Search North Carolina Obituary Records
North Carolina obituary and death records are kept by the Register of Deeds in each of the 100 counties and by the North Carolina Division of Public Health in Raleigh. County offices hold death certificates from 1913 to the present. The state vital records office stores death records going back to 1930. You can search for obituary records from local newspapers, cemetery listings, and church files across the state. Family members, genealogists, and researchers can look up North Carolina obituary records online, by mail, or in person at county offices throughout the state.
North Carolina Obituary Records Quick Facts
Where to Find North Carolina Obituary Records
There are two main sources for obituary and death records in North Carolina. The Register of Deeds in each county holds death certificates for deaths that took place in that county. These offices have records from October 1913 to the present day. County offices are fast. Most can give you a certified copy the same day you ask. You can visit in person or send a mail request with a $10 fee.
The North Carolina Division of Public Health, Vital Records Section in Raleigh keeps death records from 1930 to the present. The state office is not a free public search tool. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93, only certain people can get certified copies. These include the spouse, siblings, direct ancestors or descendants, and legal representatives of the deceased. The state charges $24 for each name search. As of 2025, processing times have grown to 110 to 115 business days due to high demand tied to REAL ID requirements. In-person visits at 225 North McDowell Street in Raleigh are handled the same day by appointment.
For deaths before 1913, North Carolina did not require death registration. The North Carolina State Archives holds death certificates from 1906 to 1979, though coverage before 1913 is spotty. The General Assembly passed a statewide registration law in 1913, but certificates were not filed with any regularity until after World War II. Researchers looking for older obituary records should check church files, family Bibles, and newspaper archives.
Note: County Register of Deeds offices are often faster than the state vital records office for obtaining death certificates in North Carolina.
North Carolina Obituary Research at the State Archives
The North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh is a key resource for historical obituary research. The archives hold death certificates from 1906 to 1979. These records show the name of the deceased, place of death, cause of death, burial location, and funeral home. You can buy copies through the NC Archives Store online.
The State Archives also has microfilmed county records. These include wills, deeds, court records, and estate papers that often name the dead. The Reading Room provides access to microfilm reader-printers at 25 cents per page. Staff at the reference desk can help you find obituary materials. Reach them at (919) 807-7310 or archives@dncr.nc.gov.
Online Obituary Search Tools in North Carolina
Several free online tools can help you find North Carolina obituary records. The North Carolina Digital Collections holds over 109,000 items. This includes digitized death certificates from 1909 to 1976, searchable by name, date, and county. The collection also has marriage and death notices from five newspapers covering 1799 to 1893. These early notices fill the gap before the state began registering deaths in 1913.
DigitalNC, run by the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center, provides full-text searchable newspapers from all 100 counties. The site has over 688,000 items from 1,819 locations. You can search for obituaries by keyword, filter by county and date range, and view high-resolution newspaper pages. This is one of the best free tools for finding published obituaries in North Carolina.
FamilySearch offers free access to North Carolina Deaths and Burials 1898 to 1994, North Carolina Deaths 1906 to 1930, and North Carolina Deaths 1931 to 1994. These databases are searchable online with a free account. They include indexes and images of original death records for North Carolina.
Note: The NC Digital Collections and DigitalNC are completely free and do not require any account to search obituary records.
How to Get Obituary Records in North Carolina
You can get death certificates from any county Register of Deeds office in North Carolina. Visit in person with a valid photo ID. You can also mail a request with a completed application form, $10 fee by money order or certified check, a copy of your ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Each county sets its own hours, but most are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The NC Register of Deeds Association has a directory for all 100 county offices. Since death certificates from 1979 onward are filed in the county where death occurred, this directory helps you find the right office. Under N.C.G.S. 130A-115, funeral directors file death certificates shortly after death. The certificate holds personal data from the next of kin and medical data from the attending physician.
For obituary records beyond death certificates, check local newspapers and public libraries. Many libraries in North Carolina keep newspaper archives on microfilm. Some have created obituary indexes for their local papers. The State Library provides access to the Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection through Newspapers.com, with 3.5 million pages from over 1,000 county newspapers.
North Carolina Death Record Fees
Fees vary based on where you go in North Carolina. County offices charge $10 per certified copy. Uncertified copies for genealogy cost as little as 25 cents. The state vital records office charges $24 per name search, which is non-refundable even if no record is found. Additional copies at the state cost $15 each. VitalChek is the only authorized remote vendor for state records, with a $13.95 processing fee on top of the $24 search fee.
Under N.C.G.S. 130A-93.1, the fee structure applies at all vital records offices in North Carolina. Payment methods vary by office. Most county offices take cash, money orders, and certified checks. Some accept credit cards with a small processing fee. The state office does not accept personal checks or cash by mail.
Obituary Records Before 1913
North Carolina did not require statewide death registration until October 1, 1913. Even then, filing was uneven until after World War II. For deaths before 1913, you need to look at other sources. Family Bibles often recorded births, marriages, and deaths. The North Carolina Family Records Collection at the NC Digital Collections holds copies of Bible records arranged by family surname.
Church records are another good source. Many churches kept burial records and death notices. Estate papers, wills, and probate files also name the dead and give dates of death. The State Archives holds county estate files from 1663 to 1979 and will books from 1720 to 1960. FamilySearch provides free online access to North Carolina Estate Files 1663 to 1979. Newspaper death notices from 1799 to 1893 are indexed in the NC Family Records Online collection, drawn from five early papers including the Raleigh Register and Hillsborough Recorder.
Confederate pension applications offer death information for veterans and widows from the Civil War era. These records are part of the North Carolina Digital Collections.
Finding Published Obituaries in North Carolina
Published obituaries are often the most detailed record of a person's life and death. North Carolina newspapers have printed obituaries for over 250 years. The earliest papers date from 1752. Today, most newspapers publish obituaries online and in print.
The State Archives has microfilm of over 1,000 newspaper titles. The DigitalNC project has digitized papers from all 100 counties, making them searchable by keyword. The Library of Congress Chronicling America project provides free access to historical North Carolina newspapers from 1836 to 1922. Many public libraries in North Carolina also subscribe to newspaper databases like Newspapers.com and NewsBank that include obituary content.
- DigitalNC covers all 100 North Carolina counties
- Chronicling America has papers from 1836 to 1922
- Newspapers.com has 3.5 million pages from NC
- NewsBank covers the Charlotte Observer from 1886 to 1984
- NewsBank covers the News and Observer from 1910 to 1990
The Outer Banks History Center in Manteo holds records for coastal North Carolina communities. Phone (252) 423-5240 for research help. The Western Regional Archives in Asheville at (828) 250-3120 covers the mountain region. Both centers maintain family papers, church records, and photographs that may contain obituary information.
Browse North Carolina Obituary Records by County
Each county in North Carolina has its own Register of Deeds that keeps death certificates and vital records. Pick a county below to find local obituary resources and contact information for that area.
Obituary Records in Major North Carolina Cities
Residents of major cities access obituary records through their county Register of Deeds. Pick a city below to learn about obituary and death records in that area.