Guilford County Land Deed Records

Guilford County deed records hold the full chain of land ownership across the Greensboro and High Point areas. The Guilford County Register of Deeds keeps all real estate filings at the county courthouse. Buyers, sellers, and title agents use these deed records to check who owns a piece of land. You can search Guilford County records online or walk in during office hours. The records span from the county's formation to the present day. They cover deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, and other property filings. This page explains how to find and use Guilford County deed records for your needs.

Guilford County Register of Deeds

The Guilford County Register of Deeds has its main office at 400 W. Market Street in Greensboro, NC 27401. The phone number is 336-641-7556. Staff are on hand Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can also reach them by email at GuilfordDeeds@guilfordcountync.gov.

Guilford County also runs a second office in High Point. That location is at 325 E. Russell Avenue, Suite 101, High Point, NC 27260. Both offices can help with deed records, copy requests, and filings. Few counties in North Carolina have two offices. This makes Guilford County deed records more accessible than most. Walk-in visitors can use public terminals to search land records at either site.

Search Guilford County Deed Records Online

Guilford County has an online search portal for deed records. The system lets you look up real estate filings from home. It is free to use. Results show the grantor, grantee, book, page, and date for each record. You can view full document images for most entries.

The county notes that this portal is a public service. The data comes with no warranty on accuracy or completeness. Official records are kept at the Greensboro office. If you need a certified copy for a court case or legal matter, you must get it from the office in person or by mail.

The image below shows the Guilford County property records portal.

Visit the Guilford County search portal to start your lookup.

This tool is useful for quick title checks and property research.

Recording Fees for Guilford County

Guilford County deed recording fees follow state law. Under G.S. 161-10, a standard instrument costs $26 for the first 15 pages. Each page after that adds $4. Deeds of trust and mortgages cost $64 for the first 35 pages, plus $4 per extra page.

A nonstandard document fee of $25 applies if your paperwork does not meet state formatting rules. Satisfaction instruments carry no recording fee. Plats cost $21 per sheet. The NCARD fee schedule has a full list of current fees that apply in Guilford County and all other North Carolina counties.

Certified copies of Guilford County deed records cost $5 for the first page and $2 for each page after. Regular in-house copies cost just 5 cents per page. Copies by mail are $1 per page. Certified plats cost $5 each.

Guilford County Property Transfers

When land changes hands in Guilford County, the new deed must be recorded. North Carolina is a race to record state. Under G.S. 47-18, the first person to record a deed has priority over later claims. This makes fast recording vital after any sale or transfer.

The excise tax on property transfers also applies. Under G.S. 105-228.30, the rate is $1 for every $500 of the sale price. The seller must pay this tax to the Guilford County Register of Deeds before the deed is recorded. This tax applies to all real property conveyances, including timber deeds.

Document Standards for Guilford County Deeds

All deeds filed in Guilford County must meet state formatting rules set out in G.S. 161-14. Papers must be 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches. The top margin on the first page must be 3 inches. All other margins need at least half an inch. Text goes in black ink on white paper. The font must be at least 9 points.

Print on one side only. The type of instrument must be at the top of the first page. Deeds made after January 1, 1980, must name the drafter on page one. If your document does not meet these rules, Guilford County will charge the $25 nonstandard fee on top of the normal recording cost.

The Guilford County Register of Deeds also allows indexing correction requests. If your name or other details were indexed wrong, you can file a form to fix it. Note that the register has no power to change the text of the original instrument. Only errors in the index can be corrected through this process.

Guilford County UCC and Other Filings

The Guilford County Register of Deeds also records UCC filings. Non-fixture security agreements on personal property go through this office. UCC filing fees are $38 for the first 2 pages and $45 for 3 or more pages. These filings protect lenders by putting their claims on record.

Other documents on file include:

• Powers of attorney
• Assumed name certificates
• Plats and surveys
• Liens and judgments
• Military discharge papers

The Guilford County Register of Deeds also notes that marriage licenses cost $60 and notary public oaths cost $10. Guilford County maintains real estate transaction records dating back to the county's formation. This long record trail makes the county a rich source for land research.

State Laws That Apply to Guilford County

Several North Carolina statutes shape how Guilford County deed records work. The Conner Act sets the race to record rule. Under G.S. 161-22, the register must keep full alphabetical indexes of all recorded instruments. These indexes list every party by name so you can find any deed fast.

The Secretary of State runs the land records management program. This program sets standards for all 100 counties. It aims for uniform indexing and recording practices across North Carolina. The North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds supports this goal. NCARD serves all 100 counties and keeps a directory of every register's office in the state.

The image below shows the NCARD recording fees schedule used in Guilford County and all other counties.

These fees are set by statute and do not vary from county to county.

Nearby Counties

Property in the Piedmont Triad area may cross county lines. These nearby counties also keep deed records through their Register of Deeds offices.