Recording Standards

July 1, 2023 the Stanly County Register of Deeds Office will accept plats electronically via electronic submitting vendors. Only submitters who the register has approved may do so. Customers will be allowed to record plats in person on mylar or paper. We will accept all plat sizes (18 X 24, 21 X 30 and 24 X 36).

(G.S. 161-14) All documents presented for registration after July 1, 2002 must meet the following requirements:

  1. Be presented on 8 1/2 by 11 or 8 1/2 by 14 inch paper.
  2. Contain a blank margin of at least three inches at the top of the first page, blank margins of at least 1/4 inch on the remaining sides of the first page, and blank margins of at least 1/4 inch on all sides of subsequent pages.
  3. Be typed or printed in black on white paper
  4. Be typed or printed in a legible font no smaller than 9 points (Blanks in an instrument may be completed in pen and corrections to an instrument may be made in pen).
  5. Contain text typed or printed on one side of a page only.
  6. Type of instrument must be stated at the top of the first page below the margin.
  7. Grantor’s signature must be properly notarized.
  8. Deeds and Deeds of Trust must show the draftsman’s name on the first page of the document.
  9. The grantor must pay the Real Estate Excise Tax at the time of recording. The tax rate is $1.00 per $500 of the purchase price of the real estate.
  10. Deeds must have Tax Certification obtained from the Stanly County Tax Administrator or must contain the verbiage “Delinquent taxes if any to be paid by the closing attorney to the tax collector upon disbursement of closing proceeds”. This certification must be affixed stamped on the deed prior to recording. (Click here for tax certification Form)

If an instrument does not meet these requirements, the register of deeds shall record the instrument after collecting the fee of $25.00 for nonstandard documents in addition to all other applicable recording fees.