Hertford County Deed Records Overview

Hertford County deed records trace every piece of land that has changed hands in this rural northeastern North Carolina county. The Register of Deeds office in Winton serves as the custodian for all real estate and vital records in Hertford County. Mrs. Melanie H. Storey leads the office. Records include deeds, deeds of trust, maps, military discharge papers, notary public records, birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses. The office provides online document search and welcomes walk-in visitors during regular hours. This page explains how to find, search, and use Hertford County deed records.

Hertford County Register of Deeds

The Hertford County Register of Deeds is at 119 Justice Drive, Suite 9, Winton, NC 27986. The phone number is 252-358-7850. The fax is 252-358-0222. You can email Mrs. Melanie H. Storey at Melanie.Storey@hertfordcountync.gov with questions about Hertford County deed records.

Office hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The office is closed on legal holidays. Walk-in visitors can search records and request copies during these hours.

Search Hertford County Deed Records Online

Hertford County offers an online document search through its Register of Deeds website. You must acknowledge a disclaimer before starting your search. The system lets you look up real estate records by name, date, and document type.

Online results are for reference only. The official records are kept at the Register of Deeds office in Winton. If you need a certified copy for a court filing or title closing, you must get it from the office. The image below shows the Hertford County records portal.

Start your research at the Hertford County online search page.

This portal covers real estate filings and other recorded documents.

Types of Hertford County Records

The Hertford County Register of Deeds maintains a wide range of documents. Real estate records form the core of the collection. These include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, and cancellations. Maps and plats are also on file. Military discharge records are kept here as well.

Vital records make up another major part of the office. Birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses all go through the Hertford County Register of Deeds. Notary public records are maintained at this office too. Each type of document has its own index so you can search by name or date.

Under G.S. 161-22, the register must keep full alphabetical indexes of all recorded instruments. This applies to Hertford County deed records and every other type of filing the office handles.

Hertford County Deed Recording Fees

Recording fees in Hertford County follow North Carolina state law. Under G.S. 161-10, a standard instrument costs $26 for the first 15 pages. Each extra page is $4. Deeds of trust and mortgages cost $64 for the first 35 pages plus $4 per page after that. Nonstandard documents get a $25 surcharge.

Plats cost $21 per sheet. Satisfaction instruments carry no fee. Multiple instruments filed as one document add $10 each. The NCARD fee schedule has the complete list of fees that apply in Hertford County and all other North Carolina counties.

The excise tax on property transfers is set by G.S. 105-228.30. The rate is $1 for every $500 of the sale price. The transferor must pay this to the Hertford County Register of Deeds before the deed is recorded.

How to Record a Deed in Hertford County

Recording a deed in Hertford County requires a few steps. The deed must be signed by the grantor. It must be acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer per G.S. 47-14. The document must meet state format standards under G.S. 161-14.

Format rules include 8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inch paper, a 3-inch top margin on the first page, half-inch margins elsewhere, black ink on white paper, and a minimum 9-point font. Print on one side only. Name the instrument type at the top. Deeds after 1980 must show the drafter's name.

Bring your deed to 119 Justice Drive, Suite 9, in Winton. Pay all fees and taxes. The register stamps the date and time. Under the Conner Act, North Carolina gives priority to whoever records first. File your deed fast after closing.

State Laws for Hertford County Deeds

Several state statutes govern how Hertford County deed records work. The Conner Act under G.S. 47-18 establishes the race to record rule. Priority goes to the first to file. This protects buyers who record quickly.

The Secretary of State runs the land records management program. This program sets standards for uniform indexing across all 100 counties. The North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds serves every county. Its directory lists contact details for each office in the state.

Hertford County deed records also fall under the state document format rules in G.S. 161-14. All deeds must be on white paper sized 8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inches. The top of the first page needs a three-inch margin. Text must use black ink in at least 9-point font. Papers that do not meet these rules get a $25 nonstandard fee on top of the base cost. The recording fee for a standard deed in Hertford County is $26 for the first 15 pages, with each extra page at $4. Hertford County deed records are kept in the same way as all 100 North Carolina counties, so the search and filing steps are the same no matter which county you start in. This makes it easy for title firms and attorneys who work across county lines in the northeastern part of the state.

The image below shows the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds website.

NCARD supports all 100 county offices with resources and standards.

Nearby Counties

Hertford County sits in northeastern North Carolina. These nearby counties also maintain deed records through their Register of Deeds offices.