1.  What are the requirements?

Be presented on 8-1/2" x 11" or 8-1/2" x 14" paper

Contain blank margin of

At least 3" at the top of the first page

At least 1/2" on all remaining sides of first page (sides and bottom)

At least 1/2" on all sides of subsequent pages (top, bottom and sides)

Be typed or printed in black on white paper

Be in a legible font no smaller than 10 points

Blanks in an instrument may be completed in pen

Corrections to an instrument may be made in pen (preferably in black ink)

Text must be typed or printed on one side of a page only

State the type of instrument at the top of the first page (below the 3" blank margin)

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Document Standards apply to all documents for which a fee is collected under GS 161-10(a):

• Instruments in General

• Deeds of Trust and Mortgages (There is no fee for satisfaction documents of Deeds of Trust and Mortgages in North Carolina)

• Uniform Commercial Code filings (National Standard forms are exempt)

• Torrens Registration

• Master Forms

• Plats/maps attached to documents 

• Attachments – (If the attachments do not comply with the document standards, the $25.00 non-standard fee is collected in addition to the regular recording fee.) This section does not apply to trailer sheets attached to recorded documents by another register of deeds office.

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3.  What additional fee is required for those documents that fail to comply with the document standards?

If an instrument does not meet the requirements, the register of deeds will record the instrument after collecting the fee for non-standard documents ($25).

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4.  Can I include a cover page to avoid the non-standard document fee?

The filing party may attach a cover sheet that contains:

• name of instrument stated at top of first page below the 3" blank margin

• the proper margins

• the name of the individual who prepared the document must be included on the cover sheet, if the document is a deed or deed of trust

The non-standard fee would not apply if the remaining pages meet the required standards.

 

The cover sheet is counted as one page of the document in determining the recording fee paid by the filer.

 

The recording information and North Carolina Excise Tax information, if applicable, should be placed on the cover sheet, which now serves as the first page of the document.

 

Documents prepared by local, state, and federal government agencies, out-of-state government agencies, and all other documents which do not meet the 3" margin first page requirement can avoid the non-standard fee with a properly prepared cover sheet.

Documents accompanied by a cover sheet must meet all other requirements of GS 161-14 in order to avoid the non-standard fee.

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See section on "Document Standards" for more information.