When someone dies in North Carolina

Certified copies come from the North Carolina Vital Records, or the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred (official site).

Use the county Register of Deeds if you need copies quickly, because in most cases they can issue them the same day. Important detail people get wrong: if a North Carolina resident died in a different county, you must use the Register of Deeds where the death occurred, not where they lived. The fee is $24 for the search and one copy per three-year period searched, and it is non-refundable even if no record is found. State mail orders go to North Carolina Vital Records, ATTN: VC Certificate Orders, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1900. Certified copies are limited by law to close family, someone with a legal property interest, or an authorized representative.