Forsyth County Recorder of Deeds: Search Records & Office Guide

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Forsyth County, North Carolina · Deeds, land records, recording and certified copies

Forsyth County Recorder of Deeds: Search Records & Office Guide

Looking for the Forsyth County Recorder of Deeds usually means you need to find a deed, trace property ownership, obtain a recorded document, verify a mortgage satisfaction, or visit the land-record office. In Forsyth County, North Carolina, the official office is called the Forsyth County Register of Deeds.

You can search recorded land documents online for free, view many document images, search by grantor or grantee, and retrieve a known instrument by book and page or file number. This guide shows exactly which official system to use and what to do when you only have an address or incomplete owner information.

Search official deed records Register of Deeds office Office address & hours
Owner or company name Seller or buyer name Approximate recording year Book & page if known File number if known
FORSYTH COUNTY LAND RECORD REGISTER OF DEEDS
DEED RECORD
GRANTOR GRANTEE BOOK / PAGE FILE NUMBER
IMAGE + INDEX AVAILABLE ONLINE
Confirm the state before searching. This guide covers Forsyth County, North Carolina, including Winston-Salem. If you meant Forsyth County, Georgia, land records are maintained by the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court. Use the Forsyth County, GA Property Index Search instead.
“Recorder of Deeds” is the common search phrase, not the North Carolina office title. The official Forsyth County office is the Register of Deeds. It records and preserves deeds, deeds of trust, satisfactions, plats, easements and many other instruments. Property values and tax bills are handled by Tax Administration, while wills, estates and divorce records belong with the Clerk of Superior Court.
Online deed search

Free land-record index and document-image access through ForsythDeeds.com.

Office location

201 North Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Regular hours

8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Main phone

336-703-2700 for Register of Deeds assistance.

Register of Deeds

Lynne Johnson is listed by Forsyth County as Register of Deeds.

Choose the correct record

What are you trying to find?

A deed search and a property-tax search answer different questions. Starting with the correct office prevents the most common dead end: searching the deed index for information that belongs in the tax database.

DEED / TITLE DOCUMENT Ownership conveyance

Use the Register of Deeds for recorded deeds, quitclaim deeds, trustee deeds and other conveyances.

Search deed records
OWNER / ADDRESS / PARCEL Current property record

Use Tax Administration when you know the address but need the current owner, REID, PIN or property card.

Search by address
MORTGAGE Deed of trust or satisfaction

Search recorded deeds of trust and later satisfaction or cancellation instruments.

Verify payoff recording
RECORD A DOCUMENT Submit a deed or instrument

Check formatting, original-signature requirements, fees and the correct submission method before filing.

Recording checklist
CERTIFIED COPY Official recorded copy

Use the Register of Deeds for certified and uncertified copies of recorded real-estate instruments.

Copy fees and options
WILL / ESTATE / DIVORCE Not a Register of Deeds record

Forsyth County directs wills, estates and divorce records to the Clerk of Superior Court.

Find the right office

Forsyth County deed-search guide

Jump directly to the task you need to complete.

Official online search

How to search Forsyth County deeds online

Forsyth County provides a free public search for land records through its Register of Deeds system. The county’s official information page directs users to ForsythDeeds.com, which contains the grantor-grantee index and document-image links.

Official starting point: Open the county’s Online Record Search page, or go directly to ForsythDeeds.com.
Open the Forsyth real-estate lookup. Go to ForsythDeeds.com. The search interface provides name searching plus direct book-page or file-number retrieval.
Decide whether you need the grantor, grantee or both. A grantor is generally the party transferring an interest. A grantee is generally the party receiving it. If you are trying to locate the deed by which the current owner acquired the property, start by searching that owner as the grantee.
Enter the person or company name. For an individual, enter the last name and first name in the fields provided. For an LLC, corporation, bank or other entity, select the company/entity option and search the legal business name.
Use a date range when you know approximately when the transaction occurred. A narrow recording period can remove years of unrelated deeds, mortgages, releases and other filings involving people with the same name.
Select a document category when the record type is known. If your goal is a deed, narrow the category to deed-related records. If you are checking a mortgage payoff, look for the deed of trust and a later satisfaction or cancellation record.
Open the most likely result and compare both parties. Review the recording date, document type, grantor, grantee, description, book/page or file number, and any cross-reference information.
Open the available document image. The Register of Deeds search provides image links for many real-estate instruments. Read the recorded document itself rather than relying only on the abbreviated index entry.
Save the book/page or file number. This is the fastest way to retrieve the same instrument again and is useful when ordering a certified copy or following related records.
Best shortcut: If you already have a deed book and page or a file number from a closing document, title report, old deed or another recorded instrument, use the portal’s direct Book-Page / File # search instead of searching names.
Search the index efficiently

How the Forsyth County deed-search fields work

The online system exposes more controls than a basic owner-name search. Using them correctly can make the difference between finding a deed in two minutes and scrolling through hundreds of unrelated documents.

Useful ForsythDeeds.com search fields
Search field When to use it Practical approach
Standard Best default for a known person or company name. Start here before adding broader matching options.
Sounds Like Useful when a surname may be misspelled or indexed with a spelling variation. Try this after an exact or standard name search produces no useful result.
Grantor Search someone who sold, conveyed or granted an interest. Use it to find property the person transferred away.
Grantee Search someone who bought or received an interest. For a homeowner’s acquisition deed, this is usually the strongest starting point.
Both You want all records indexed under a name. Expect more results, including deeds of trust, releases and other filings.
Human / Company Separate individuals from corporations, LLCs, lenders or other entities. Search the exact entity name used in the recorded instrument.
Category You know whether you need a deed, deed of trust, easement, plat or another instrument. Select All only when you do not know the document type.
Date range You know the approximate purchase, refinance or recording year. Begin with a one- to three-year window and expand if necessary.
Book / Page You already have a recording citation. This is more precise than a name search.
File number A document or prior search gives you the instrument/file number. Enter the number directly to retrieve the indexed record.
Search names several ways. Older documents, initials, suffixes, married names, business-name changes and indexing conventions can produce different results. When a full name fails, search the surname with a broader date range, then inspect the matching parties.
Verify before relying on a record

How to read a Forsyth County deed-search result

An index row is a locator for the recorded instrument. For important ownership, lien or title questions, open the underlying image and read the document instead of treating the short index description as the complete legal record.

What common deed-search fields tell you
Field Meaning What to verify
Date The indexed recording date. Make sure the timing fits the purchase, refinance, release or transfer you expect.
Book / Page The permanent recording reference for many instruments. Save it for later retrieval and cross-reference searches.
Type Deed, deed of trust, satisfaction, easement, release, agreement or another record class. Do not confuse a deed conveying title with a deed of trust securing a loan.
Grantor Party granting or transferring the indexed interest. Compare names with the document image and expected seller or borrower.
Grantee Party receiving the indexed interest. For an acquisition deed, this should generally align with the purchaser.
Description Condensed property or instrument information. Use the full recorded document for the legal description.
Cross-reference / status May connect a later filing to an earlier instrument. Follow referenced deeds of trust, assignments, releases or satisfactions when relevant.
PDF / TIFF Available image format for the recorded document. Open the image and inspect names, signatures, legal description and recording stamp.
For chain-of-title research: Start with the known owner as a grantee to locate the acquisition deed. Then search the prior owner shown as grantor, repeating the process backward when you need earlier conveyances. Complex title research can involve estates, trusts, boundary instruments, corporate entities or court proceedings, so professional title or legal assistance may be appropriate when legal rights depend on the result.
Visit or contact the office

Forsyth County Register of Deeds office address, phone and hours

Forsyth County Register of Deeds
Forsyth County Government Center
201 North Chestnut Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

The county FAQ identifies the office on the second floor of the Government Center.

Contact & service hours
Phone 336-703-2700
Fax 336-748-3158
Office hours 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mon–Fri
Marriage license 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mon–Fri
Open official office website Contact the office
Before making a special trip: county offices may close for holidays or extraordinary events. If you have a filing deadline, unusual document or time-sensitive certified-copy request, confirm current availability with the Register of Deeds at 336-703-2700.
Recording documents

How to record a deed or real-estate document in Forsyth County

The Register of Deeds records land and real-estate instruments, but it is a recording office. Staff cannot prepare your deed or provide legal advice about how an instrument should be drafted.

Forsyth County lists deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, foreclosure notices, satisfactions, rights-of-way, plats, leases, covenant agreements, certain UCC filings, affidavits, separation agreements, prenuptial agreements, powers of attorney and living wills among the documents handled by the office.

Make sure the document is legally ready for recording. The county states that recording staff cannot draft instruments or give legal advice. If you are creating, changing or interpreting property rights, use an appropriate North Carolina attorney or other qualified professional.
Check the original-document requirements. Forsyth County says documents presented for recording should have original signatures in the acknowledgment and should be the original instrument or a certified copy of the original.
Check deed-specific information. The county’s recording guidance calls for a current grantee mailing address on a deed and identifies draftsman information as a requirement for deeds and deeds of trust prepared in North Carolina.
Format the pages to county/state recording standards. Use the checklist immediately below before mailing or bringing the document to the office.
Calculate the recording fee. Open the current Forsyth County fee schedule. Different charges apply to standard instruments, deeds of trust, plats and non-standard documents.
Choose in-person, mail or authorized electronic recording. Real-estate documents may be submitted at the office, mailed, or e-recorded when the filer is set up through an authorized e-recording provider.
For mail, include exact payment and a return envelope. Mail submissions should include the exact applicable fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the recorded document returned by mail. Do not send cash.
After recording, verify the instrument online. Search ForsythDeeds.com using the party name, date, book/page or file number and keep the permanent recording reference.

Forsyth County document-format checklist

Paper size is 8.5 × 11 or 8.5 × 14 inches.
First page has a 3-inch blank top margin.
Side margins are at least one-half inch.
Text is black on white paper.
Font is at least 9 points.
Document is single-sided.
Instrument type appears at the top of page one below the blank margin.
Names, acknowledgments and required addresses are complete.
Non-standard documents can cost more. Forsyth County states that an instrument failing required recording standards may be assessed an additional $25 non-standard document fee.
E-recording cutoff: Forsyth County states that electronic recordings must be received by the office no later than 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, to ensure recording for that business day.
Official recording requirements Register of Deeds forms
Current county fee schedule

Forsyth County deed recording and copy fees

Recording costs depend on the instrument type and page count. The figures below reflect the county’s published Register of Deeds schedule available during this guide’s October 2026 review. Always open the official fee page before submitting a time-sensitive recording.

Common Forsyth County Register of Deeds real-estate fees
Instrument or service Published fee Practical note
Standard document $26 first 15 pages $4 for each additional page.
Deed of trust / mortgage $64 first 35 pages $4 for each additional page.
Plat $21 per sheet Check the recording requirements applicable to maps and plats.
Non-standard document $25 County recording guidance describes this as an additional charge for documents that fail recording standards.
Satisfaction instrument No fee Used in connection with satisfying certain security instruments.
Multiple instruments as one $10 each + recording fee Confirm the calculation before submission.
Certified real-estate copy $5 first page $2 for each additional page.
Uncertified copy $0.25 per page For informational copies that do not need certification.
Large indexes may have an extra charge. The county fee page states that instruments with more than 20 indexed parties, including names in attachments and exhibits, are charged an additional $2 for each party over 20.
Payment planning: Forsyth County’s fee page lists business checks, official bank checks, money orders, credit cards and debit cards. Personal checks, counter checks and e-checks are not accepted. Card transactions are listed with an additional 3% charge or $1 minimum. Mail submissions should use the payment forms specifically allowed for mailed recordings and the exact amount due.
Check the official fee schedule
Recorded document copies

How to get a copy of a Forsyth County deed

If you only need to read a deed or save an informational copy, start online. Forsyth County states that free land-record searches and copies are available through its online system, and many indexed records display PDF or TIFF document-image links.

Free online image

Search the indexed record, open the image link and save or print the available document for research use.

Search online
Uncertified office copy

The county fee schedule lists uncertified real-estate copies at $0.25 per page.

Check copy fees
Certified copy

The published real-estate fee is $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page.

Office details
Bring the recording reference if possible. A book/page or file number helps the office identify the exact instrument you want and avoids confusion when several people share the same name.

Do not confuse land-record copy fees with vital-record fees

Birth, death and marriage certificates have their own eligibility rules, copy procedures and charges. The Register of Deeds online land-record search may show vital-record indexes, but Forsyth County states that birth, death and marriage record images are not displayed online.

After a loan is paid

How to verify a deed of trust was satisfied

Paying off a mortgage does not cancel your ownership deed. The deed shows the conveyance of ownership; the deed of trust or mortgage is a separate security instrument. After the debt is paid, an appropriate satisfaction or cancellation document is recorded.

Find the original deed of trust. Search the borrower or owner in the deed index and identify the deed-of-trust recording reference.
Look for a later satisfaction or cancellation. Search later records under the same relevant parties and inspect any satisfaction, trustee satisfaction, certificate of satisfaction or related release.
Check cross-references. When the index lists a prior deed-of-trust reference, compare it with the book/page or file number of the loan you are verifying.
Open the recorded image. Make sure the document actually refers to the correct security instrument and property rather than a different loan involving the same borrower or lender.
Contact the office if the expected satisfaction is missing. The Register of Deeds can confirm what has been recorded, while questions about why a lender has not submitted a required satisfaction may require communication with the lender, closing professional or legal counsel.
Forsyth County notes that copies of mortgage payoffs, cancellations and satisfactions are not automatically mailed to the customer after a loan is paid in full.
Official cancellation guidance Check the recorded index
Monitor new recordings

Sign up for Forsyth County Property Fraud Alert

Forsyth County offers a Property Fraud Alert service that can notify property owners when a real-estate document is recorded under their name. The county says alerts may include the recording date and time, instrument number, and book and page so the owner can inspect the filing through the public land-record system.

Open the county Property Fraud Alert page. Go to the official Property Fraud Alert information.
Register the name you want monitored. Follow the county’s enrollment link and provide the information required by the alert service.
When an alert arrives, note the recording identifiers. Keep the instrument number or book/page included with the notification.
Open the land-record search and inspect the document. Retrieve the instrument at ForsythDeeds.com and determine whether you recognize the transaction.
An alert does not automatically remove a document. The county explains that the Register of Deeds does not gain authority to remove a properly presented recording simply because an owner disputes it. If you believe a document is fraudulent, promptly contact the parties involved and obtain appropriate legal or law-enforcement guidance for the specific situation.
Avoid the wrong office

Register of Deeds vs. Tax Administration vs. Clerk of Court

Which Forsyth County office handles your record?
Your question Correct office/system Where to start
Recorded deed, deed of trust, easement, satisfaction or plat Register of Deeds ForsythDeeds.com
Current owner, property address, REID, PIN or property card Tax Administration Detailed Property Information
Tax bill, paid/unpaid tax account or tax payment Tax Administration / Collector Tax Online Tools
Will, estate or probate-related court file Clerk of Superior Court NC Judicial Branch — Forsyth County
Divorce court record Clerk of Superior Court Forsyth County courts
Birth, death or marriage record Register of Deeds Vital Records Vital-record copy instructions

What about UCC records?

UCC research requires extra care because not every financing statement is a county-level real-estate filing. Forsyth County explains that local Register of Deeds offices handle certain UCC filings connected with fixtures, timber to be cut or as-extracted collateral, while other UCC filings are generally handled through the North Carolina Secretary of State.

The main ForsythDeeds.com real-estate name-search screen also displays a notice concerning UCC financing statements, so do not assume a normal deed-name search is a complete UCC search. Use the county’s current UCC guidance to determine which filing system applies.

Troubleshooting

Why you cannot find the Forsyth County deed you expected

You searched the property address

The deed index is primarily name/instrument based. Use the Tax Administration property lookup to identify the owner first, then search the owner in the deed index.

The owner’s full name returns nothing

Try the last name with fewer restrictions, test spelling variants, use Sounds Like, remove a middle name, and expand the date range.

The property is owned by an LLC or trust

Search the legal entity name shown on the tax record or prior recorded deed. A person’s individual name may not be indexed as the grantee.

You found too many records

Narrow by grantor/grantee role, entity type, document category and recording dates rather than searching every category for all years.

You have an old deed reference

Use the book-page lookup directly. Forsyth County reports historical land records extending back into the nineteenth century, although availability and image formats can vary by period.

The deed was recorded very recently

Allow for indexing and system updates. If a closing professional says an instrument was recorded but you cannot locate it, ask for the recording/file number and contact the office if needed.

Historical research note: Forsyth County says documents were not officially recorded in the county until 1913, but its holdings include some instruments dating to 1849, the year the county was formed. Older records may require more careful index searching than modern filings.
Fast workflows

Three common Forsyth County deed-search scenarios

I bought a home and need my deed

Search your name as grantee, limit the date to around the closing, select deed-related records, open the image and save its book/page or file number.

I only know the property address

Search the address in Detailed Property Information, copy the owner name, then search that name in the deed index.

I paid off my mortgage

Find the deed of trust, then search later records for a satisfaction or cancellation tied to the same instrument. Do not expect the ownership deed itself to be canceled.

Frequently asked questions

Forsyth County Recorder of Deeds FAQs

Is the Forsyth County Recorder of Deeds the same as the Register of Deeds?

For Forsyth County, North Carolina, yes in practical search intent. The official office name is Forsyth County Register of Deeds. “Recorder of Deeds” is a common nationwide term people use when looking for the county land-record office.

Can I search Forsyth County deeds online for free?

Yes. The county directs the public to ForsythDeeds.com for free land-record searches. Many real-estate results include document images.

Can I search for a deed using only a street address?

Use the Forsyth County property lookup first to identify the current owner from the address. Then search that owner as a grantee in the deed index.

What is the difference between a grantor and a grantee?

In a deed transaction, the grantor is generally the party transferring the interest and the grantee is the party receiving it. If you are searching for the deed by which a homeowner acquired property, searching that homeowner as grantee is usually the best starting point.

Where is the Forsyth County Register of Deeds?

The office is at 201 North Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, in the Forsyth County Government Center. The county FAQ identifies the Register of Deeds on the second floor.

What are the office hours?

The county lists regular office hours as 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Marriage-license service is listed from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

How much does it cost to record a deed?

Forsyth County’s published fee for a standard document is $26 for the first 15 pages plus $4 for each additional page. Deeds of trust, plats, non-standard instruments and other filings have different fees, so check the official fee schedule before recording.

How much is a certified copy of a recorded deed?

The county fee schedule lists certified real-estate copies at $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. Uncertified copies are listed at $0.25 per page.

Does the Register of Deeds remove or add a person to a deed?

The Register of Deeds records legally prepared instruments; it does not draft a new deed for you or advise how ownership should be changed. Forsyth County specifically advises people seeking to add or remove a name from a deed to consult an attorney for document preparation.

Does the Register of Deeds have wills, estates or divorce records?

No. Forsyth County directs wills, estate records and divorce records to the Clerk of Superior Court.

Official resources

Forsyth County deed and property record links

Register of Deeds home

Office services, real estate, vital records, forms, fees and contact information.

forsyth.cc/rod
Online Record Search information

County explanation of online land-record and index access.

Open county search instructions
Deed search portal

Grantor/grantee, category, date, book/page and file-number searching.

Open ForsythDeeds.com
Recording requirements

Document standards, submission methods and electronic recording information.

Review recording rules
Register of Deeds fees

Current county charges for real-estate instruments, copies and related services.

View fee schedule
Property search

Search an address, owner, REID or PIN and access property-record information.

Search property records
Property Fraud Alert

County service for alerts when documents are recorded under a monitored name.

Review fraud-alert service
Forsyth County courts

Use the judicial branch for wills, estates, divorce matters and other court records.

Open Forsyth County court information
Bottom line

Start with the record that matches your actual question

For a recorded deed, mortgage document, satisfaction, plat, easement or other land instrument, start with the Forsyth County Register of Deeds search. Search by grantee when you are trying to find how an owner acquired property, by grantor when you are tracing what that party transferred, or use book/page or file number when you already have the recording citation.

If all you have is a street address, first locate the parcel in Forsyth County Detailed Property Information, copy the owner name, and then move to the deed index. For a certified copy or document recording, use the official Register of Deeds office at 201 North Chestnut Street in Winston-Salem and check the current fee and recording requirements before submitting the document.

Search Forsyth County deeds Visit Register of Deeds website Search property by address
Information scope: This guide is for Forsyth County, North Carolina. Office information, search procedures, recording requirements and published fees were reviewed against current Forsyth County government and official record-search resources on October 20, 2026. Fees, office availability and portal interfaces can change; use the linked county pages when completing a filing or other time-sensitive transaction.

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