Moore County Land Deed Records Access

Moore County deed records are managed by the Register of Deeds office in Carthage. William Britton serves as the elected Register of Deeds. The office is at 26 Courthouse Square, Carthage, NC 28327. You can also mail requests to P.O. Box 1210, Carthage, NC 28327. Call (910) 947-6370 for help. The office serves as the legal custodian of all public records. Its mission is to protect, preserve, and provide access to these documents. Online records go back to 1988, and the office is working to add older records through a back-filing project that covers documents from January 1, 1888, to June 30, 1988.

Moore County Register of Deeds Office

The Moore County Register of Deeds is at 26 Courthouse Square in Carthage. William Britton heads the office. Staff record deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, plats, liens, and other land instruments. Every document filed becomes part of the permanent public record.

The office is currently running a major back-filing project. Older records from January 1, 1888, through June 30, 1988, are being scanned and added to the online index. Additional parties are also being added to these older records. Once complete, this project will make a full century of Moore County deed records available for online search.

Below is the Moore County Register of Deeds online portal where you can search available deed records.

The portal also has details on the fraud alert service, recording standards, and office contact information.

Moore County Fraud Alert Service

Moore County offers a free recording notification service. This tool watches for documents filed under your name. When a name you have registered is put on a new record, the system sends an email to the address you provided. You can monitor up to 10 names or name variations per email address.

This service helps catch fraud early. If someone files a forged deed or lien using your name, you get an alert right away. The service is free and open to any Moore County property owner. Contact the Register of Deeds at (910) 947-6370 to sign up or learn more.

The North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds lists counties that offer property fraud detection alerts statewide.

Searching Moore County Deed Records

Online deed records in Moore County start from 1988. You can search by grantor, grantee, document type, or recording date. The system returns results with book and page numbers. You can then view the scanned document image on screen.

For records before 1988, you may need to visit the office. The back-filing project is adding older records, but it is not yet complete. Staff at the courthouse can help you search the physical index books. These cover all deeds filed since the county was formed.

Here is the Moore County property records page with search tools and contact details.

The index is being expanded to include additional party names and cross-references for older documents.

Moore County Deed Recording Rules

Documents filed in Moore County must meet state format standards. Under G.S. 161-14, paper must be 8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inches. The top margin on page one must be three inches. Other margins need at least half an inch. Use black ink on white paper. Font size must be at least 9 points. Print on one side of each page only. The document type must appear at the top of the first page.

Recording fees follow the schedule in G.S. Chapter 161. Standard deeds cost $26 for the first 15 pages. Deeds of trust cost $64 for the first 35 pages. Extra pages are $4 each. Nonstandard documents add $25. Satisfactions are recorded at no charge. The NCARD fee schedule has the full list.

Moore County Conner Act Priority

The Conner Act, G.S. 47-18, governs deed priority in Moore County. North Carolina is a race to record state. A conveyance is not valid against later purchasers or lien creditors until it is filed with the Register of Deeds.

Priority depends on when the document is recorded. The Register of Deeds marks each instrument with the day and hour of filing. If two instruments arrive at the same time, the earlier document number wins. Quick recording in Moore County protects your legal rights to the property.

Excise Tax on Moore County Deeds

North Carolina charges an excise tax on all deeds that transfer real property. Under G.S. 105-228.30, the rate is $1 for each $500 of the sale price. The seller pays before the deed is recorded. Timber deeds and standing timber contracts carry the same tax.

If a tract spans two or more counties, the tax goes to the county with the greater share of property value. The Register of Deeds in Moore County can only tell you the amount of the excise stamp on a given deed. For full tax advice, consult an attorney.

Moore County Historical Deed Records

Moore County was formed in 1784. Deed records span well over two centuries. The oldest documents are handwritten on large pages. Spelling and place names may differ from modern usage. As the back-filing project progresses, more of these early records will be available online.

For genealogy or title research that goes back before 1888, you will need to visit the office in Carthage. The physical index books cover all recorded instruments from the county's earliest days. Staff can help you navigate older records. The NCARD directory provides contact details for Moore County and all other North Carolina Register of Deeds offices.

Nearby Counties

Land near the Moore County border may be recorded in one of these adjacent counties.