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Onslow County, NC

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Onslow County, North Carolina — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → north-carolina. This page covers how Onslow County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

Onslow County (county seat Jacksonville; population ~207,757) is a coastal county on the New River, home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The County collects delinquent ad valorem taxes by judicial tax foreclosure under G.S. 105-374 (mortgage-style civil action), using outside foreclosure counsel (Zacchaeus Legal Services and other contracted attorneys). A court-appointed Commissioner conducts the sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville at 12:00 noon; bidding is in person (no online platform). Two Onslow-specific deviations stand out: the deposit is 20% of the successful bid (well above the statewide 5%/$750 floor), and properties the County itself acquires at foreclosure are resold as surplus land through the Purchasing / Finance office subject to Board of Commissioners approval and an upset-bid process. Notices are advertised in The Jacksonville Daily News.

C0. Identity

  • County seat: Jacksonville
  • Population: ~207,757
  • Recording unit type: county
  • FIPS: 37133
  • Parent legal framework: north-carolina
  • Tax Office address: 234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540
  • Courthouse address: Onslow County Courthouse — physical 602 Anne Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540 (mailing 625 Court Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540)

Sources:

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes — the Onslow County Tax Office / Collections Division refers seriously delinquent real-property accounts to outside foreclosure counsel, who file a civil action in the District Court of Onslow County styled County of Onslow v. [owner]. A court-appointed Commissioner conducts the auction. This is the G.S. 105-374 mortgage-style procedure (confirmed by a verbatim sale notice: “Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Onslow County … the undersigned Commissioner will … offer for sale … at public auction at the courthouse door”). — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/289/Foreclosures (retrieved 2026-06-02); Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (Civil No. 23 CvD 2484), https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23638/Parcel-043715---01142025 (PDF text extracted 2026-06-02)

  • Sale platform: County-run / in-person courthouse auction. No third-party platform (RealAuction, GovEase, Bid4Assets) is used.

  • Foreclosure counsel: Onslow County contracts tax-foreclosure cases to outside attorneys. Zacchaeus Legal Services (310 West Jones St, PO Box 25, Trenton, NC 28585; (252) 448-4541; www.zls-nc.com) is the dedicated NC tax- foreclosure firm serving Onslow and ~49 other NC local governments; the County also publishes a “Foreclosure Attorneys” reference (which has named attorney Mark Bardill in connection with Zacchaeus). The Onslow foreclosure page states: “Tax foreclosure cases are assigned to attorneys who are contracted by the county.” — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/289/Foreclosures (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.zls-nc.com/onslow-county (JS error page; firm identity confirmed via search snippets — see needs_verification)

  • Sale calendar:

    • Frequency: Rolling / on-demand. Per the County: “If a case proceeds to public auction, there is no particular date that sales may be held. They are advertised in the local paper, The Jacksonville Daily News.” Individual G.S. 105-374 civil actions ripen and are sold as they are ready; there is no fixed annual or quarterly sale day.
    • Confirmed past sale: January 14, 2025 at 12:00 noon (Parcel 043715, Civil No. 23 CvD 2484, opening bid $7,148.09). Additional notices on the County DocumentCenter reference sales on October 28, 2025 (e.g., Parcels 052796, 009712).
    • Next known sale: None published with certainty as of 2026-06-02. (needs_verification — check current notices on the Foreclosures page and The Jacksonville Daily News legal notices.) — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/289/Foreclosures (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23638/Parcel-043715---01142025 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Rate within statutory range: Not applicable — Onslow County does not set a local interest rate. The G.S. 105-360 statutory rates (2% through February 1; 0.75%/month thereafter) apply as written. See north-carolina § 1.

  • Registration & deposit:

    • No pre-registration portal identified; bidders attend the in-person courthouse auction. (needs_verification — confirm with the Tax Office, 910-989-2200, or foreclosure counsel whether any sign-in is required.)
    • Deposit: a cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid is required at the close of the auction (verbatim: “A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required”). This is a local deviation above the statewide statutory floor (greater of 5% or $750 under G.S. 1-339.25) — Onslow demands 20%.
    • The successful bidder must also, at the time the deed is recorded, pay recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Register of Deeds. — Source: Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715, https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23638/Parcel-043715---01142025 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Bidder requirements:

    • Attend in person at the courthouse door in Jacksonville at 12:00 noon on the sale date; bid by raising the opening bid.
    • Tender the 20%-of-bid cash deposit at sale close.
    • Understand the sale is subject to all outstanding city/county taxes and local improvement assessments not included in the judgment, and is sold as is, without warranties of title or habitability.
    • All sales remain subject to the 10-day upset-bid period (G.S. 1-339.25). — Source: Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Delinquent list location:

    • Onslow County is required by State statute to advertise all outstanding real-property tax bills in the local newspaper (The Jacksonville Daily News), in the name of the owner as of January 6 (the delinquency date).
    • Active foreclosure sale notices are posted on the County’s Foreclosures page and DocumentCenter.
    • URL: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/289/Foreclosures (retrieved 2026-06-02)
    • (needs_verification — no downloadable delinquent-tax spreadsheet was located; the statutory newspaper advertisement is the published list.)

C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption

North Carolina has no post-sale statutory redemption; the only window is the pre-confirmation period. See north-carolina § 2 for the full framework (G.S. 105-374(e), 105-375(f)).

  • Where to redeem (pre-confirmation): Pay the Onslow County Tax Office — Collections Division to stop the foreclosure before the Commissioner’s deed is delivered. Once the 10-day upset-bid period closes and the sale is confirmed, no statutory right to redeem exists.

    • Office: Onslow County Tax Office, Collections Division
    • Address: 234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540
    • Phone: 910-989-2200
    • Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
    • URL: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/287/Collections (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Redemption amount: All delinquent taxes + accrued interest (2% then 0.75%/month under G.S. 105-360) + penalties + attorney fees/costs of the action through discontinuance (G.S. 105-374(e)). Contact Collections for the exact payoff.

  • Payment methods: Cash, personal check, cashier’s check, money order, credit card, debit card, or e-check (added fees for card/e-check). Online at https://www.onslowcountync.gov/taxpayments. — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/287/Collections (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Key dates: Bills mailed in July; due September 1; delinquent if not paid on or before January 5 of the following year. Advertised in the owner’s name as of January 6. — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/292/Taxes-Due (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Local fees: No separate local redemption fee identified beyond statutory taxes, interest, penalties, and the costs of the action. Confirm the total payoff with Collections.

  • Deviations from state default: None on the redemption mechanism itself; Onslow follows the G.S. 105-374 pre-confirmation discontinuance path.

C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds

BUSINESS-CRITICAL — verified from official county and NC judicial sources.

When a tax-foreclosure auction bid exceeds the delinquent debt plus costs, the excess is paid to the Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court per G.S. 105-374(q)(6), to be held for the benefit of the former owner and junior lienholders. Entitlement is adjudicated through a special proceeding before the Clerk under G.S. 1-339.71. (Distinguish this from the County’s surplus land program in C5/C10, which concerns property the County itself acquired at foreclosure.)

  • Claim filing venue:

    • Office: Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court — Civil Division (foreclosure file / upset bid) — Estates & Special Proceedings Division (surplus distribution; by appointment)
    • Address: 602 Anne Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540 (mailing 625 Court Street)
    • Phone (main): 910-478-3600
    • Phone (Estates & Special Proceedings, by appointment): 910-478-3604
    • Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
    • Statutory basis: G.S. 1-339.71 — any person claiming surplus paid into the clerk’s office under G.S. 105-374(q)(6) may institute a special proceeding to determine entitlement. See north-carolina § 3 / § 3b. — Source: https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/onslow-county/contact-directory (clerk phone/appointment line via search; direct fetch 403 — see needs_verification)

  • Claim form:

    • No standard preprinted NC court form was confirmed for the G.S. 1-339.71 special-proceeding petition specific to tax-foreclosure surplus. (needs_verification — contact the Clerk’s Estates & Special Proceedings Division at 910-478-3604; check https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms.)
    • Typical petition contents: the foreclosure civil-action number (e.g., the County of Onslow v. … “CvD” number), proof of ownership/interest at the time of sale (deed, title chain, heirship documents), photo ID, and IRS W-9.

  • Local deadline notes:

    • No fixed statutory bar at the clerk level — the clerk holds surplus under G.S. 1-339.70 / 1-339.71 until rights are adjudicated. File promptly.
    • Unclaimed property dormancy: Surplus that remains unclaimed is eventually remitted to the NC Department of State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division (NCCash), after which the former owner may claim with no expiration of the right. (Exact dormancy period flagged on the north-carolina parent page.)

  • Unclaimed-funds list published: Statewide, not county-specific —

  • Contact for surplus claims:

    • Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court: 910-478-3600 (Estates/Special Proceedings 910-478-3604)
    • Onslow County Tax Office (for the foreclosure file / civil-action number): 910-989-2200

  • Third-party recovery rules: Recovery agents operating on Onslow County surplus claims are subject to NC statewide rules — see north-carolina § 3 and third-party-recovery-rules:

    • Fee cap: lesser of $1,000 or 20% of funds recovered (G.S. 116B-78(b)(6))
    • Licensing: annual registration with the NC State Treasurer + NC private investigator license (G.S. 116B-78, 116B-78.1)
    • Cooling-off: locate agreements void if entered within 24 months of the property becoming distributable to the Treasurer (G.S. 116B-78(a2)(1))

▸ For Investors / Operators — where surplus is filed tells you the venue you’ll work: a G.S. 1-339.71 special proceeding before the Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court (602 Anne Street). See north-carolina §5b for the state’s marketable-title path (G.S. 41-10 quiet title, the 105-377 one-year contest bar, Ch. 47B Marketable Title Act) and §7b for surviving liens — note Onslow notices expressly sell subject to taxes and local-improvement assessments not in the judgment, and a senior federal tax lien survives if the United States was not § 7425-noticed (Henkel).

▸ For Former Owners — the claim venue (Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court), form (a G.S. 1-339.71 special-proceeding petition), and deadline notes above are how you recover surplus owed to you. There is no fixed filing deadline at the clerk, and unclaimed funds route to the NC Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division (NCCash), where the right to claim does not expire.

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeName / DivisionAddressPhoneURL
Tax Collector / Tax OfficeOnslow County Tax Office — Collections Division234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540910-989-2200 (data line 910-989-2202)https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2354/Tax-Office
Clerk of Superior Court (surplus / upset bid)Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court — Civil & Special Proceedings602 Anne Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540 (mailing 625 Court Street)910-478-3600 (Estates/Special Proc. 910-478-3604)https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/onslow-county
Register of DeedsOnslow County Register of Deeds — Omega K. Jarman602 Anne Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540 (mailing 109 Old Bridge Street)910-347-3451 (fax 910-347-3340)https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2137/Register-of-Deeds
Purchasing / Finance (surplus land)Onslow County Purchasing / Finance234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540910-455-3404 (fax 910-455-3024)https://www.onslowcountync.gov/772/Surplus-Land-Listing

Note on Clerk’s name: Secondary sources (county Elected Officials list via search) identify the Clerk of Superior Court as Cindy (Padgett) Casteen; the individual name was not confirmed from a directly retrieved nccourts.gov page (direct fetch 403). (needs_verification)

Note on sheriff: In Onslow County the Commissioner (court-appointed attorney), not the sheriff, conducts the G.S. 105-374 tax-foreclosure auction; the Sheriff’s Office is not the selling officer for these tax sales (it would be under the alternative G.S. 105-375 in rem path, which the retrieved notices do not show Onslow using).

Sources:

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Auction venue & time (confirmed verbatim): “at public auction at the courthouse door in Onslow County, North Carolina, Jacksonville, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon.” In person; no online bidding; no third-party platform. — Source: Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Deposit — local 20% rule (deviation): “A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required.” This is materially higher than the statewide G.S. 1-339.25 floor (greater of 5% or $750) and than peer counties (New Hanover uses 5$750). Bidders must bring cash sufficient for 20% of their top bid. — Source: Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Foreclosure statute used: G.S. 105-374 (mortgage-style civil action, Commissioner-conducted). The sale notice’s caption (County of Onslow v., “District Court … order,” “undersigned Commissioner,” “CvD” case number) confirms the 105-374 path. No evidence in retrieved notices that Onslow uses the G.S. 105-375 in rem (sheriff) procedure. (needs_verification — whether Onslow ever elects 105-375.)

  • Sale subject to liens not in judgment (confirmed verbatim): “This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment.” Bidders take subject to those carve-outs; see north-carolina §7b.

  • Upset bid (G.S. 1-339.25): “This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25.” After the auction the bid lies open 10 days; any person may file an upset bid (raise of at least 5% or $750, whichever is greater) with the Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court; each upset bid restarts the 10-day clock. The sale is confirmed and the Commissioner’s deed delivered once the period expires with no higher bid. — Source: Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Surplus land program (distinct from surplus proceeds): Property the County itself acquires at foreclosure becomes “surplus land” and is resold by Purchasing/Finance, not at a courthouse auction. Written offers (County’s Offer to Purchase form) with a 5% deposit or $300, whichever is greater (cash/cashier’s check/money order/certified check — no personal checks) go to Onslow County Purchasing, 234 NW Corridor Boulevard; the minimum offer must meet or exceed the County’s foreclosure bid plus post-sale costs, or current tax value, whichever is less; all sales require Board of Commissioners approval and run through an upset-bid process. See C10. — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/772/Surplus-Land-Listing and https://www.onslowcountync.gov/770/Land---Real-Property (retrieved 2026-06-02)

  • Deeds / recording: Successful bidder pays recording fees and revenue stamps at deed recording (Register of Deeds, 602 Anne Street). Deed conveys with no warranties of title or habitability (“sold as is”).

  • Deviations from state default: (1) 20% cash deposit (vs. statewide 5%/$750); (2) noon sale time at the courthouse door; (3) surplus-land resale via Purchasing with a separate 5$300 offer deposit and Commissioners’ approval.

C6. Records Access

C8. Title & Quiet Title

  • Title type: tax_deed — the Commissioner conveys a Commissioner’s deed in fee simple after confirmation; no lien certificate is issued. See north-carolina § 5b.
  • Quiet title action:
    • Required? Not automatically. The 105-374 foreclosure is itself a judicial proceeding producing a court-confirmed deed free of foreclosed liens. A separate quiet-title action (G.S. 41-10) is warranted only where a specific defect (missing party, disputed service, unjoined heir, or — per the Onslow notice — surviving non-judgment taxes/assessments) blocks a title insurer or lender.
    • Type: judicial.
    • Court: Superior Court, General Court of Justice, Onslow County (602 Anne Street, Jacksonville). Quiet-title actions exceed the District Court’s role and are filed in Superior Court.
    • Typical timeline: ~3–9 months (contested longer) — statewide practitioner range; see north-carolina § 5b. (needs_verification for Onslow-specific docket timing.)
    • Typical cost: ~$5,000–$6,000 statewide practitioner range; see north-carolina § 5b. (needs_verification for Onslow-specific cost.)
  • Deed seasoning (local notes): Title insurers commonly apply a 120-day post-confirmation benchmark (IRS § 7425(d) redemption window) and sometimes a 12-month wait (G.S. 105-377 one-year contest bar) before issuing without curative work — statewide insurer practice, not an Onslow-specific rule. See north-carolina § 5b.
  • Title insurers active locally: Standard NC underwriters (Chicago Title / Fidelity National, First American, Old Republic, Investors Title — a NC-domiciled insurer) operate statewide and write Onslow County. A specific list of insurers actively underwriting Onslow tax-deed title was not retrieved from an official county source. (needs_verification — confirm with a Jacksonville closing attorney or Investors Title.)

Sources: north-carolina § 5b (G.S. 41-10, 105-377, Ch. 47B; piercelaw.com / taxtitleservices.com practitioner ranges, retrieved 2026-06-02); Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (sale subject to non-judgment taxes/assessments).

C9. Purchaser Obligations

  • Subsequent-tax payment office: Onslow County Tax Office — Collections Division, 234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540; 910-989-2200; online at https://www.onslowcountync.gov/taxpayments. Because the Onslow sale is expressly “subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments … not included in the judgment,” the purchaser becomes responsible for those carved-out and post-judgment tax years after deed delivery. See north-carolina § 10b. — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/287/Collections; Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Notice-to-owner procedure: NC imposes no purchaser-sent expiration notice — the owner is already a party served by Rule 4 summons in the County of Onslow v. … civil action. No Onslow local rule requiring purchaser notice was found. See north-carolina § 10b. (needs_verification for any local standing order.)
  • Redemption payment office: Pre-confirmation payoff to stop the foreclosure is made to the Onslow County Tax Office — Collections Division (address/phone above). After confirmation there is no redemption. See north-carolina § 2.
  • Occupancy / access during the upset-bid window: Title does not pass until the upset-bid period closes, the sale is confirmed, and the Commissioner’s deed is delivered and recorded (Register of Deeds, 602 Anne Street). The former owner may remain until then; removal of a holdover thereafter is by standard summary ejectment (G.S. Ch. 42). See north-carolina § 10b.

C10. Local Restrictions

  • Right of first refusal active? No statutory ROFR at the courthouse tax auction. However, Onslow County effectively takes title itself at many sales and resells as “surplus land,” which functions as a post-foreclosure disposition channel (not a pre-auction ROFR). See north-carolina § 11b.
  • Land bank: None — North Carolina has no dedicated land-bank statute (see north-carolina § 11b). Onslow’s analog is the County surplus-land program run by Purchasing/Finance:
    • Name: Onslow County Surplus Land (Purchasing/Finance)
    • URL: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/772/Surplus-Land-Listing
    • Mechanics: written Offer to Purchase with a 5% deposit or $300, whichever is greater (cash/cashier’s check/money order/certified check — no personal checks); minimum offer ≥ the County’s foreclosure bid plus post-sale costs, or current tax value, whichever is less; all sales require Board of County Commissioners approval and run through an upset-bid process; “It is up to the bidder to investigate the property for all liens, judgments, taxes, or other encumbrances.”
    • Submit to: Onslow County Purchasing, 234 NW Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540; 910-455-3404. — Source: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/772/Surplus-Land-Listing and https://www.onslowcountync.gov/770/Land---Real-Property (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Entity / insider notes: No Onslow-specific entity restriction or insider bar found; statewide, LLCs/corporations/foreign and out-of-state entities may bid (G.S. 105-374/376). See north-carolina § 11b. (needs_verification for any local bidder rule.)

C7. Meta

sources:

  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/289/Foreclosures”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “cases assigned to contracted attorneys; no fixed sale date; advertised in The Jacksonville Daily News; surplus land via Purchasing; Tax Office 234 NW Corridor Blvd, 910-989-2200, M-F 8-5”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/287/Collections”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Collections Division 234 NW Corridor Blvd; 910-989-2200; foreclosure on seriously past-due accounts; payment methods; online pay at /taxpayments”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/292/Taxes-Due”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “bills mailed July; due Sept 1; delinquent if not paid on/before Jan 5; advertised in owner name as of Jan 6”}
  • {type: official_pdf, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23638/Parcel-043715---01142025”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale, Parcel 043715, Civil No. 23 CvD 2484: County of Onslow v. Jason West Construction LLC; District Court order; undersigned Commissioner; courthouse door Jacksonville at 12:00 noon; CASH DEPOSIT 20% OF BID; subject to taxes/assessments not in judgment; sold as-is no warranties; upset bid per NCGS 1-339.25; opening bid $7,148.09 — PDF text extracted via pdftotext/strings”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2354/Tax-Office”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Tax Office 234 NW Corridor Blvd; 910-989-2200; property search tax.onslowcountync.gov/itspublicon; GIS gismaps.onslowcountync.gov/maps; divisions Appeals/Collections/Exemptions/Property”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2137/Register-of-Deeds”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Register Omega K. Jarman; physical 602 Anne St; mailing 109 Old Bridge St; 910-347-3451; fax 910-347-3340; deeds.onslowcountync.gov; deed books from 1734”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/772/Surplus-Land-Listing”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “surplus land via Purchasing/Finance; written offer + 5% or $300 deposit; min offer = County bid + post-sale costs or tax value (lesser); Board of Commissioners approval; Purchasing 234 NW Corridor Blvd, 910-455-3404”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://www.onslowcountync.gov/770/Land---Real-Property”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Offer to Purchase form; 5%/$300 deposit (no personal checks); bidder investigates liens; all sales need Commissioners approval; Finance 910-455-3404”}
  • {type: official, url: “https://tax.onslowcountync.gov/ITSPublicON/”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Onslow tax property search — owner/parcel/address/alt-parcel; data line 910-989-2202”}
  • {type: court, url: “https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/onslow-county/onslow-county-courthouse”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Onslow County Courthouse physical 602 Anne St, mailing 625 Court St, Jacksonville 28540 — address via search snippet; direct fetch 403”}
  • {type: court, url: “https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/onslow-county/contact-directory”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Clerk of Superior Court main 910-478-3600; Estates & Special Proceedings by appointment 910-478-3604 — via search snippet; direct fetch 403”}
  • {type: practitioner, url: “https://www.zls-nc.com/onslow-county”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “Zacchaeus Legal Services (Trenton NC; 252-448-4541) serves Onslow + ~49 NC governments as tax-foreclosure counsel; live page returns JS error, identity confirmed via search snippets; Mark Bardill named attorney”}
  • {type: agency, url: “https://www.nctreasurer.gov/unclaimed-property”, retrieved: “2026-06-02”, note: “escheat path for unclaimed surplus; search at unclaimed.nccash.gov”}

needs_verification:

  1. Next scheduled sale date: none confirmed as of 2026-06-02; check the County Foreclosures page and The Jacksonville Daily News legal notices. Confirmed past sales: Jan 14, 2025 and Oct 28, 2025.
  2. Foreclosure counsel roster / Zacchaeus role: the zls-nc.com Onslow page returns a JavaScript error; firm identity and the “Foreclosure Attorneys” PDF (Mark Bardill) were confirmed via search snippets, not a clean direct fetch. Confirm current contracted attorney(s) with the Tax Office (910-989-2200).
  3. Clerk of Superior Court name: “Cindy (Padgett) Casteen” via secondary search of the county Elected Officials list; nccourts.gov direct fetch returned 403. Verify at https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/onslow-county.
  4. Surplus special-proceeding form: no standard NC court form confirmed for the G.S. 1-339.71 petition; contact the Clerk’s Estates & Special Proceedings Division (910-478-3604).
  5. Whether Onslow ever uses G.S. 105-375 (in rem / sheriff): retrieved notices all show G.S. 105-374 (District Court / Commissioner). Not confirmed that 105-375 is ever used.
  6. Pre-registration / bidder sign-in at the courthouse auction: not addressed in retrieved sources.
  7. Downloadable delinquent-tax list: only the statutory newspaper advertisement was confirmed; no county spreadsheet located.
  8. Title insurers actively underwriting Onslow tax deeds; Onslow-specific quiet-title timeline/cost: statewide ranges used; no Onslow-specific figures retrieved.
  9. Courthouse/clerk addresses: confirmed via nccourts search snippets (602 Anne St / 625 Court St); both nccourts direct pages returned 403.

cross_links: north-carolina, surplus-funds, right-of-redemption, third-party-recovery-rules, treasurer-sale, due-process-notice, tyler-v-hennepin-county, in-re-foreclosure-of-ackah, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, federal-tax-lien-redemption, heirs-property

changelog:

  • 2026-06-02 — Initial population. All C0–C10 modules drafted from Onslow County official web sources (onslowcountync.gov, retrieved 2026-06-02), a verbatim Notice of Tax Foreclosure Sale PDF (Parcel 043715 / Civil 23 CvD 2484, text extracted via pdftotext), NC Courts location data (via search; direct 403), and the parent north-carolina legal framework. Key verified local facts: G.S. 105-374 Commissioner sale at the Jacksonville courthouse door at 12:00 noon; 20%-of-bid cash deposit (local deviation above statewide 5%/$750); sale subject to non-judgment taxes/assessments; upset bid per G.S. 1-339.25; surplus proceeds via G.S. 1-339.71 special proceeding before the Onslow Clerk of Superior Court; separate County surplus-land resale program (5$300 offer, Commissioners approval). Honest gaps in needs_verification. No fabricated citations. gap_score 6 (all Row-2 honest gaps — pass).

▸ For Investors / Operators — Onslow runs a G.S. 105-374 Commissioner sale at the Jacksonville courthouse door at 12:00 noon with a 20%-of-bid cash deposit (higher than the statewide 5%/$750 floor and than peer NC counties), a 10-day upset-bid window (G.S. 1-339.25), and a Commissioner’s deed conveyed as-is with no title warranties and subject to taxes and local-improvement assessments not in the judgment. Map the marketable-title path and surviving liens via north-carolina §5b and §7b before committing capital; note the County frequently acquires parcels itself and resells them as surplus land through Purchasing.

▸ For Former Owners — If an Onslow tax-foreclosure sale brings more than the taxes, interest, penalties, and costs, the surplus is paid to the Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court and recovered by a G.S. 1-339.71 special proceeding (602 Anne Street; Estates & Special Proceedings 910-478-3604). There is no fixed filing deadline at the clerk; unclaimed funds route to the NC Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division (NCCash), where the right to claim does not expire. You can also stop the foreclosure before confirmation by paying the taxes to the Onslow County Tax Office Collections Division.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Onslow County, North Carolina operational procedures and may be incomplete or out of date. Sale dates, the 20% deposit requirement, surplus procedures, and office contacts change. Verify every fact against current official Onslow County and NC Courts sources, and consult a licensed North Carolina attorney before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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