Social Security numbers and other Personal Identifying Information

No person preparing or filing a document to be recorded or filed in the official records of the Register of Deeds, the Department of the Secretary of State, or of the courts may include any person's social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords in that document, unless expressly required by law or court order, adopted by the State Registrar on records of vital events, or redacted. Any loan closing instruction that requires the inclusion of a person's
social security number on a document to be recorded shall be void.  Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.

(e)      The validity of an instrument as between the parties to the instrument is not affected by the inclusion of personal information on a document recorded or filed with the official records of the Register of Deeds or the Department of the Secretary of State.  The Register of Deeds or the Department of the Secretary of State may not reject an instrument presented for recording because the instrument contains an individual's personal information.

(f)      Any person has the right to request that a Register of Deeds or Clerk of Court remove, from an image or copy of an official record placed on a register of deeds' or court's Internet Website available to the general public or an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds or court to display public records by the register of deeds or clerk of court, the person's social security employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit car number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in that official record. The request must be made in writing, legibly signed by the requester, and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person to the register of deeds or clerk of court.  The request must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information that identifies the location within the document that contains the social security, employer taxpayer identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted.  The request for redaction shall be considered a public record with access restricted to the register of deeds, the clerk of court, their staff, or upon order of the court.  The register of deeds or clerk of court shall have no duty to inquire beyond the written request to verify the identity of a person requesting redaction and shall have no duty to remove redaction for any reason upon subsequent request by an individual or by order of the court, if impossible to do so.  No fee will be charged for the redaction pursuant to such request.  Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.

(g)      A register of deeds or clerk of court shall immediately and conspicuously post signs throughout his or hers offices for public viewing and shall immediately and conspicuously post a notice on any Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds or clerk of court a notice stating, in substantially similar form, the following:

(1)     Any person preparing or filing a document for recordation or filing in the official records may not include a social security, employers taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords in the document, unless expressly required by law or court order, adopted by the State Registrar on records of vital events, or redacted so that no more than the last four digits of the identification number is included.

(2)      Any person has a right to request a register of deeds or clerk of court to remove from an image or copy of an official record placed on a register of deeds or clerk of court's Internet Web site available to the general public or on an Internet Web site available to the general public or on an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds or clerk of  court to display public records, any social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in an official record.  The request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person, to the register of deeds or clerk of court.  The request must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information that identifies the location within the document that contain the social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted.  No fee will be charged for the redaction pursuant to such a request.  Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.

(h)      Any affected person may petition the court for an order directing compliance with this section.  No liability shall accrue to register of deeds or clerk of court or to his or her agent for any action related to provisions of this section or for any claims or damages that might result from a social security number or other identifying information on the public record or on a register of deeds' or clerk of court's Internet website available to the general public or an Internet Web site available to the general public used by a register of deeds or clerk of court. 

You may send written request for redaction to: 
Register of Deeds
Attn:  David Rickard
PO Box 464
Lexington, NC 27293-0464