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Wake County Tax Records

Wake County Tax Records

Wake County Tax Records: Understanding the Importance of Property Taxation

Property taxes are the main source of revenue for local governments to provide essential services to their citizens, such as education, public safety, roads, and women’s issues. North Carolina has somewhat lower average property tax rates than the national average. But still, property taxes are crucial in 100 counties of the state. Wake County is the largest county by population in the state, with many residents employed in the thriving research triangle of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. To keep the development going, county officials need to maintain accurate tax records, collect property taxes promptly, and distribute them effectively. In this article, we will provide a detailed overview of Wake County Tax Records and how they help sustain the county’s development and growth.

Getting to Understand Wake County

Wake County is located in the central region of North Carolina, bordered by Franklin, Granville, Durham, Chatham, Harnett, and Johnston counties. According to the latest Census Bureau report, the county has a population of over 1.1 million people, making it the seventh most populous county in the United States. Raleigh, the county seat, is also the state capital and the second-largest city in North Carolina after Charlotte.

Wake County has a diverse economy and offers excellent business opportunities and a high quality of life to its residents. According to Forbes, Raleigh ranks as the second-best place for business and careers in the United States. The local government serves Wake County residents by providing significant public services, including public schools, parks, public safety, and public transportation. To provide these services, the county collects property taxes from its citizens and businesses.

Wake County Property Taxes

In Wake County, the property tax system is a combination of ad valorem, or value-based taxation, and a county-specific rate that is applied to the assessed value of the property. The county’s property tax rate is 60.91 cents per $100 of the assessed value per 2021. This rate has been revised from the 2020 tax rate of 63.24 cents. In addition to the county tax rate, there are also other taxes levied by cities, towns, and special districts.

The Wake County Revenue Department is responsible for managing property tax assessments, collections, appeals, and other related services for the county. The real property assessment value is based on physical characteristics, market conditions, and sales prices of comparable properties.

Informing Citizens with Wake County Tax Records

Wake County Tax Records provide essential information to property owners and interested parties, such as real estate agents and appraisers. The county’s tax records include property ownership details, assessed value, tax values, and tax payment history. One can retrieve these records from the Wake County Revenue Department’s website, which maintains a database of records dating back to 1986.

Property owners can access the Wake County Tax Record Search service online and find their property’s assessed value, tax bill history, and payment status. The site allows property owners to pay their taxes online, find tax credits and deductions, view tax rates, and receive notifications about their property tax bills.

The county’s property record cards contain complete details of the property, including ownership information, property type, square footage, sales history, zoning, assessment, and tax values. This information is used by appraisers, realtors, attorneys, and property owners to make informed decisions on property transactions.

Challenging Wake County Tax Records

Property owners who disagree with the county’s assessment of their property can appeal the decision. The county’s revenue department permits informal appeals where owners can meet with the appraiser to discuss property conditions, sales valuation, and other factors that may impact the assessed value.

The appeal process also allows for formal hearings for disagreements that cannot be resolved informally. Property owners can request a formal hearing at the wake county board of Taxation Review. The board employs Certified Real Estate Appraisers who conduct hearings with the property owner and the revenue department’s appraiser. Following the hearing, the board issues a written decision that may increase, decrease, or maintain the assessed value.

Ensuring Compliance with Wake County Tax Records

Wake County takes delinquent taxes seriously, and property owners who fail to pay the taxes on time incur late fees and interest penalties. The county revenue collector sends out two tax bills each year in July and December. Property owners who have not received the bills or have questions about their tax bill should contact the county revenue department.

In the event that property taxes are delinquent, the county has the authority to initiate foreclosure proceedings. Foreclosure resolutions can result in the county selling the property to pay the back taxes.

In conclusion, Wake County Tax Records are crucial for maintaining sustainable economic growth, identifying property ownership, collecting property taxes, and distributing revenues to support essential services. Property owners can access these records online, pay taxes, and challenge assessments to ensure fairness and accuracy. With proper compliance with these records, Wake County can continue to provide the best quality of life to its citizens and attract businesses to the community.


Wake County tax records are tax records from the state of North Carolina. Wake County, North Carolina has transitioned many of its tax records to an online data base.

While the Wake County Revenue Department made the Wake County tax records available online, it also made it possible for residents and businesses in the 14 municipalities and related service districts to search real estate listings and tax bills through their online data base, pay their tax bills online, view revenue data, browse online business listings, and find foreclosures in Wake County.

The physical Wake County tax records are still maintained at One Bank of America Plaza, 421 Fayetteville St., Suite 200, in the state capital, Raleigh.

In addition to managing the Wake County tax records, the Wake County Revenue Department also answers questions about property valuation and assessments, real estate taxes, motor vehicle taxes, and business property listings.

The Revenue Department also works closely with the Register of Deeds, who in turn is able to answer related questions about real estate deeds, legal document recordings, marriage licenses, birth records, death records, and notary oaths.