Wilkes County Death Certificate Records
Wilkes County death records are held at the Register of Deeds office in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The office has death records from 1913, with some delayed records from earlier years. Land records go back to 1778. The Register of Deeds, Misty M. Smithey, and her staff can help you search for a record, check fees, and walk you through the request process. This page covers everything you need to know about Wilkes County death records.
Wilkes County Register of Deeds
The Wilkes County Register of Deeds is Misty M. Smithey. The office is at 500 Courthouse Drive, Suite 1000, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. You can call at (336) 651-7351. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
The office holds death records from 1913, with some delayed records from before that year. Birth records also start from 1913. Marriage records go back to 1882, and land records go back to 1778. The staff can search for any of these records and help you with your request.
Wilkes County records have been available online since July 1, 2017. You can search through the Wilkes County Register of Deeds page for details on how to access the online tools.
The NC Association of Registers of Deeds directory lists contact details for the Wilkes County office and all other county offices in the state.
How to Get Wilkes County Death Records
You can request Wilkes County death records in person or by mail. In person, visit the office at 500 Courthouse Drive in Wilkesboro. Bring a valid photo ID and the name and date of death of the person whose record you need. The staff will search the files. If the record is there, you can get a copy the same day.
By mail, send a letter to the same address. Include the name of the deceased, the date of death, your link to the person, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee. The office will mail the copy back to you.
You can also order from the NC Vital Records ordering page for statewide requests. This is useful if you are unsure whether the death took place in Wilkes County or elsewhere.
Wilkes County Death Certificate Fees
A certified copy of a Wilkes County death certificate costs $10. An uncertified copy costs $0.50. The certified version has the raised seal and works for legal purposes. The uncertified version shows the same facts and is a good choice for family history research.
The NC Vital Records fee schedule lists all rates. Wilkes County follows the state schedule for death records and other vital documents. Payment is by check, money order, or cash for in-person visits.
Note: If you need more than one copy, ask the staff about the cost for extra copies. This is useful if you need to send a Wilkes County death record to more than one place.
Who Can Get Wilkes County Death Records
Under G.S. 130A-93, only certain people can get a certified death certificate in North Carolina. This rule applies in Wilkes County and across the state. Close family members, legal representatives, and funeral directors qualify for certified copies.
Eligible people include:
- The surviving spouse
- A parent or adult child
- A brother or sister of the deceased
- A legal representative with court documents
- An attorney acting for an eligible person
- A funeral director who handled the case
Anyone else can get an uncertified copy. Uncertified copies are open to the public. Under G.S. 130A-26A, it is a felony to provide false information on a vital records request in North Carolina.
Historical Wilkes County Death Records
Death records at the Wilkes County Register of Deeds start from 1913. Some delayed records go back a bit further. Land records go all the way back to 1778, which makes the Wilkes County office one of the longer-running records offices in the state.
Watauga County was formed from Wilkes County in 1849, along with parts of other counties. If you are looking for records from that era, some early Wilkes County documents may relate to people who later lived in what became Watauga County.
The North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh holds older Wilkes County records. Court files, estate papers, and wills from the 1700s and 1800s may note a death. The archives are a strong resource for deep historical research in the Wilkes County area.
Under G.S. 130A-93.1, some older vital records open to the public after a set time. Ask the Wilkes County staff if the record you need has reached public status.
State Resources for Wilkes County Deaths
The North Carolina Vital Records office in Raleigh keeps death records from all 100 counties. If the Wilkes County office does not have the record you need, the state is a good backup.
Under G.S. 130A Article 4, the state governs how vital records are created, filed, and shared. Wilkes County follows these rules for every death certificate on file. The NC Association of Registers of Deeds has a directory of all county offices if the death took place outside Wilkes County.
The online tools at the Wilkes County Register of Deeds, available since July 2017, make it easy to search for records from home. This is a strong first step before visiting the office or sending a mail request for a Wilkes County death record.
Tips for Wilkes County Death Searches
Have the full name and date of death ready. These two facts make any search go faster at the Wilkes County office. If you do not have a date, give the staff a range of years. Even a rough span of time can speed up the search.
The online records system has been live since July 2017. Use it to check what is on file before you visit. This saves time and lets you plan your visit to the office in Wilkesboro. You can search by name and see what Wilkes County death records come up.
For broader family research, pair the death record with the land records that go back to 1778 and the marriage records from 1882. These can help build a fuller picture of a family's history in Wilkes County. The staff at the Register of Deeds can search for all of these records in one visit.