The Wake County Register of Deed’s office continues to extend its services into the far corners of the community, with the opening of a second location allowing couples to pick up licenses to tie the knot and notaries to take their oaths in southern Wake County.
“Our incredible team serves about 16,000 couples and 5,000 notaries in our downtown Raleigh office every year,” said Wake County Register of Deeds Tammy Brunner. “But these are critical services for residents – couples can’t get married at a ceremony unless they have their license, and a notary must take their oath before they can legally witness document signings – so there shouldn’t be just one location in our 800 square mile county to do that! That’s why we’re already working on a 3rd and 4th location!”
Staff at the Wake County Southern Regional Center will immediately begin offering the marriage license and notary oath services from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, no appointment is needed. The center is located in Fuquay-Varina at 130 N. Judd Parkway Northeast and is more convenient than downtown Raleigh for many residents who live or work in South Raleigh, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs and Willow Spring. In addition to the new services offered here, the location also features birth, death and marriage certificate services, public health medical clinics, child and family services, food assistance, energy assistance, Medicaid help, foster care and adoption services, veteran services, employment assistance and more.
Next, the Register of Deeds hopes to expand marriage license and notary services to Wake County’s Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest by the end of the year, with other centers to follow in 2024. The regional centers offer convenient free parking, easy access off interstates or major county roadways and allow visitors to take advantage of multiple services all in one location without having to come into a busy downtown area.
In North Carolina, marriage licenses must be obtained within 60 days of a wedding ceremony. Both parties must be present and bring valid identification documents. They are $60. The Southern Regional Center will only accept cash at this time. Previously, marriage licenses were only offered by walk-in in downtown Raleigh from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Register of Deeds offices inside the Wake County Justice Center, 300 S. Salisbury Street. Cash or credit cards are accepted at that location. Often, couples take their new license and go straight up to the magistrate’s office on the 9th floor of the Justice Center to be officially married. There will not be a magistrate available at the regional centers.
The Register of Deeds office now administers notary public oaths for Wake County notaries for just $10 in Raleigh and Fuquay-Varina. Notices to be sworn in with the Register of Deeds are emailed to residents by the NC Secretary of State. They can then walk in at either location Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Register of Deeds office isn’t just bringing its existing services to new locations, it’s offering brand new ones. Last month, Brunner’s team celebrated the one-year anniversary of the launch of their new passport processing service. The service has become wildly popular with the public, with staff helping individuals and families navigate the federal paperwork and filing needed to secure passports. In just the first year, more than 7,600 passports were processed through the Wake County Register of Deeds office.
