North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 130A. Public Health § 130A-99. Register of deeds to preserve copies of birth and death records

(a) The register of deeds of each county shall file and preserve the copies of birth and death certificates furnished by the local registrar under the provisions of G.S. 130A-97, and shall make and keep a proper index of the certificates. These certificates shall be open to inspection and examination. Copies or abstracts of these certificates shall be provided to any person upon request. Certified copies of these certificates shall be provided only to those persons described in G.S. 130A-93(c).

(b) The register of deeds may remove from the records and destroy copies of birth or death certificates for persons born or dying in counties other than the county in which the office of the register of deeds is located, only after confirming that copies of the birth or death certificates removed and destroyed are maintained by the State Registrar or North Carolina State Archives.