New Hanover County issued a statement this week about the register of deeds, a critical component for the real estate industry.

"The Register of Deeds is open and serving customers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m," the Thursday release stated. 

According to the release, the following practices (that apply most to real estate professionals) are in place to reduce the amount of foot traffic in offices and lessen the risk for customers and staff:

Certified Records Requests

Residents requesting certified copies of vital records are encouraged to use the online request portal on the Register of Deeds website at RegisterofDeeds.NHCgov.com. For customers seeking real estate records, records can be viewed and certified copies can be ordered at Search.NewHanoverDeeds.com. If requesting records in-person is necessary, only the requesting party should enter the office.

Recording Documents

Customers who need to record documents should call the Register of Deeds office at 798-7713 for information on electronic recording. If recording documents in-person is necessary, only the recording party or agent should enter the office.