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North Carolina · Piedmont · #807
Randolph County, North Carolina
In the heart of the North Carolina Piedmont, Randolph County's Asheboro is home to the North Carolina Zoo - the largest state-supported natural habitat zoo in the United States - in a county that also holds one of the most complete surviving American furniture manufacturing ecosystems and a Quaker heritage that gives the region a quiet historical depth.
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Office: Randolph County Emergency Services – 760 New Century Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203 | (336) 318-6911
Services: 219 full/part-time employees across six service areas including 911, EMS, and Fire Marshal
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-64, US-220, and NC-49 serve Asheboro, the county seat, nicknamed “Zoo City” and part of the Greensboro-High Point Piedmont Triad metro area
Transit: Limited; primarily auto-dependent – confirm current regional options directly with the county.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Randolph County Central Permitting – 204 E Academy Street, Asheboro, NC 27203
Services: Zoning permits (Planning Department, (336) 318-6555), building permits (Building Inspections, (336) 318-6565), and environmental health/septic permits ((336) 318-6262); Fire Marshal permits handled separately at 760 New Century Drive, (336) 318-6914 – permit fees are doubled if work begins before a permit is obtained
Notes: City of Asheboro operates its own separate building permitting through its Permitting and Development Portal – contact the city directly for in-city projects.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Randolph County Veterans Services Office – Asheboro, NC
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Randolph County Public Library – headquartered in Asheboro, with branches in Archdale, Liberty, Ramseur, and Seagrove
Key Assets: Randolph County’s seat, Asheboro, is genuinely and proudly nicknamed “ZOO CITY,” home to the NORTH CAROLINA ZOO – a genuine world record-holder as the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, spanning roughly 2,600-2,800 acres and housing more than 1,700 animals representing over 250 species, primarily drawn from Africa and North America; the zoo’s origins trace back to 1967, when the North Carolina General Assembly created the NC Zoological Garden Study Commission to explore the feasibility of a state zoo, ultimately concluding the idea was not just possible, but genuinely desirable; the nonprofit North Carolina Zoological Society, formed the following year to raise funds and support for the project, remains active today, still offering memberships that provide access to zoos across the continent; the first animals – a pair of Galápagos tortoises – arrived in 1973, and the Zoo’s Interim facility opened to the public in August 1974, followed by groundbreaking for the Africa region in spring 1976 and the grand opening of the original five habitats in 1980; that same year, the North Carolina Zoo took in a genuinely historic resident: Ham, the chimpanzee who in 1961 became the first hominid launched into outer space as part of NASA’s Project Mercury, was transferred from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. to live out his final years at the North Carolina Zoo until his death in 1983; the zoo received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1984 and remains one of only two state-supported zoos in the entire United States, alongside the Minnesota Zoo, with roughly 60 percent of its resources provided through the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; today, the zoo spans roughly five miles of shaded walking trails supplemented by tram service, draws more than 900,000 visitors annually, and was named “Best Zoo” in the nation for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025) in Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards; the zoo’s ongoing conservation work includes breeding programs for red wolves reintroduced to the wild to bolster the endangered population, along with Puerto Rican crested toads and golden white-eyes released to support species recovery efforts
Notes: The North Carolina Zoo’s genuine, extensively documented status as the world’s largest natural habitat zoo – and Ham the space chimpanzee’s final home – is one of the most remarkable wildlife conservation landmarks found anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Randolph County GIS – accessible via randolphcountync.gov
Parcel Search: Randolph County Tax Office
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Randolph County Emergency Services
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Randolph County Animal Services / Shelter – 1370 County Land Rd, Randleman, NC 27317 | Animal Services: (336) 683-8235; Adoption Center: (336) 683-8240 | Hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM–5:30 PM (owner surrenders/strays not accepted after 4 PM)
Services: Animal law enforcement and rabies control for unincorporated Randolph County and the incorporated areas of Ramseur, Franklinville, Seagrove, Staley, and Trinity (other cities are served by their own Police Departments, but the shelter accepts animals from all areas of the county); adopted animals are vaccinated and spayed/neutered before leaving, with a 50% adoption fee refund if the pet was too young to alter at adoption time
Notes: Animal Services does not handle wildlife (other than rabies suspects) or remove dead animals.
Related: Randolph County SPCA – Asheboro, NC, a separate nonprofit partner running a thrift store (Fri/Sat 9 AM–1 PM) to support its programs.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) – deq.nc.gov
Notes: Contact your specific municipality directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Randolph County’s seat, Asheboro, is genuinely known as “Zoo City,” home to the North Carolina Zoo, the world’s largest natural habitat zoo and former home to Ham, the first chimpanzee launched into space. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Randolph County
Randolph County’s North Carolina Zoo covers 2,600 acres and houses over 1,800 animals in natural habitat exhibits – its African and North America sections are among the most expansive outdoor zoo environments in the country. Attendance consistently ranks it among North Carolina’s most-visited attractions, and the zoo has driven hospitality and tourism economic development in an area that would otherwise rely primarily on manufacturing.
The county’s furniture industry – centered on the High Point-Randolph corridor – has persisted in specialized upholstery and case-goods manufacturing even as broader industry consolidation and overseas competition reduced employment. Asheboro’s Quaker heritage, visible in the New Garden Friends Meeting records and the broader Quaker influence on Piedmont North Carolina’s antislavery and educational traditions, gives the county historical dimension beyond manufacturing. Randolph Health serves regional medical needs.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
North Carolina assesses property at 100% of market value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization and Review. North Carolina offers elderly and disabled exclusions for qualifying homeowners. North Carolina has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Randolph County Senior Adults Association
1002 South Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, NC 27203
Phone: (336) 625-3389
Senior Services
Randolph County Senior Adults Association
1002 South Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, NC 27203
Phone: (336) 625-3389
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT
145 Worth St, Asheboro, NC 27203
(336) 318-6500
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Randolph County Clerk of Superior Court, Asheboro (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1908-09 Randolph County Courthouse, NRHP-listed, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Randolph County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Randolph County Clerk of Superior Court – Estates Division 176 East Salisbury Street, Suite 201, Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 328-3100
Randolph County is in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina, seated in Asheboro. The 1908-09 Randolph County Courthouse, Classical Revival in style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
North Carolina has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Probate is handled by the Clerk of Superior Court – an elected official who serves as the ex officio judge of probate – in the county where the decedent was domiciled, under Chapter 28A of the North Carolina General Statutes. Unlike most states, North Carolina does not have a separate probate court; the Clerk’s Estates Division handles all wills, estates, and guardianship matters.
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of Decedent (“collection by affidavit,” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1 and § 28A-25-1.1) – available when the decedent’s personal property, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $20,000, or $30,000 if the surviving spouse is the sole heir and receives all property covered by the statute. Filed at least 30 days after death, using Form AOC-E-203B. Real property CANNOT be transferred through this process. If the decedent left a will, the will must first be admitted to probate and a certified copy attached to the affidavit.
Summary Administration – an abbreviated procedure available only when the surviving spouse is the sole heir.
Full Estate Administration – required for larger or more complex estates; the personal representative (called “executor” if named in a will, “administrator” if intestate) is appointed by the Clerk and receives Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Step 2: filing for administration
File the will (if any) and a petition with the Clerk of Superior Court, Estates Division, in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The Clerk appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors; North Carolina’s creditor claim period is typically at least three months from first publication.
The personal representative inventories the estate’s assets, pays debts and expenses, and distributes the remaining assets according to the will or North Carolina’s intestacy law, reporting back to the Clerk at key stages.
The estate is closed once a final accounting is filed and approved by the Clerk.
What it costs
Filing fees for full estate administration generally follow the statewide statutory schedule, which scales with the estate’s value.
North Carolina repealed its state estate tax in 2013. There is no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax – only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
727 McDowell Rd, Asheboro, NC 27205
(336) 318-6699
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
158-C Worth St, Asheboro, NC 27203
(336) 318-6900
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health Department
2222 South Fayetteville St, Asheboro, NC 27205
(336) 318-6200
Social Services
431 Pineywoods Rd, Asheboro, NC 27205
(336) 318-6000
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Randolph County Public Health Department – Asheboro, NC
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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County Facts
County Seat: Asheboro
Population: 145,000
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Randolph County facilities via Amazon.
