Ashe County Recorder Information

The register of deeds is responsible for recording and maintaining records related to real property in Ashe County.

These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.

The required recording fees must be paid before recording all documents. Checks can be made payable to Ashe County Register of Deeds office.

Deeds and instruments in general are $26 for the first 15 pages. Each additional page is $4.

Deeds of trust and mortgages are $64 up to 35 pages and $4 for each additional page.

When a document is presented that consists of multiple instruments, the fee will be $10 for each additional instrument. A document consists of multiple instruments when it contains two or more instruments with different legal consequences or intent, each of which is separately executed and acknowledged and could be recorded alone.

Additional subsequent instruments indexed are $25 for each additional instrument.

If a document does not meet all the requirements, a fee of $25 must be collected for filing a non-standard document. This is in addition to applicable recording fees.

Copies of recorded documents are $0.50 a page. A copy can also be obtained by visiting the online search on the Register of Deeds website.

Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.

* Use 8.5 x 11 inch white paper or 8.5 x 14 inch white paper.

* At the top of the first page, provide a blank margin of at least 3 inches. All remaining sides of the first page and all sides on subsequent pages should be at least 1/2 of an inch.

* The instrument should be typed or printed in black ink with a font size of at least 9 point. Printing should be single-sided only. Blanks in an instrument can be filled in by pen and corrections can be made in pen, as long as black ink is used.

* At the top of the first page, the type of instrument should be indicated in a single statement.

* The grantor must sign the document and have his signature properly notarized.

* The grantee's address must be affixed to the first page for tax billing purposes.

* The name and address of the person to whom the instrument is to be returned should be affixed to the first page. If this information is not given or appears in a different place, the Register of Deeds may not accept the deed.

* On a deed or deed of trust, the name of the person who drafted the document must be given on the first page. This information is needed even if the document was prepared outside of North Carolina.

* Drafters of documents can clearly indicate the names of the parties and their capacities as grantors or grantees by writing names in all capitals or by writing "grantor" and "grantee" in parentheses. All names of the parties should be on the first page of the document and not in the middle or in an attachment. All names, including signatures, should appear consistently throughout.

* A legal description of the real property must be provided.

* A conveyance of land must include the tax ID number related to the property. The tax ID number can be obtained from the land records department of the county tax office.

* When a document is related to a previously recorded instrument (as with a satisfaction), clearly show the original document's recording information and the names of the parties to the prior instrument and their original capacities as grantors or grantees. Names should appear consistently throughout, especially signatures.

* The total consideration paid for the property should be on the deed, as this is how excise tax is calculated.


TAX CERTIFICATION

Deeds must have a tax certificate obtained from the Ashe County Tax Administrator. The certificate must be affixed to the deed prior to recording. The form can be printed from the Ashe County Register of Deeds website.

Real estate excise tax, also known as revenue stamps, is imposed by North Carolina law and collected by the Register of Deeds at the time of recording. The grantor must pay the Real Estate Excise Tax due. The tax rate is $2 per $1,000 of the purchase price of the real estate. The tax is levied on conveyances of an interest in real estate by all persons and organizations except federal, state, county, and municipal governments and their instrumentalities.