Cleveland County Register of Deeds Betsy Harnage announced that beginning January 1, 2026, Registers of Deeds across North Carolina will be authorized to issue certified copies of adoptive birth certificates under provisions of Senate Bill 248, Birth Certificates for Persons Adopted. Senate Bill 248 (SB 248) was enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly in June and signed into law by Governor Josh Stein on June 26, becoming Session Law 2025-9. Under this legislation, Registers of Deeds statewide, including the Cleveland County Register of Deeds Office, will be able to issue certified copies of adoptees' birth certificates at the local level. Who may obtain a Certified Copy under the new law, certified copies of adoptive birth certificates may be issued only to the following individuals:
• The adoptee
• The adoptee's children
• The adoptive parents
• The adoptee's spouse, brothers, or sisters Original birth certificates issued prior to adoption, as well as all associated adoption records, will remain sealed and are not subject to inspection or release. Prior to the passage of SB 248, adoptees were required to obtain certified copies of their adoptive birth certificates exclusively through the North Carolina Office of Vital Records (NCOVR) in Raleigh. State lawmakers and agencies have cited the new law as a customer-service improvement, allowing individuals to access certified records more conveniently through their local Register of Deeds office. To support the implementation of this change, the NC Office of Vital Records will provide Adoption Security training to Registers of Deeds and their staff statewide. Training will focus on proper issuance procedures, privacy protections, secure record handling, confidentiality requirements, and updated electronic access and digitization standards. "This change allows our office to better meet the needs of Cleveland County's adoption families by providing timely, convenient access to certified records close to home, while continuing to protect sensitive information," said Hon. Betsy S. Harnage. "We're proud to play a role in assisting our citizens in obtaining their birth certificates." For more information, contact the Cleveland County Register of Deeds at the County Administration Building, 311 East Marion Street in Shelby, by phone at (704) 484-4834 or by email at rod.vitals@clevelandcountync.gov.
Submitted by Karyn Owens-Patton