North Carolina Asset Transfers After Death

Does North Carolina have a transfer-on-death deed?

No. North Carolina's transfer-on-death statute, Article 4 of General Statutes Chapter 41, covers registration of securities. Neither Chapter 41 nor Chapter 39, which governs conveyances, creates a transfer-on-death deed for real estate. Official source

Real estate can still pass outside probate by routes North Carolina statutes record:

• Tenancy by the entirety, for spouses (G.S. 41-56 and 41-64). A deed to two spouses creates a tenancy by the entirety unless it says otherwise. When one spouse dies, the property belongs to the survivor and the deceased spouse has no estate in it to pass.
• Joint tenancy with right of survivorship (G.S. 41-71). Co-owners hold as tenants in common unless the deed expresses an intent to create a joint tenancy with right of survivorship.
• Revocable trust (G.S. 36C-6-602). Land deeded to the trust follows the trust terms at death. A trust signed after Chapter 36C took effect can be revoked or amended unless its terms expressly make it irrevocable.

The North Carolina guide to avoiding probate sets these routes beside beneficiary forms on accounts, policies and securities.

Settled Estate read these sections on October 8, 2026. Each route has tradeoffs, so a North Carolina real estate attorney can say which fits a given property.