Guilford County, North Carolina • Deeds and public land records • Updated October 13, 2026
Guilford County Recorder: Deeds, Online Search, Recording Fees & Office Locations
The office commonly called the Guilford County Recorder is officially the Guilford County Register of Deeds. It records and preserves real-estate documents in Guilford County, North Carolina.
You can search recorded deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage satisfactions, plats and other land records online. The office also provides certified copies and records new documents.
Guilford County has two office locations: Greensboro and High Point. The elected Register of Deeds is Jeff L. Thigpen.
After opening the search: Start with a person’s or company’s name. If you only know the street address, first identify the owner through Guilford County’s property records.
Fast answers
Guilford County Register of Deeds Quick Facts
The official Register of Deeds website provides access to records extending back to 1771. Availability of online images can vary by record.
The Register of Deeds handles recorded instruments. Guilford County Tax handles tax values and billing, while the Clerk of Superior Court handles court records.
Official public records
How to Search Guilford County Deeds Online
Guilford County provides an online real-estate record search through its public land-records system. You do not need to visit the office for every routine search.
Recorded documents are often indexed by the parties involved. For deeds, the grantor is generally the transferring party and the grantee is generally the receiving party.
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Open the county’s real-estate search
Access the official search from the Register of Deeds website.
Open Guilford County Real Estate Records SearchAfter opening: Review the available name and document search options before entering a search.
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Enter a grantor or grantee name
Try the surname or legal business name associated with the transfer. If necessary, check previous owners too.
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Narrow the results
Use available recording dates, document types or book-and-page references to locate the correct entry.
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Check the recorded instrument
Review the parties, execution information, recording reference and legal description.
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Save or request the record
Save the book-and-page or instrument reference. Use it when requesting a certified copy.
Searching by address instead of owner name
If you only know a Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown or rural Guilford County address, first locate the parcel through Guilford County’s property-tax records.
Find the owner and parcel details there, then return to the recorded-document search to locate the deed.
Try a prior owner’s surname, alternate spelling or older book-and-page reference. A tax record and a recorded deed are different sources.
Local offices
Guilford County Register of Deeds Office Locations and Maps
Guilford County serves residents through offices in Greensboro and High Point. Both locations are listed by the Register of Deeds.
Greensboro Register of Deeds Office
Address:
201 W. Market Street
Greensboro, NC 27401
Real Estate and Recording: Second Floor
Vital Records: First Floor
Phone: 336-641-7556
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 3427
Greensboro, NC 27402
High Point Register of Deeds Office
Address:
325 E. Russell Avenue, Room 155
High Point, NC 27260
Phone: 336-641-7556
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1467
High Point, NC 27261
Call before visiting if you need a particular real-estate recording or copy service.
General email: guilforddeeds@guilfordcountync.gov
Open official Register of Deeds contact informationAfter opening: Scroll to Contact Information to check both locations and current operating hours before traveling.
Document recording
How to Record a Deed in Guilford County
The Register of Deeds records eligible legal instruments. It does not determine whether the deed gives a buyer clear or marketable title.
North Carolina law has specific requirements for document preparation, acknowledgments, excise tax and recording fees.
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Prepare the correct deed
Use a legally appropriate instrument that identifies the parties and real property.
A North Carolina attorney or title professional can help determine the correct deed and legal description.
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Check signatures and acknowledgment
Ensure the instrument is signed and acknowledged as North Carolina law requires.
Check the legal description and the permanent mailing address of the grantee where required.
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Meet document formatting requirements
Use standard 8.5-by-11-inch or 8.5-by-14-inch paper. The first page must have a three-inch blank top margin.
Other required margins are at least one-quarter inch. The instrument type belongs at the top of the first page.
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Include the return information
Instruments presented in person or by mail must contain the name and address of the person to whom the document should be returned.
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Calculate the recording and excise tax
Most deeds cost $26 to record for the first 15 pages. A taxable conveyance may also require North Carolina excise tax.
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Submit and retain the reference
Submit the instrument through an accepted filing method. Retain the recording reference for future searches.
After opening: Review General Information for paper, margin and return-address requirements. Check the fee section before submitting.
An instrument that does not meet the standard formatting requirements may incur an additional $25 recording fee.
Government charges
Guilford County Recording Fees and Deed Excise Tax
North Carolina establishes uniform Register of Deeds fees under G.S. 161-10. Guilford County publishes its current fee schedule online.
North Carolina deed excise tax
North Carolina generally charges $1 for every $500 or fraction of $500 of consideration or taxable value conveyed.
This is often expressed as $2 per $1,000. The applicable tax depends on the transaction and any statutory exemption.
At $1 per $500, the illustrative excise tax is $600. A qualifying deed of 15 pages or fewer normally adds $26 in recording fees, for an example total of $626.
This excludes any special fees, unrelated closing costs or transaction-specific exemptions.
After opening: Check Instruments in General, Nonstandard Documents and Certified Copies. Confirm the current amount before sending payment.
Read North Carolina excise-tax statuteAfter opening: Review subsection (a) for the tax rate and responsibility for payment before recording.
Copies and certification
How to Get Copies of Guilford County Deeds
A regular copy can help with property research. A certified copy includes the Register of Deeds’ official certification for purposes that require it.
Regular copies
Guilford County lists an in-person copy charge of 5 cents per page.
Copies requested by mail cost $1 per page.
Certified copies
The certification charge is $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page.
A four-page certified deed therefore costs $11 under the published schedule.
What to include in your request
Recorded parties: Names shown on the deed.
Document reference: Book and page or other recording identifier.
Document type: Deed, deed of trust, satisfaction or plat.
Copy type: Regular or certified.
Delivery information: Your contact and mailing details.
After opening: Find Real Estate Document Request and open the request form. Confirm whether certification is required.
Mortgage records
Deeds of Trust, Mortgage Releases and Satisfactions
North Carolina frequently uses a deed of trust to secure a real-estate loan. It is different from the deed transferring ownership.
When a secured loan is paid off, the release is normally documented through an appropriate satisfaction instrument recorded in the land records.
How a satisfaction is recorded
Guilford County identifies three recognized processes: Satisfaction of Security Instrument, Trustee’s Satisfaction and a qualifying attorney’s Affidavit of Satisfaction.
A borrower generally cannot obtain a release simply by presenting the original note and deed of trust to the Register of Deeds.
Search for a recorded satisfaction using the lender’s name and the original deed-of-trust reference. If none appears, contact the lender or closing attorney.
Guilford County lists no recording fee for qualifying satisfaction instruments.
Property protection
Guilford County Property Fraud Alert Service
Guilford County offers a Property Fraud Alert service that can notify you when a recorded document is associated with a monitored name.
This is an early-warning tool. It cannot stop a suspicious instrument from being recorded or prove that a recorded document is fraudulent.
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Open the county fraud-alert page
Open Property Fraud Alert -
Follow the registration link
Select Sign Up for Property Fraud Alerts on the official county page.
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Register your monitored name
Follow the provider’s instructions and submit the requested notification details.
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Investigate unexpected alerts
Read the actual recorded instrument before drawing conclusions. Contact the Register and appropriate authorities if you identify a suspicious filing.
Local property research
Searching Records in Greensboro, High Point and Nearby Communities
Guilford County maintains a countywide land-record system. A deed is not normally searched through a separate Greensboro or High Point recorder database.
Greensboro: Use the Guilford County Register of Deeds for recorded real-estate instruments and the county tax office for property assessment information.
High Point: The Register operates a local office on E. Russell Avenue. Confirm the parcel is in Guilford County before searching.
Jamestown and Gibsonville: Search by recorded parties and legal description. Do not assume the town name identifies the correct county.
Rural Guilford County: Older deeds may rely on metes-and-bounds descriptions, subdivision plats or earlier book-and-page references.
A mailing address or town name does not always establish which county recorded a particular deed. Confirm the parcel’s county before beginning a title search.
Avoid costly errors
Common Guilford County Deed Recording Mistakes
Wrong office: Searching for recorded deeds through the tax-payment office instead of the Register of Deeds.
Incorrect first-page margin: Failing to reserve three blank inches at the top of the first page.
Missing return address: Omitting the name and address of the person who should receive the recorded instrument.
Forgetting excise tax: Calculating the $26 recording fee but leaving out any applicable transfer tax.
Using the wrong correction method: Trying to fix a deed’s actual wording with an indexing correction request.
Assuming payoff removes the mortgage: Not checking whether a satisfaction was recorded after the loan was paid.
Relying only on a name search: Treating a list of recorded documents as a complete title opinion or guarantee of ownership.
Your next step
Which Guilford County Service Should You Use?
Need an old deed? Search the online real-estate index.
Need proof of recording? Request a certified copy from the Register of Deeds.
Need to record a transfer? Check the document standards, excise tax and recording fees before submitting.
Need the current tax value? Use Guilford County’s property-tax records.
Need a mortgage released? Search for a satisfaction and contact the lender or attorney if necessary.
Need to resolve a title dispute? Consult a qualified North Carolina real-estate attorney.
Quick answers
Guilford County Recorder FAQs
1. Is the Guilford County Recorder called the Register of Deeds?
Yes. The official North Carolina office name is Guilford County Register of Deeds.
2. Who is the Guilford County Register of Deeds?
The county identifies Jeff L. Thigpen as its elected Register of Deeds.
3. Where is the Greensboro Register of Deeds office?
The Greensboro office is at 201 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. Real Estate and Recording is on the second floor.
4. Is there a Register of Deeds office in High Point?
Yes. The High Point office is at 325 E. Russell Avenue, Room 155, High Point, NC 27260.
5. Can I search Guilford County deeds online?
Yes. The county provides an online Search Real Estate Records system.
6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Guilford County?
The ordinary recording fee is $26 for the first 15 pages, plus $4 per additional page. Applicable excise tax is separate.
7. What is the recording fee for a deed of trust?
Guilford County lists $64 for the first 35 pages, plus $4 per additional page.
8. How much does a certified deed copy cost?
A certified copy costs $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page.
9. How do I remove a paid-off deed of trust from land records?
A qualifying satisfaction instrument must be recorded. Contact your lender or attorney if the release is missing.
10. Does Guilford County have property fraud alerts?
Yes. The Register of Deeds provides a Property Fraud Alert service for name-based recorded-document notifications.
Primary sources
Official Guilford County and North Carolina Resources
Use these government resources to verify current procedures and carry out searches or recording requests.