If you are adding a spouse to title, removing a former spouse, giving property to a family member, moving real estate into a trust, handling an inheritance, or cleaning up ownership records, a North Carolina quitclaim deed may be the document you are looking for.
The deed itself is often the simple part. The details that cause confusion are usually the legal description, notarization, where to record the deed, whether the excise tax applies to your situation, and how quickly the deed actually needs to be recorded.
The good news is that North Carolina keeps the paperwork simple: there is usually no separate tax return to file, and most family gift transfers owe no excise tax at all.
Important North Carolina Recording Note:
North Carolina quitclaim deeds are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located.
North Carolina is a "race to record" state, meaning the first party to properly record a deed generally has priority over later claims. There is no state deadline for recording, but signing a deed and then waiting to record it creates unnecessary risk, so most people record promptly.
What You Need Before Filling Out the Deed
Before you start typing names into a deed form, gather the information North Carolina registers of deeds commonly expect.
- Current deed or previously recorded deed
- Grantor's full legal name, mailing address, and marital status
- Grantee's full legal name and mailing address
- Complete legal description of the property
- North Carolina county where the property is located
- The name of whoever prepared the deed, printed on the first page
- A "return to" name and address, ideally with a self-addressed stamped envelope
- Notary acknowledgment for the grantor's signature
- The excise tax amount, or a note that none is due
- Recording fees and any county formatting requirements
How to Fill Out a North Carolina Quitclaim Deed
Step 1: Identify the Correct Register of Deeds
North Carolina deeds are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the real property is located.
Because North Carolina rewards whoever records first, recording promptly in the correct county matters more here than in many other states.
Step 2: Enter the Grantor Information
The grantor is the current owner transferring their interest in the property.
Use the grantor's full legal name, address, and marital status. Stating marital status helps avoid title questions later, since it affects whether a spouse has any interest to address.
Step 3: Enter the Grantee Information
The grantee is the person receiving the property interest.
North Carolina requires the grantee's mailing address on the deed so the county tax office can send future property tax statements to the right place.
Step 4: Choose the Ownership Wording Carefully
If there is more than one grantee, North Carolina's default rules matter. A deed to two or more unmarried people is presumed to create tenants in common, and survivorship does not apply unless the deed expressly says "joint tenants with right of survivorship."
A deed to a married couple, however, automatically creates tenancy by the entirety by default, unless the deed clearly states otherwise.
Step 5: Add the Legal Description and Preparer Information
Use the complete legal description from the current deed or a previously recorded deed. A street address may help identify the property, but it is not a substitute for the full legal description.
North Carolina also requires the name of whoever prepared the deed to appear on the first page, usually near the title and the "return to" address.
Step 6: Note the Consideration and Excise Tax
North Carolina does not strictly require deeds to state a dollar amount of consideration, and many deeds simply say the transfer is made "for valuable consideration." What matters more is the excise tax line on the first page.
If there is no real payment involved, such as a gift between family members, you generally write "NTC" (no taxable consideration) on the deed instead of calculating a tax amount.
Step 7: Sign and Notarize the Deed
The grantor must sign the deed before a notary public , who completes an acknowledgment with an official seal and expiration date.
North Carolina allows Remote Online Notarization (RON) , which lets you meet with a notary by secure live video instead of traveling to an office.
Before choosing online notarization, check with your county register of deeds to confirm they accept remotely notarized deeds. Learn more on our Remote Online Notarization by State page.
Step 8: Check for a Tax Certification or Local Transfer Tax
Some North Carolina counties require the county tax office to certify that property taxes are not delinquent before the Register of Deeds will accept the deed.
A small group of coastal counties, including Dare and Currituck, also charge an additional local land transfer tax on top of the state excise tax. If your property is in one of these counties, check with the county tax office before recording.
Step 9: Record the Deed
Submit the signed and notarized deed, along with the recording fee and any excise tax due, to the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located.
Most counties also accept electronic recording through approved vendors. Make sure the deed meets North Carolina's formatting standards, including margins and minimum font size, since nonconforming documents carry an extra fee.
Will You Owe Excise Tax?
For a lot of the situations that bring people to this page, the answer is: usually not.
North Carolina's excise tax is based on the consideration paid for the property. If you are genuinely giving property to a family member with no money changing hands, that transfer generally owes no excise tax at all. You simply note "NTC" (no taxable consideration) on the deed's first page rather than calculating and paying a tax amount.
Unlike some states, North Carolina does not require a separate transfer tax return or additional form to be filed with the deed. The tax, or the exemption, is handled right on the face of the document.
For transfers that do involve a real payment, the rate is $1 for every $500 of consideration. A handful of coastal counties also add a local transfer tax on top of the state amount, so it is worth checking with the county tax office if your property is in one of them.
North Carolina Signing and Recording Notes
- North Carolina deeds are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located.
- North Carolina is a race-to-record state, so recording promptly matters.
- The grantor's signature must be notarized.
- Use the complete legal description, not just the street address.
- The deed preparer's name must appear on the first page.
- The grantee's mailing address is required for tax billing purposes.
- A deed to a married couple is presumed tenancy by the entirety by default.
- Gift transfers with no real consideration generally owe no excise tax, noted as "NTC" on the deed.
- No separate transfer tax return is required outside of what's stated on the deed itself.
- Do not include Social Security numbers or other sensitive ID numbers on the deed, since it becomes a public record.
Official North Carolina Sources
Common North Carolina Quitclaim Deed Mistakes
- Recording in the wrong county, or delaying recording after signing
- Using only the street address instead of the legal description
- Leaving off the deed preparer's name on the first page
- Forgetting the grantee's mailing address
- Leaving the excise tax line blank instead of writing "NTC" for exempt transfers
- Assuming a married-couple deed needs special wording for tenancy by the entirety, when it's actually the default
- Forgetting that the deed needs a notary acknowledgment with a valid seal and expiration date
- Missing a county's tax certification requirement before recording
- Overlooking a local transfer tax in one of the seven counties that charge it
- Assuming a quitclaim deed changes responsibility for a mortgage
How This Fits Into the North Carolina Quitclaim Deed Process
A North Carolina quitclaim deed can be a practical way to update ownership, especially for family gifts, trust transfers, estate planning, and divorce-related transfers.
The key is to prepare the deed carefully, note the correct excise tax status, notarize it correctly, and record it promptly with the right register of deeds, since North Carolina rewards whoever gets to the recording office first.
North Carolina Quitclaim Deed FAQ
Where do I record a North Carolina quitclaim deed?
Record the deed with the Register of Deeds in the North Carolina county where the property is located.
Does a North Carolina quitclaim deed need to be notarized?
Yes. The grantor must sign the deed before a notary public, who completes an official acknowledgment.
Will I owe excise tax if I give my house to a family member?
Usually not. North Carolina's excise tax applies to consideration paid, so a true gift with no money changing hands generally owes no tax. You note this on the deed rather than filing a separate return.
What happens if I wait to record my deed?
North Carolina is a race-to-record state, meaning the first party to properly record a deed generally has priority. Recording promptly after signing helps protect the transfer.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.