resources.
For court records or divorce files, contact the Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court. Vital records such as birth and death certificates are handled by NC DHHS.
Asheville Deed Recording Process
To record a deed in Asheville, bring the signed and notarized document to the Buncombe County Register of Deeds at 205 College Street, Asheville, NC 28801. The register of deeds will verify that the deed meets all statutory requirements before accepting it. Under G.S. 47-14, the register will not accept any instrument that requires proof or acknowledgment unless it appears to have been properly signed before an authorized officer.
Once accepted, the register endorses the deed with the day and hour it was presented. This timestamp determines priority under the Conner Act. The office then indexes the deed alphabetically by all parties' names. New land records software launched on April 21, 2026, improved the speed and accuracy of this process.
The screenshot below shows the Asheville city clerk resources page.
Electronic recording is also available in many North Carolina counties. The NC Secretary of State oversees the Electronic Recording Council that sets standards for eRecording under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act.
Buncombe County Deed Records
All Asheville deed records are maintained by the Buncombe County Register of Deeds. The county office handles every property filing for the city of Asheville and all other communities within Buncombe County. Visit the county page for more details on recording services, office hours, and online search tools.