After closing in March due to COVID-19 concerns, Wake County’s Northern Regional Center will reopen its doors on Monday, Aug. 24, with new safety precautions. The center will offer residents – for the first time – the opportunity to drive up to the building and pay their taxes or get copies of their birth certificates.
“This is exactly the kind of ingenuity we need to keep our residents safe as we provide them with the services they need during this pandemic,” said Wake County Commissioner Susan Evans. “These new drive-thru options will not only increase efficiency, but they will also reduce residents’ risk of possible exposure to the virus.”
The center is located at 350 E. Holding Ave. in Wake Forest. Starting Monday, it will be open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
While the center’s lobby will be open for guests who choose to enter the building, those who prefer to avoid interaction with others can remain in the safety of their cars as staff complete their transactions.
“COVID-19 is still prevalent in our community, but many still need the services or resources we offer,” said Northern Regional Center Director Ross Yeager. “We were eager to open our doors again to the community, but we wanted to do so in a responsible and safe way.”
Residents who want to utilize drive-thru services must follow clearly marked steps, which include:
- Obtaining a sanitized envelope from the first station they will see;
- Placing required documents, a form of identification and payment in the envelope;
- Placing the envelope in a marked mailbox and raising the flag to alert staff;
- Moving to the waiting area in the parking lot; and
- Receiving completed documents and a receipt from staff when transactions are completed.
Residents are still encouraged to wear masks while in their car, and all Wake County staff members will wear PPE while working. Payments must be made in cash or check. Residents can fill out the proper paperwork in advance of their visit by visiting the Tax Administration for tax forms and the Register of Deeds for birth certificate forms.
Southern Regional Center Reopens
Wake County’s Southern Regional Center is also scheduled to reopen on Monday. This center, located at 130 N. Judd Parkway in Fuquay-Varina, will provide limited services such as revenue payments, public computer use, process coordinated entry applications and issue birth certificates for guests in its lobby. The Southern Regional Center is not providing drive-thru services.
Wake County Regional Centers
Wake County’s regional centers provide a wide range of services from multiple Wake County departments, including Human Services, Social Services, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Revenue, Environmental Services and NCWorks. These centers work to ensure that people have access to needed, quality services in one convenient location.
