Brunswick County Public Records /Brunswick County Property Records

Brunswick County Property Records

What Is Brunswick County Property Records

Brunswick County property records are official documents maintained by county government offices that record ownership, transfers, encumbrances, and other legal interests in real property — including land, residential structures, and commercial buildings — located within the county's jurisdiction. These records serve several foundational legal and administrative purposes:

Establishing chain of title: Property records document the successive ownership history of a parcel, enabling buyers, lenders, and attorneys to verify that a seller holds clear, marketable title.
Providing constructive notice: Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 47-18, instruments conveying or encumbering real property must be registered with the county Register of Deeds to be effective against third-party purchasers and creditors.
Protecting property rights: Recorded documents create a publicly accessible legal record that protects the interests of owners, lienholders, and easement holders.
Facilitating real estate transactions: Lenders, title companies, and real estate professionals rely on recorded instruments to underwrite mortgages, issue title insurance, and close transactions.

The Brunswick County Register of Deeds is the primary custodian of real property instruments, including deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and easements. The Brunswick County Tax Administration Office maintains assessment and ownership data used for ad valorem taxation purposes.

Brunswick County Register of Deeds 75 Courthouse Drive NE, Suite 1600, Bolivia, NC 28422 (910) 253-2690 Brunswick County Register of Deeds

Brunswick County Tax Administration 30 Government Center Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 (910) 253-2829 Brunswick County Tax Administration

Are Property Records Public Information In Brunswick County?

Property records in Brunswick County are public records under North Carolina law, and members of the public may inspect or obtain copies of recorded instruments without demonstrating a specific legal interest or providing a reason for the request. The legal basis for this access rests on multiple statutory provisions:

North Carolina Public Records Law (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1) defines public records broadly to include all documents made or received by a government agency in the transaction of public business, and it establishes that such records are the property of the people of North Carolina.
Recording statutes (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 47-18) require that conveyances and encumbrances of real property be registered in the county where the land lies, creating a publicly accessible repository of land title information.
Transparency in land ownership serves the public interest by deterring fraud, enabling informed real estate decisions, and supporting equitable property taxation.

Under current law, the Brunswick County Register of Deeds is obligated to make recorded instruments available for public inspection during regular business hours. No appointment is required to access records at the public counter, and no showing of personal interest is necessary to obtain certified or uncertified copies of recorded documents.

How To Search Property Records in Brunswick County in 2026

Members of the public may search Brunswick County property records through several official channels. The following steps outline the primary methods currently available:

In-Person Search at the Register of Deeds

Visit the Brunswick County Register of Deeds at 75 Courthouse Drive NE, Suite 1600, Bolivia, NC 28422.
Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.
Staff can assist requesters in locating instruments by grantor/grantee name, parcel identification number (PIN), book and page reference, or recording date.
Certified copies are available for a statutory fee per page.

In-Person Search at Tax Administration

Visit the Brunswick County Tax Administration Office at 30 Government Center Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Staff can provide current ownership information, assessed values, and tax payment history by parcel identification number or owner name.

Online Search

The Brunswick County Register of Deeds maintains an online search portal through which members of the public may search recorded instruments by name, instrument type, book and page, or recording date.
The Brunswick County Tax Administration GIS portal allows parcel-level searches by address, owner name, or PIN.

Written or Mail Request

Requesters who are unable to visit in person may submit written requests to the Register of Deeds specifying the instrument type, parties, and approximate recording date. Copy fees and applicable postage apply.

How To Find Property Records in Brunswick County Online?

Brunswick County provides multiple online platforms through which property records may be accessed remotely at no charge for basic searches.

Brunswick County Register of Deeds Online Search: The official Brunswick County Register of Deeds portal provides access to recorded deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and other instruments. Users may search by grantor or grantee name, recording date range, instrument type, or book and page number. Document images for instruments recorded within the available digital archive period may be viewed and printed directly from the portal.
Brunswick County GIS/Tax Parcel Viewer: The Brunswick County Tax Administration GIS mapping application allows users to search parcels by owner name, parcel identification number, or street address. Each parcel record displays current ownership, assessed value, acreage, and land use classification.
NC OneMap Parcel Data: The statewide NC parcels database aggregates parcel boundary and ownership data from all 100 North Carolina counties, including Brunswick County, and provides a unified geographic search interface.
North Carolina Property Tax information administered at the state level is available through the Property Tax Division of the N.C. Department of Revenue, which publishes guidance on assessment methodology and taxpayer rights applicable statewide.

How To Look Up Brunswick County Property Records for Free?

Several no-cost options are currently available for members of the public seeking Brunswick County property records without incurring fees.

Online portal searches through the Brunswick County Register of Deeds and Tax Administration websites are free of charge for viewing document indexes and parcel data. Fees apply only when printed or certified copies are requested.
In-person inspection at the Register of Deeds public counter is free; members of the public may review recorded instruments on public-access terminals without charge. Copy fees are assessed only if the requester wishes to obtain paper or digital reproductions.
NC OneMap provides free access to statewide parcel boundary and ownership data, including Brunswick County parcels, through its public mapping portal.
North Carolina Department of Revenue resources on local government property tax administration are publicly available online and explain how county assessors determine taxable value, which is reflected in property records.
State Property Office resources: The North Carolina State Property Office maintains records of state-owned property transactions, including deeds, leases, and easements involving state agencies, which are accessible to the public.

What's Included in a Brunswick County Property Record?

Brunswick County property records encompass a broad range of document types and data fields maintained across multiple county offices. The following categories and data elements are typically included:

Real Property Instruments (Register of Deeds)

Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and special warranty deeds identifying grantor, grantee, legal description, and consideration
Deeds of trust and mortgage instruments identifying lender, borrower, trustee, loan amount, and maturity date
Plats and subdivision maps depicting lot boundaries, easements, rights-of-way, and survey data
Easements, restrictive covenants, and declarations of conditions, covenants, and restrictions (CC&Rs)
Releases, satisfactions, and cancellations of deeds of trust

Tax and Assessment Records (Tax Administration)

Parcel identification number (PIN) and tax map reference
Current and historical ownership information
Assessed value of land and improvements, separately stated
Land use classification and zoning designation
Tax payment history and outstanding tax obligations

Distinction Between Real and Personal Property Real property records pertain to land and structures permanently affixed to land. Personal property records — covering business equipment, vehicles, and similar movable assets — are maintained separately by the Tax Administration Office and are generally not recorded with the Register of Deeds.

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 161-14, the Register of Deeds is required to record all instruments presented for registration that meet statutory requirements, ensuring a comprehensive and continuous public record of real property interests in the county.

How Long Does Brunswick County Keep Property Records?

Brunswick County retains property records in accordance with the retention schedules established by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which administers the statewide records retention program for local government agencies.

Deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and other recorded instruments: Permanently retained. Once an instrument is recorded with the Register of Deeds, it becomes a permanent part of the public record and is not subject to destruction.
Tax assessment records: Retained for a minimum of ten years under the applicable local government retention schedule, with permanent retention of historical assessment rolls.
Tax payment records: Retained for a minimum of five years following the fiscal year in which the payment was received.
Plats and subdivision maps: Permanently retained as part of the official land records of the county.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources publishes the official retention schedules applicable to county Register of Deeds offices and tax administration offices. These schedules carry the force of law and govern the minimum periods for which Brunswick County must preserve each record series.

How To Find Liens on Property In Brunswick County?

Liens on real property in Brunswick County are recorded instruments and are therefore searchable through the same official channels used to access deeds and other property records.

Register of Deeds Search: Members of the public may search the Brunswick County Register of Deeds index by the property owner's name (as grantor) to identify recorded deeds of trust, mechanics' liens, judgment liens docketed against real property, and federal and state tax liens. The public counter at 75 Courthouse Drive NE, Suite 1600, Bolivia, NC 28422 is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Clerk of Superior Court: Judgment liens arising from civil court judgments are docketed with the Brunswick County Clerk of Superior Court and, once docketed, attach to all real property owned by the judgment debtor in the county. The Clerk's office is located at 75 Courthouse Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tax Liens: Unpaid ad valorem property taxes constitute a lien on real property under North Carolina law. Outstanding tax liens may be identified through the Brunswick County Tax Administration's online parcel search or by contacting the Tax Administration Office directly at (910) 253-2829.
Federal Tax Liens: Federal tax liens filed by the Internal Revenue Service are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the taxpayer's property is located and are searchable through the standard grantor/grantee index.

Brunswick County Clerk of Superior Court 75 Courthouse Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 (910) 253-3700 Brunswick County Clerk of Superior Court

What Is Property Owner Rule In Brunswick County?

The property owner rule in Brunswick County refers to the body of North Carolina statutes and local regulations governing who may own real property, how ownership interests are held, and what rights and obligations attach to property ownership within the county.

Ownership by individuals and entities: Under North Carolina law, real property may be owned by individuals, married couples (as tenants by the entirety), co-owners (as joint tenants with right of survivorship or tenants in common), corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, trusts, and governmental entities.
Ad valorem taxation obligation: All real property in Brunswick County is subject to annual ad valorem taxation based on assessed value as of January 1 of each tax year, pursuant to the general property tax statutes administered by the Property Tax Division of the N.C. Department of Revenue. The county assessor is required to list, appraise, and assess all real property annually.
Owner testimony rule: In North Carolina, a property owner is competent to testify as to the value of their own real property in legal proceedings, including tax appeals, without being qualified as an expert witness. This principle, recognized in North Carolina case law, reflects the longstanding common-law rule that ownership itself confers sufficient familiarity with a property's value.
Zoning and land use: Property owners in Brunswick County are subject to the Brunswick County Unified Development Ordinance, which regulates land use, setbacks, density, and permitted uses by zoning district. Owners must comply with applicable zoning classifications when developing, subdividing, or changing the use of real property.
Homestead exemption: Qualifying property owners who occupy their residence as their permanent home may apply for the Elderly or Disabled Exclusion or the Disabled Veteran Exclusion under North Carolina law, reducing the taxable assessed value of their homestead property.

Brunswick County Planning and Land Use 30 Government Center Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 (910) 253-2025 Brunswick County Planning