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Cleveland County, North Carolina public records

In Cleveland County, deeds are recorded by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds; property values come from the Cleveland County Tax Assessor; court files are kept by the Cleveland County Clerk of Superior Court.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about Cleveland County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsCleveland County Register of Deeds4Search deeds2$.25 per page in person3
Property values and ownersCleveland County Tax Assessor5Property search2—
Property tax billsCleveland County Tax Collector5Tax bill search5—
Court casesCleveland County Clerk of Superior Court6Superior Court and District Court6—
Marriage recordsCleveland County Register of Deeds7—Certified copy fee: $10.007
Divorce recordsClerk of Court in the Courthouse, 704-476-78003——
Birth certificatesCleveland County Register of Deeds7—$10.00 certified; out-of-county births after 1971 $24.007
Death certificatesCleveland County Register of Deeds7—$10.00 certified8
Probate and willsCleveland County Clerk of Superior Court6——
Business names (DBA)Cleveland County Register of Deeds4—$26.00 to record; $41.00 total through Get Certificate Now9

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Cleveland County are recorded by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds.4

Who runs it
Courthouse Computer Systems, linked by the county10
Years online
Searchable real property index 01/03/1995 - Present; plat index 05/16/1995 - Present; index book images 1841-194411
Copy fee
$.25 per page in person3
Certified copy fee
$5.00 first page; $2.00 each additional page3
How to order
In person, or by escrow account by fax or email for a fee; call 704-484-483411
Recording fee
$26.00 for 1-15 pages; $4.00 each additional page; deeds of trust $64.00 for 1-35 pages8
Images
Deed images online: books A-Z, AA-ZZ, AAA-OOO, 3P-19P and 863-current (list updated 04-16-2025); before 1960 you need the book and page11

How deeds work in North Carolina

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Cleveland County Tax Assessor (Tax Administration) sets property values5; the Cleveland County Tax Collector (Tax Administration) bills and collects the tax5.

Parcel map (GIS)
webgis.net/nc/cleveland3
Appealing a value
Online form, mail or email to the Tax Assessor; then the Board of Equalization and Review before its adjournment date12
Revaluation
Four-year cycle; latest effective January 1, 202512

How property tax works in North Carolina

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Superior Court and District CourtWills, divorces, liens and judgments per county FAQCleveland County Clerk of Superior Courtportal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal6
Not county
County does not maintain Clerk of Superior Court records; contact the Clerk directly6

Criminal records and background checks

Who holds it
Clerk of Superior Court; public terminals at clerk offices13

How North Carolina courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds (vital records).7

Certified copy fee
$10.007
Marriage license fee
$60; application online first; appointment required14

North Carolina marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by: Clerk of Court in the Courthouse, 704-476-78003

State
NC Vital Records holds divorce certificates 1958 to present15

North Carolina divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds (vital records).7

Fee
$10.00 certified; out-of-county births after 1971 $24.007
Who may
Subject, spouse, parent, direct ancestor or descendant, step-parent or step-child, sibling, attorney or legal representative7
By mail
Request form, SASE, photo ID copy and $10.00 each by money order or cashier's check to the Register of Deeds7
ID required
Valid state-issued ID or valid passport7

Ordering a North Carolina birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds (vital records).7

Fee
$10.00 certified8

Ordering a North Carolina death certificate

Probate records and wills

Clerk of Superior Court; wills filed after death are public16

Finding a will or probate case in North Carolina

Business names (DBA)

Kept by the Cleveland County Register of Deeds.4

Fee
$26.00 to record; $41.00 total through Get Certificate Now9

Voter records

Kept by the Cleveland County Board of Elections.17

Access
Statewide and county voter files from NCSBE, with confidential fields withheld18

Historical records

Kept by North Carolina Room, Eugenia H. Young Memorial Library.19

Holdings
Microfilmed Cleveland County deeds, wills, births, voter records and tax lists, plus cemetery survey and family files19
Index books
Index books 1841-1944 online11
Copies
First 10 black and white copies per day free; then $0.15 per page19

Good to know about Cleveland County records

  • Official warning: a "RECORDED DEED NOTICE" mailer looks like an $86.00 bill; the county supplies this for 25 cents per page11
  • Marriage Records Preservation Project covers original records dating back to the 1850s (release dated 1.30.25)20
  • All Register of Deeds information is public except military discharge records3
  • Fraud detection notification service linked by the Register of Deeds; cost not stated on the county page11

Office addresses, phones and hours

Cleveland County Register of Deeds

Address
311 E. Marion St., Rm 151, Shelby, NC 28150 (Charles F Harry III Administrative Building)3
Mail
P.O. Box 1210, Shelby, NC 28151-12104
Phone
(704) 484-4834; fax (704) 484-49094
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday3

Cleveland County Register of Deeds (vital records)

Address
311 E. Marion St., Rm 151, Shelby, NC 28150 (Charles F Harry III Administrative Building)3
Mail
Register of Deeds, PO Box 1210, Room 151, Shelby, NC 281517
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday3

Cleveland County Tax Assessor (Tax Administration)

Address
County Administration Building, 311 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 2815021
Mail
Cleveland County Tax Assessor, P.O Box 370, Shelby, NC, 2815112
Phone
704-484-4843; fax 704- 484-49175
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.5

Cleveland County Tax Collector (Tax Administration)

Address
County Administration Building, 311 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 2815021
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.5

Cleveland County Clerk of Superior Court

Address
Cleveland County Courthouse, 100 Justice Place, Shelby, NC 2815022
Phone
704-476-7800 (Clerk of Court, per the Register of Deeds FAQ)3
Hours
Courthouse: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday closed22

Cleveland County Clerk of Superior Court

Address
Cleveland County Courthouse, 100 Justice Place, Shelby, NC 2815022
Phone
704-476-7800 (Clerk of Court, per the Register of Deeds FAQ)3
Hours
Courthouse: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday closed22

Cleveland County Clerk of Superior Court (wills and estates)

Address
Cleveland County Courthouse, 100 Justice Place, Shelby, NC 2815022
Phone
704-476-7800 (Clerk of Court, per the Register of Deeds FAQ)3
Hours
Courthouse: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday closed22

Cleveland County Sheriff's Office

Address
Law Enforcement Center, 100 Justice Place, Shelby, NC23
Phone
(704) 484-4888 non-emergency21

Cleveland County Board of Elections

Address
827 West Marion Street, Shelby, NC 2815017

Cleveland County Mapping Office / Planning & Zoning GIS

North Carolina Room, Eugenia H. Young Memorial Library

Address
Eugenia H. Young Memorial Library19
Phone
704-487-9069 ext. 14619
Hours
Mon 1-3 pm; Tue 4:30-6:30 pm; Wed 10 am-12 pm and 2-4 pm; Thu 1-3 pm; Fri 1-3 pm19

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
[email protected]; Public Records Request, Cleveland County, P.O. Box 1210, Shelby, NC 28151-01206
What it covers
County departments, Sheriff, and Register of Deeds administration records; land records online, vital records through the Register of Deeds6

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Cleveland County?

The Cleveland County Register of Deeds keeps deed records. To order copies: In person, or by escrow account by fax or email for a fee; call 704-484-4834. Plain copies: $.25 per page in person. Certified copies: $5.00 first page; $2.00 each additional page.4113

How much is a birth certificate in Cleveland County?

$10.00 certified; out-of-county births after 1971 $24.00.7

Where do I get a divorce decree in Cleveland County?

Divorce decrees are court records; ask the Clerk of Court in the Courthouse, 704-476-7800.3

How much does a marriage license cost in Cleveland County?

$60; application online first; appointment required.14

How do I look up who owns a property in Cleveland County?

Use the property search of the Cleveland County Tax Assessor (Tax Administration): webgis.net/nc/Cleveland2

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Cleveland County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in North Carolina with a full guide: Alamance County, Brunswick County, Buncombe County, Cabarrus County, Catawba County, Craven County, Cumberland County, Davidson County, Durham County, Forsyth County, Gaston County, Guilford County, Harnett County, Henderson County, Iredell County, Johnston County, Mecklenburg County, Moore County, New Hanover County, Orange County, Pitt County, Randolph County, Robeson County, Rowan County, Wake County, Wayne County. Every county in the state: North Carolina county list. Looking for another Cleveland County? Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Online Public RecordsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  3. Register of Deeds FAQCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  4. Register of DeedsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  5. Tax Administrator websiteCleveland County Tax Officechecked November 8, 2026
  6. Public Records RequestsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  7. Birth, Death & Marriage CertificatesCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  8. Register of Deeds fee schedule 2026-2027Cleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  9. Record Land RecordsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  10. Land records portal entryCourthouse Computer Systems for the Register of Deedschecked November 8, 2026
  11. Search Available Land RecordsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  12. 2025 Property RevaluationCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  13. Obtaining recordsNC Judicial Branchchecked November 8, 2026
  14. Apply for a Marriage LicenseCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  15. Divorce certificatesNC Vital Recordschecked November 8, 2026
  16. EstatesNC Judicial Branchchecked November 8, 2026
  17. Board of ElectionsCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  18. Voter dataNC State Board of Electionschecked November 8, 2026
  19. Genealogy & Local HistoryCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  20. Marriage Records Preservation Project releaseCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  21. Departments directoryCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  22. Cleveland County CourthouseNC Judicial Branchchecked November 8, 2026
  23. Sheriff's Office (county directory entry)Cleveland Countychecked November 8, 2026
  24. GIS ServicesCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  25. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026