Recorded Maps and Plats
Maps and Plats are recorded surveys that are maintained in the Office of
the Register of Deeds. These records are available in our e-vault and have specific laws that govern their recording (many of which are listed below).
Our office does not draw or have the capability of producing maps.
Aerial views or parcel maps can be obtained from the Tax or GIS
Departments in the Governmental Center.
Requirements For Recording Plats
- Refer to N.C.G.S. 47-30 for the procedures and requirements that govern maps and plats.
- Rockingham County accepts plat sizes 18" x 24", 21" x 30" and 24" x 36" on original mylar only.
- All plats must contain a Certificate signed by a duly appointed Review Officer.
Review Officers
Before recording at the
Register of Deeds office, a review officer has to determine that a plat
meets the statutory requirements sufficient to be recorded and must
complete the Certificate on the map.
Contact the Planning Department at the Rockingham County Government Center at 336-342-8117 or 336-342-8137 to speak with a Review Officer.
Exceptions To Review By Review Officer
-
Surveyor Certification
The plat must contain a certificate signed by a surveyor stating that the survey is one of the following:
- A survey located in a portion of a county or municipality that
is unregulated as to an ordinance that regulates parcels of land. G.S.
47-30(f)(11)(b).
- A survey of an existing parcel or parcels or easements and does
not create a new street or change an existing street. G.S.
47-30(f)(11)(c)(1).
- A survey of an existing building or other structure, or natural feature, such as a watercourse. G.S. 47-30(f)(11)(c)(2).
- A control survey. G.S. 47-30(f)(11)(c)(3).
- A survey of a proposed easement for a public utility as defined in G.S. 62-3 (G.S. 47-30(f)(11)(c)(4)
Note: The wording used on the plat must match one of these exemptions exactly, including the G.S. reference.
-
Maps Attached To Deeds Or Other Instruments (Illustrative Plats)
The review officer's
certification is not required for plats or maps attached only for
illustration purposes to deeds or other instruments that:
- Are no larger than 8-1/2” x 14”.
- Contains the language required by G.S. 47-30(n), which legend is to read as follows:
“This map may not be a certified survey and
has not been reviewed by a local government agency for compliance with
any applicable land development regulations and has not been reviewed
for compliance with recording requirements for plats.”
For a plat attached to an instrument to be registered without the above legend, it must:
- have the original signature of a registered land surveyor, or
- be a certified copy of a plat that bears such an original signature and seal, and it
- must be reviewed and certified by the review officer before it can be registered
-
Miscellaneous Maps
There are several types of miscellaneous maps that are on record in our
office. Each of these has their own registration requirements and are
exempt from review by a Review Officer.
- Highway Right-of-Way Plans are governed by G. S. 136.19.4 and
filed by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The DOT shall certify a
copy of the cover sheet, plan, and profile sheets of right-of-way plans
to the register of deeds in the county where the road project is
located. The certified copies are to be approximately 17" x 11" and are
to be recorded in a special book for this purpose.
- Transportation corridor official maps are governed by G.S.
136-44.50, which authorizes local, regional, and state authorities to
adopt official maps that show roads and rail lines. A certified copy of
the map must be filed with the register of deeds in a special file. The
map must be 20" x 12", including a border of no less than 1-1/2" on the
left side.
- Annexation maps are governed by G.S. Chapter 160A, Article 4A,
which requires a municipality extending its limits to record a map of
the annexed area with the register of deeds. These maps do not have to
meet any particular requirements. They do not have to be prepared by a
registered land surveyor, and they do not have to meet any size
requirement.
- Condominium Plans are governed by G.S. 47C-2-109 and have their
own requirements. These are plans of buildings rather than a land area
and will have been prepared by an architect or engineer, not a
registered land surveyor. Although condominium plans are not expressly
exempted from review officer certification, they are part of a separate
statutory scheme and appear not to be subject to the general plat
recording rules.
- Must be a material that is reproducible such as mylar film, cloth, linen or other permanent material.
- No larger than 21" x 30" or smaller than 8 ½ 2" by 11" with 1-1/2" border on all sides.
-
Deceased Surveyor
A plat prepared by a registered land surveyor, but not registered before
the surveyor’s death, may be filed “for preservation” provided that the
Review Officer first certifies that the plat meets this exception. G.S.
47-30(h).
Additional Information
- To Obtain a Tax, Pin, Topography, or Aerial Map, contact the Rockingham County Tax Department at (336) 342-8305 or their GIS Division at (336) 342-8249.
- For fee information, see the Fee Schedule.
- To view a list of plat sizes accepted by other North Carolina Register of Deeds offices, visit www.ncard.us (the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds).