deedplatState guides / North Carolina / New Hanover County
New Hanover County property data
Where New Hanover County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including Wilmington.
- 4Cities and towns
- 115,000Parcels
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in New Hanover County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
New Hanover County Register of Deeds. Recorded deeds and other land records can be searched online through the Register of Deeds' Online Public Records Search, and owners can sign up for a free fraud alert that emails them a copy of any document recorded in their name.
Owners and values
New Hanover County Tax Department. The free property assessment site lets you search by owner, address or parcel ID and shows values, property details, owner names and sale dates, with ownership updated weekly.
Tax sales
New Hanover County Tax Department (Foreclosures). Upcoming tax foreclosure sales are posted on the Tax Department's Foreclosures page with parcel numbers, sale dates and the foreclosure attorney to contact.
Foreclosure sales
New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court. Upset bids on court and tax foreclosure sales are filed in person with the Clerk of Superior Court, Civil Records Division (910-772-6603); the Clerk's sale files are not posted on the county site.
Parcel maps
New Hanover County GIS. Free web maps include Find a Parcel, Land Development, flood zones and building activity, and GIS data can be downloaded from the NHC Data Hub.
How property is sold here
New Hanover County follows North Carolina's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the North Carolina guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
North Carolina does not sell tax liens; the county forecloses on the property and sells it at a public auction. In New Hanover County these sales are held on the front steps of the District Courthouse at 316 Princess Street in Wilmington, with the high bidder paying 5% or $750, whichever is more, at the sale. Bids stay open 10 days for upset bids of at least 5% more, and the Clerk of Court must confirm the sale; sales are scheduled case by case and posted on the Tax Department's Foreclosures page.
Foreclosure sales
Most North Carolina mortgage foreclosures are power-of-sale foreclosures heard by the Clerk of Superior Court, with the trustee selling the property at a public auction at the courthouse. As with tax sales, the bidding stays open for a 10-day upset bid period at the New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court before the sale is final.
Assessed values
New Hanover County revalues all real property every four years instead of the state's required eight, and the current values took effect January 1, 2025.
Transfer tax
North Carolina charges an excise tax of $2 per $1,000 of the sale price ($1 per $500), paid by the seller when the deed is recorded; no extra local transfer tax applies in Wilmington.
Worth knowing
The county's four towns are Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach; the rest of the county is unincorporated.
Worth knowing
The Register of Deeds can only tell you the excise stamp amount on a deed, so divide the stamps by $2 per $1,000 to estimate the sale price.
Worth knowing
The next revaluation on the four-year cycle would take effect January 1, 2029.
Every town in New Hanover County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Carolina Beach town
- Kure Beach town
- Wilmington city
- Wrightsville Beach town
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in New Hanover County?
Deeds are recorded by the New Hanover County Register of Deeds in Wilmington. Recorded documents can be searched online through the Register of Deeds' Online Public Records Search.
When is the New Hanover County tax sale?
There is no single yearly sale. The county forecloses case by case, and each sale date is posted on the Tax Department's Foreclosures page. Sales are held on the front steps of the District Courthouse at 316 Princess Street.
How do I find who owns a property in New Hanover County?
Search by owner, address or parcel ID on the Tax Department's free property assessment site, which updates ownership weekly, or search deeds at the Register of Deeds.
Are New Hanover County property records online?
Yes. Deeds, tax values, owner names, parcel maps and tax foreclosure notices are all available free online.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
Every parcel in New Hanover County, on one map
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