Guilford County Recorder: Deeds, Records & Online Search
If you searched for the Guilford County Recorder, the office you actually need is the Guilford County Register of Deeds. North Carolina generally uses “Register of Deeds” rather than “Recorder of Deeds.” This is the county office responsible for recording, preserving and providing public access to deeds, deeds of trust, satisfactions, plats and other recorded real-estate instruments.
Use this guide to search a deed online, turn a street address into a useful deed-search clue, identify the correct recorded document, order a certified copy, understand recording fees, prepare a document for recording, check a paid-off mortgage release, and avoid confusing the Register of Deeds with the Tax Department or GIS system.
What the Guilford County “Recorder” actually does
Guilford County does not label the office simply as a county recorder. The official office is the Guilford County Register of Deeds. Its mission includes recording, preserving, maintaining and providing access to real-estate and vital records.
For property research, the important distinction is that the Register of Deeds maintains recorded legal instruments. It is not the same database as the county’s property-tax or appraisal system. A parcel record may tell you who the Tax Department currently lists as an owner, while the deed record shows the underlying instrument that was recorded.
Deeds, deeds of trust, recorded satisfactions, plats, assignments and other filed land records.
Official records searchCurrent property owner display, address, REID, PIN, appraisal information and parcel-level research.
Official property searchTax bills, payment questions, assessment administration and tax-account matters.
Official Tax DepartmentHow to search Guilford County deeds and land records online
Guilford County provides its own online real-estate records system through the Register of Deeds. The county’s public search carries a disclaimer because the online database is provided for public convenience; the official records are maintained by the Register of Deeds office in Greensboro.
Go directly to the county’s Register of Deeds search rather than a paid third-party “public records” site.
Open rdlxweb.guilfordcountync.govFor a deed, useful names include a seller or prior owner and the buyer or new owner. In deed terminology, the conveying party is commonly the grantor and the receiving party is the grantee. For financing records, useful names can include the borrower, lender or trustee.
If an exact full-name search produces nothing, simplify the name and review close matches. Names may be indexed with initials, middle names, business suffixes, trusts, estates or other variations.
Guilford County’s online search system supports recording-date and grantor/grantee filtering. If you know approximately when the sale, refinance, satisfaction or transfer occurred, use that date information to reduce noise.
Do not stop because a person’s name appears. Compare the document type, parties, recording date, book/page or other record reference, and any property description shown in the instrument.
Write down or save the deed book and page, instrument reference, recording date and party names. Those details make later certified-copy requests, title research and follow-up calls much easier.
How to find a Guilford County deed when you only have an address
A common user problem is simple: you know the house or land address but not the owner’s exact indexed name. The fastest solution is to use Guilford County’s property system first and then move into the deed index.
The official property-search application supports searches by owner/business name, location address, REID and PIN.
Open Guilford County Property SearchEnter the street number and street name. The county’s search instructions tell users not to include the street type such as “Rd” or “Dr,” or a street direction such as “W” or “West,” in the street-name field.
Match the physical location carefully. Copy the current owner name and save the REID or PIN so you have a stable parcel identifier.
Guilford County’s land-record and GIS systems may provide ownership or deed-reference information associated with a parcel. Even when they do not answer your legal-record question, they give you the name needed for the Register of Deeds index.
Review official Mapping & Ownership Transfer guidanceSearch the current owner as a grantee to find the acquisition deed. If you are researching an earlier transaction, follow the chain backward by using the prior owner’s name and deed references.
Search the deed indexWhat to check after you find a Guilford County deed record
A search result is only the beginning. Before saving, printing or ordering a copy, confirm that the record actually relates to the property and transaction you are researching.
Common document types you may encounter
| Document | Typical purpose | Why a researcher checks it |
|---|---|---|
| Deed | Transfers an interest in real property. | Identify the parties, legal description, date and references connected to a transfer. |
| Deed of Trust | Creates a security interest connected to real property. | Research mortgage-related recording, lender/trustee information and later satisfaction. |
| Satisfaction | Shows a qualifying security instrument has been satisfied or released. | Confirm whether a recorded deed of trust or mortgage has been released in the land records. |
| Plat | Recorded map or survey-related instrument. | Research lots, subdivisions, dimensions or references used in a legal description. |
| Assignment | Transfers rights associated with an existing recorded interest. | Trace later changes tied to a deed of trust or other recorded instrument. |
How to get a certified Guilford County deed or real-estate document
Online viewing is useful for research, but some courts, lenders, government agencies, estate matters and other transactions may require a copy certified by the Register of Deeds rather than an ordinary printout.
Use the online Register of Deeds search to identify the document. Save the owner’s name, document date and book/page or other reference.
Search recordsGuilford County provides an official request form for real-estate documents.
Download official request formThe form asks for information such as the property address, town/city, current owner, document date and, when known, deed book and page.
A certified copy carries official certification. If you only need a research copy, an uncertified copy may be sufficient. Confirm what the receiving institution requires before paying for certification.
Guilford County currently lists certified real-estate copies at $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. The county fee schedule lists uncertified copies at 5¢ per page in person and $1 per page by mail.
Verify current official feesThe real-estate document request form directs mailed requests to Guilford County Register of Deeds, P.O. Box 3427, Greensboro, NC 27402. Follow the current form’s payment and mailing instructions.
How to record a deed or real-estate document in Guilford County
Recording is different from searching. The Register of Deeds can explain recording requirements and fees, but the office is a recording agency rather than your lawyer. If you need a deed drafted, need to know which deed type to use, or need advice about ownership consequences, obtain legal advice before signing or submitting the document.
1. Check the county’s document-format requirements
Guilford County’s current recording guidance says a standard real-estate document should meet requirements including:
Check official recording requirements
2. Determine the applicable recording fee
Different instruments have different statutory fees. A deed is not priced the same way as a deed of trust, plat or UCC-related filing. Non-standard formatting can also add a fee.
3. Account for deed excise tax when applicable
Guilford County’s recording page lists the current excise-tax calculation for deeds recorded from August 1, 1991 forward as $2 per $1,000. Whether a particular transaction is taxable or exempt can depend on the nature of the conveyance, so confirm the treatment for your document rather than assuming every deed is handled identically.
4. Submit the document
Real-estate documents can be presented through the county’s accepted recording channels. Guilford County also supports electronic recording and lists approved eRecording providers on its official page.
Review Guilford County eRecording5. Verify that the document appears in the recorded index
After recording, use the county’s online search to locate the filed instrument and save the assigned record reference. For a closing or legal matter, follow your attorney, settlement agent or recording professional’s procedure for final confirmation.
Guilford County Register of Deeds fees
The following amounts are drawn from Guilford County’s current Register of Deeds fee pages. Always verify the official schedule immediately before submitting a document because the document type, page count, number of indexed parties and formatting can change the final amount.
| Service | Published fee | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Deeds and most other general instruments | $26 first 15 pages; $4 each additional page | Different rules apply to deeds of trust, satisfactions and certain UCC documents. |
| Deed of Trust / Mortgage | $64 first 35 pages; $4 each additional page | Check assignments and multiple-reference charges separately. |
| Non-standard document | $25 additional | Added to the normal recording fee when recording standards are not met. |
| Multiple instruments | $10 for each additional instrument | Applies when a document contains separately recordable instruments as defined by the county guidance. |
| Plat recording | $21 per page | Condominium-map recording is also listed at $21 per page. |
| Security-instrument satisfaction | No recording fee | Document must satisfy the applicable statutory procedure. |
| Certified real-estate copy | $5 first page; $2 each additional page | Useful when an officially certified copy is required. |
| Uncertified copy in person | $0.05 per page | Research copy rather than certified evidence. |
| Uncertified copy by mail | $1 per page | Follow the county request form and payment instructions. |
How to check a deed of trust or mortgage satisfaction
If your real question is “Was the old mortgage released?”, searching only the purchase deed is not enough. You need to identify the relevant deed of trust or mortgage and then look for the recorded document that satisfies or releases it.
Search the borrower’s name and approximate loan or recording date in the Register of Deeds system.
Record the book/page, document reference, lender or secured creditor, trustee and date shown in the instrument.
Match the satisfaction back to the original security instrument rather than relying solely on similar names.
Guilford County states it no longer accepts presentation of the original deed of trust and note simply to discharge the record. Its recording page explains statutory satisfaction methods, including a Satisfaction of Security Instrument, Trustee’s Satisfaction, and an attorney-prepared Affidavit of Satisfaction in qualifying circumstances.
Read official satisfaction guidanceWhat to do if a Guilford County deed record contains an error
First determine whether the problem is an indexing problem or an error in the actual document that was signed and recorded. Those are not the same situation.
Guilford County provides an Indexing Correction Request process for information that was not indexed correctly. Contact the Register of Deeds if the searchable index appears inconsistent with the instrument.
The county states that the Register of Deeds has no authority to alter an error appearing in the original instrument, including examples such as a misspelled name, defective property description or incorrect loan amount.
Register of Deeds contact: guilforddeeds@guilfordcountync.gov or 336-641-7556.
Use Guilford County Property Fraud Alert to monitor new filings
Guilford County offers a Property Fraud Alert service that can notify an enrolled user when a document is recorded under a registered name. This can be useful for homeowners who want an early warning about an unexpected filing.
Use the Guilford County page, not a paid deed-monitoring advertisement.
Open Property Fraud AlertConsider the exact forms in which your name appears in past recorded documents, including middle initials or other common variations.
Open the referenced recording and compare the parties, property and document type. If the filing appears unauthorized, follow the county’s deed-fraud resources and obtain appropriate legal or law-enforcement assistance promptly.
Guilford County historical land records and Slave Deeds research
Guilford County’s regular land-record system reaches back to the county’s early records, making it useful for genealogy, historical property research and chain-of-title work. The Register of Deeds also maintains a specialized Guilford County Slave Deeds research project.
The Slave Deeds database covers indexed records from 1774 through 1826 and allows research by fields including date, grantor, grantee and the names of enslaved people appearing in the indexed transactions.
Search Guilford County Slave DeedsGuilford County Register of Deeds locations and contact information
Greensboro Office
Guilford County Register of Deeds201 W. Market St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 3427
Greensboro, NC 27402
High Point Office
Guilford County Register of Deeds325 E. Russell Ave., Room 155
High Point, NC 27260
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1467
High Point, NC 27261
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Which Guilford County website should you use?
| Your goal | Best official resource | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Find a deed | Register of Deeds Online Search | Search recorded land documents |
| Find property owner from an address | Real Property Search | Search address, owner, REID or PIN |
| View parcel/GIS information | Guilford County GIS | Open GIS services |
| Get a tax bill or payment information | Tax Department | Use tax services |
| Check recording standards | Recording and Real Estate | Review official requirements |
| Check recording fees | Register of Deeds Fees | Open official fee schedule |
| Monitor unexpected recordings | Property Fraud Alert | Review alert service |
Guilford County Recorder FAQs
Is there a Guilford County Recorder of Deeds?
The official North Carolina title is Guilford County Register of Deeds. If you searched for “Guilford County Recorder,” “Recorder of Deeds,” or “deed recorder,” this is the office you generally need for recorded real-estate instruments.
Can I search Guilford County deeds online for free?
Guilford County provides an official online real-estate records search at rdlxweb.guilfordcountync.gov. Use that county system before paying a third-party site merely to locate a public deed record.
Can I find a deed using only a street address?
Start with Guilford County’s Real Property Search. Search the location address, identify the listed owner, REID or PIN, then search that owner in the Register of Deeds system.
How far back do Guilford County deed records go?
The Register of Deeds states that its land-record access extends back to Guilford County’s original records in 1771. Historical searching may require deed-book, page, grantor/grantee and spelling research.
How much does a certified Guilford County deed copy cost?
The county currently publishes a certified-copy fee of $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. Verify the current amount on the official fee page before ordering.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Guilford County?
The county currently lists deeds and most other general instruments at $26 for the first 15 pages plus $4 for each additional page. Additional charges may apply for non-standard documents, multiple instruments, excessive indexing or other circumstances.
Can the Register of Deeds fix a misspelled name inside my deed?
The county distinguishes an indexing error from an error in the original instrument. The Register of Deeds can address qualifying indexing corrections but states that it cannot alter the text of the recorded instrument itself. A document error may require a corrective filing or legal advice.
How do I know whether an old mortgage was released?
Find the original deed of trust or mortgage in the Register of Deeds index and then search for a later satisfaction or release tied to that instrument. Do not assume a loan’s payment history automatically means the public land record has been satisfied.
Does Guilford County offer electronic recording?
Yes. The Register of Deeds states that it accepts electronically submitted real-estate documents and lists approved eRecording vendors on its Electronic Recording page.
Does Property Fraud Alert stop a fraudulent deed from being recorded?
No. Guilford County explains that the service does not prevent recording. It is an early-warning tool designed to alert users after a document has been filed under a monitored name.
The fastest way to use Guilford County land records
For most people searching “Guilford County Recorder,” the correct starting point is the Guilford County Register of Deeds. Search the official land-record index when you already know a party name or recording clue. If all you know is the property address, identify the owner through the county’s real-property system first and then move to the deed index.
Once you find the document, verify the parties, recording date, document type and record reference before relying on it. Order a certified copy only when certification is actually required. If you are recording rather than researching, check the current document standards and fee schedule before submission.
The most important distinction is simple: the Register of Deeds preserves recorded instruments; the Tax Department maintains property-tax and appraisal information; GIS helps locate and research parcels. Using the correct system first can turn a frustrating property-record search into a short, repeatable process.
Official Guilford County resources
- Guilford County Register of Deeds
- Official Real Estate Records Search
- Recording and Real Estate Requirements
- Register of Deeds Fee Schedule
- Electronic Recording
- Property Fraud Alert
- Guilford County Real Property Search
- Mapping and Ownership Transfer
- Guilford County GIS Online Services