Martin County Deed Record Filings

Martin County deed records date back to 1771. The Martin County Register of Deeds maintains an index on all instruments recorded since that year. The office is in Williamston, the county seat. Staff record all types of land records, including deeds, easements, agreements, deeds of trust, assignments, releases, and plats. Martin County property records are available online at www.martinrod.org. The office also handles birth and death records from October 1913, marriage records from 1883, and military discharge records. You can reach them at (252) 789-4320.

Martin County Land Record Services

The Martin County Register of Deeds provides a broad set of services. The office records all types of land documents. This includes deeds, easements, deeds of trust, assignments, releases, and agreements. The office also records plats, which are surveys of property that show boundary lines and dimensions.

Martin County maintains an index on all instruments recorded beginning in 1771. That is over 250 years of land records. The office also records Uniform Commercial Code filings, or UCCs. These cover security interests in personal property and show up in searches alongside real estate records.

The office issues certified copies of recorded documents. Marriage licenses cost $60. Birth, death, and marriage certificates are $10 each for full-size copies. Certified copies of deeds cost $5 for the first page and $2 for each page after that. Non-certified copies are also available for those who need them for reference only.

Martin County Deed Records Online

Martin County deed records are available online through the office website. The screenshot below shows the Martin County online records access page.

You can search deeds by name, date, book and page, or document type. The online system covers land records going back to 1771. This makes it easy to trace a chain of title without visiting the courthouse. Attorneys and title companies use these tools daily for Martin County closings. The system also covers plats, UCCs, and other recorded instruments, so a single search can show all documents tied to one parcel or one party in Martin County deed records.

Martin County Recording Fees

Martin County follows the statewide fee schedule for recording. Deeds cost $26 for the first 15 pages and $4 for each additional page. Deeds of trust cost $64 for the first 35 pages plus $4 per extra page. These fees are set by G.S. Chapter 161 and apply across all 100 North Carolina counties.

The image below shows Martin County property records information.

The NCARD fee schedule lists all current rates. Plats cost $21 per sheet. Satisfaction instruments are recorded at no charge. Documents that do not meet the format standards face a $25 nonstandard fee under G.S. 161-14.

Martin County Property Transfers

Recording a deed in Martin County protects your ownership. North Carolina is a race to record state. Under the Conner Act, G.S. 47-18, the first buyer to record their deed in the county where the land sits has priority over later claims. For Martin County land, that means filing at the Register of Deeds office in Williamston.

The excise tax on Martin County property sales is $1 per $500 of the sale price, as required by G.S. 105-228.30. The seller pays this tax before the deed is recorded. The Register of Deeds stamps the deed with the filing date and time.

Deed Requirements for Martin County

Every deed filed in Martin County must be properly signed and acknowledged before a notary. Chapter 47 of the General Statutes requires this step. The Register of Deeds checks each document for valid acknowledgment before accepting it. Without proper notarization, the deed will be turned away.

Documents must also meet format rules. Use 8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inch white paper. Print in black ink with a font of at least 9 points. The first page needs a three-inch top margin. All other margins must be half an inch or more. Print on one side only. State the instrument type at the top of the first page. Deeds drafted after January 1, 1980 must show the drafter's name on page one.

Martin County Deed Records for Research

The long history of Martin County deed records makes them valuable for genealogy and historical research. Land records from 1771 can reveal family connections, property boundaries, and community patterns. Marriage indexes go back to 1872, with full copies available from 1883 onward.

Vital records stored at the same office add context to the deed records. Birth records from October 1913 let you link land owners to their family lines. Death records from the same date help confirm when estates may have changed hands. Military discharge records, or DD-214s, are also on file. Veterans who recorded their discharge with the Martin County Register of Deeds can get certified copies from this office. The blend of land and vital records in one place makes the office a strong starting point for anyone who needs to piece together the full story of a property or a family in Martin County.

You can also order vital records online through a third-party site linked from the Martin County webpage. This is a quick way to get a birth, death, or marriage certificate without a trip to Williamston. For deed records, the online search at martinrod.org covers the full span of instruments going back to 1771. Both tools save time for those who do not live near the county seat.

The NCARD directory lists full contact details for the Martin County Register of Deeds. The office address is PO Box 348, Williamston, NC 27892. The North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds provides support for all 100 county offices and lists which counties support eRecording and fraud alert services.

Nearby Counties

Martin County is in eastern North Carolina. Neighboring counties each have their own Register of Deeds offices with separate deed indexes.