GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 317
Short Title: Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Sawrey, Lowe, and Settle (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 18, 2025
*S317 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ENACT THE UNIFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS PROPERTY ACT. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. Article 2 of Chapter 46A of the General Statutes is amended by adding 4
a new Part to read: 5
"Part 4. Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. 6
"§ 46A-87. Short title. 7
This Part shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act." 8
"§ 46A-88. Definitions. 9
As used in this Part, the following definitions apply: 10
(1) Ascendant. – An individual who precedes another individual in lineage, in the 11
direct line of ascent from the other individual. 12
(2) Collateral. – An individual who is related to another individual under the 13
operation of the intestate succession provisions of Chapter 29 of the General 14
Statutes but who is not the other individual's ascendant or descendant. 15
(3) Descendant. – An individual who follows another individual in lineage, in the 16
direct line of descent from the other individual. 17
(4) Determination of value. – A court order determining the fair market value of 18
heirs property under this Part or adopting the valuation of the property agreed 19
to by all cotenants. 20
(5) Heirs property. – Real property held in tenancy in common which satisfies all 21
of the following requirements as of the filing of a partition proceeding: 22
a. There is no agreement in a record binding all of the cotenants which 23
governs the partition of the property. 24
b. One or more of the cotenants acquired title from a relative, whether 25
living or deceased. 26
c. Any of the following apply: 27
1. Twenty percent (20%) or more of the interests are held by 28
cotenants who are relatives. 29
2. Twenty percent (20%) or more of the interests are held by an 30
individual who acquired title from a relative, whether living or 31
deceased. 32
3. Twenty percent (20%) or more of the cotenants are relatives. 33
(6) Partition by sale. – A court-ordered sale of the entire heirs property, whether 34
by auction, sealed bids, or open-market sale conducted under G.S. 46A-96. 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 317-First Edition
(7) Partition in kind. – The division of heirs property into physically distinct and 1
separately titled parcels. 2
(8) Record. – Information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored 3
in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. 4
(9) Relative. – An ascendant, descendant, or collateral or an individual otherwise 5
related to another individual by blood, marriage, adoption, or law of this State 6
other than this Part. 7
"§ 46A-89. Applicability; relation to other law. 8
(a) In a proceeding to partition real property under Article 2 of this Chapter, the court 9
shall determine whether the property is heirs property. If the court determines that the property 10
is heirs property, the property shall be partitioned under this Part unless all of the cotenants 11
otherwise agree in a record. 12
(b) This Part supplements Article 1 of this Chapter and the other Parts of this Article and, 13
if a proceeding is governed by this Part, replaces provisions of this Chapter that are inconsistent 14
with this Part. 15
"§ 46A-90. Service; notice by posting. 16
(a) This Part does not limit or affect the method by which service of a summons and 17
notice in a partition proceeding may be made. 18
(b) If the petitioner in a partition proceeding seeks authorization for notice by publication 19
and the court determines that the property may be heirs property, the petitioner, not later than 10 20
days after the court's determination, shall post a conspicuous sign on the property that is the 21
subject of the proceeding. The sign must state that the proceeding has commenced and identify 22
the name and address of the court and the common designation by which the property is known. 23
The court may require the petitioner to publish on the sign the name of the petitioner and the 24
known respondents. 25
"§ 46A-91. Commissioners. 26
If the court appoints commissioners pursuant to G.S. 46A-50 or G.S. 46A-76, each 27
commissioner, in addition to the requirements and disqualifications applicable to commissioners 28
in G.S. 46A-50, must be disinterested and impartial and not a party to or a participant in the 29
proceeding. 30
"§ 46A-92. Determination of value. 31
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, if the court 32
determines that the property that is the subject of a partition proceeding is heirs property, the 33
court shall determine the fair market value of the property by ordering an appraisal pursuant to 34
subsection (d) of this section. 35
(b) If all cotenants have agreed to the value of the property or to another method of 36
valuation, the court shall adopt that value or the value produced by the agreed method of 37
valuation. 38
(c) If the court determines that the evidentiary value of an appraisal is outweighed by the 39
cost of the appraisal, the court, after an evidentiary hearing, shall determine the fair market value 40
of the property and send notice to the parties of the value. 41
(d) If the court orders an appraisal, the court shall appoint a disinterested real estate 42
appraiser licensed in this State to determine the fair market value of the property assuming sole 43
ownership of the fee simple estate. On completion of the appraisal, the appraiser shall file a sworn 44
or verified appraisal with the court. 45
(e) If an appraisal is conducted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, not later than 46
10 days after the appraisal is filed, the court shall send notice to each party with a known address, 47
stating the following: 48
(1) The appraised fair market value of the property. 49
(2) That the appraisal is available at the office of the clerk of superior court. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 317-First Edition Page 3
(3) That a party may file with the court an objection to the appraisal not later than 1
30 days after the notice is sent, stating the grounds for the objection. 2
(f) If an appraisal is filed with the court pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the 3
court shall conduct a hearing to determine the fair market value of the property no sooner than 4
30 days after a copy of the notice of the appraisal is sent to each party under subsection (e) of 5
this section, whether or not an objection to the appraisal is filed under subdivision (3) of 6
subsection (e) of this section. In addition to the court-ordered appraisal, the court may consider 7
any other evidence of value offered by a party. 8
(g) After a hearing under subsection (f) of this section, but before considering the merits 9
of the partition proceeding, the court shall determine the fair market value of the property and 10
send notice to the parties of the value. 11
"§ 46A-93. Cotenant buyout. 12
(a) If any cotenant requested partition by sale, after the determination of value under 13
G.S. 46A-92, the court shall send notice to the parties that any cotenant except a cotenant that 14
requested partition by sale may buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by 15
sale. 16
(b) No later than 45 days after the notice is sent under subsection (a) of this section, any 17
cotenant except a cotenant that requested partition by sale may give notice to the court that the 18
cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale. 19
(c) The purchase price for each of the interests of a cotenant that requested partition by 20
sale is the value of the entire parcel determined under G.S. 46A-92 multiplied by the cotenant's 21
fractional ownership of the entire parcel. 22
(d) After expiration of the period in subsection (b) of this section, the following rules 23
apply: 24
(1) If only one cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that 25
requested partition by sale, the court shall notify all the parties of that fact. 26
(2) If more than one cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that 27
requested partition by sale, the court shall allocate the right to buy those 28
interests among the electing cotenants based on each electing cotenant's 29
existing fractional ownership of the entire parcel divided by the total existing 30
fractional ownership of all cotenants electing to buy and send notice to all the 31
parties of that fact and of the price to be paid by each electing cotenant. 32
(3) If no cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested 33
partition by sale, the court shall send notice to all the parties of that fact and 34
resolve the partition proceeding under G.S. 46A-94(a) and (b). 35
(e) If the court sends notice to the parties under subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (d) 36
of this section, the court shall set a date, no sooner than 60 days after the date the notice was sent, 37
by which electing cotenants must pay their apportioned price into the court. After the date set by 38
the court, the following rules apply: 39
(1) If all electing cotenants timely pay their apportioned price into court, the court 40
shall issue an order reallocating all the interests of the cotenants and disburse 41
the amounts held by the court to the persons entitled to them. 42
(2) If no electing cotenant timely pays that cotenant's apportioned price, the court 43
shall resolve the partition proceeding under G.S. 46A-94(a) and (b) as if the 44
interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale were not purchased. 45
(3) If one or more but not all of the electing cotenants fail to pay their apportioned 46
price on time, the court shall give notice to the electing cotenants that paid 47
their apportioned price of the interest remaining and the price for all that 48
interest. 49
(f) No later than 20 days after the court gives notice pursuant to subdivision (3) of 50
subsection (e) of this section, any cotenant that paid may elect to purchase all of the remaining 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 Senate Bill 317-First Edition
interest by paying the entire price into the court. After the 20-day period, the following rules 1
apply: 2
(1) If only one cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest, the court 3
shall issue an order reallocating the remaining interest to that cotenant. The 4
court shall promptly issue an order reallocating the interests of all of the 5
cotenants and disburse the amounts held by the court to the persons entitled to 6
them. 7
(2) If no cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest, the court shall 8
resolve the partition proceeding under G.S. 46A-94(a) and (b) as if the 9
interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale were not purchased. 10
(3) If more than one cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest, the 11
court shall reapportion the remaining interest among those paying cotenants, 12
based on each paying cotenant's original fractional ownership of the entire 13
parcel divided by the total original fractional ownership of all cotenants that 14
paid the entire price for the remaining interest. The court shall promptly issue 15
an order reallocating all of the cotenants' interests, disburse the amounts held 16
by the court to the persons entitled to them, and promptly refund any excess 17
payment held by the court. 18
(g) No later than 45 days after the court sends notice to the parties pursuant to subsection 19
(a) of this section, any cotenant entitled to buy an interest under this section may request the court 20
to authorize the sale as part of the pending proceeding of the interests of cotenants named as 21
respondents and served with the complaint but that did not appear in the proceeding. 22
(h) If the court receives a timely request under subsection (g) of this section, the court, 23
after hearing, may deny the request or authorize the requested additional sale on such terms as 24
the court determines are fair and reasonable, subject to all of the following limitations: 25
(1) A sale authorized under this subsection may occur only after the purchase 26
prices for all interests subject to sale under subsections (a) through (f) of this 27
section have been paid into the court and those interests have been reallocated 28
among the cotenants as provided in those subsections. 29
(2) The purchase price for the interest of a non-appearing cotenant is based on the 30
court's determination of value under G.S. 46A-92. 31
"§ 46A-94. Partition alternatives. 32
(a) If all the interests of all cotenants that requested partition by sale are not purchased 33
by other cotenants pursuant to G.S. 46A-93, or if, after conclusion of the buyout under 34
G.S. 46A-93, a cotenant remains that has requested partition in kind, the court shall order 35
partition in kind unless the court, after consideration of the factors listed in G.S. 46A-95, finds 36
that partition in kind will result in substantial injury to the cotenants as a group. In considering 37
whether to order partition in kind, the court shall approve a request by two or more parties to 38
have their individual interests aggregated. 39
(b) If the court does not order partition in kind under subsection (a) of this section, the 40
court shall order partition by sale pursuant to G.S. 46A-96 or, if no cotenant requested partition 41
by sale, the court shall dismiss the proceeding. 42
(c) If the court orders partition in kind pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the court 43
may require that one or more cotenants pay one or more other cotenants' amounts so that the 44
payments, taken together with the value of the in-kind distributions to the cotenants, will make 45
the partition in kind just and proportionate in value to the fractional interests held. 46
(d) If the court orders partition in kind, the court shall allocate to the cotenants that are 47
unknown, unlocatable, or the subject of a default judgment, if their interests were not bought out 48
pursuant to G.S. 46A-93, a part of the property representing the combined interests of these 49
cotenants as determined by the court and the shares of these cotenants shall be apportioned 50
together as one parcel. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 317-First Edition Page 5
"§ 46A-95. Considerations for partition in kind. 1
(a) In determining under G.S. 46A-94(a) whether partition in kind would result in 2
substantial injury to the cotenants as a group, the court shall consider the following: 3
(1) Whether the heirs property practicably can be divided among the cotenants. 4
(2) Whether partition in kind would apportion the property in such a way that the 5
aggregate fair market value of the parcels resulting from the division would 6
be materially less than the value of the property if it were sold as a whole, 7
taking into account the condition under which a court-ordered sale likely 8
would occur. 9
(3) Evidence of the collective duration of ownership or possession of the property 10
by a cotenant and one or more predecessors in title or predecessors in 11
possession to the cotenant who are or were relatives of the cotenant or each 12
other. 13
(4) A cotenant's sentimental attachment to the property, including any attachment 14
arising because the property has ancestral or other unique or special value to 15
the cotenant. 16
(5) The lawful use being made of the property by a cotenant and the degree to 17
which the cotenant would be harmed if the cotenant could not continue the 18
same use of the property. 19
(6) The degree to which the cotenants have contributed their pro rata share of the 20
property taxes, insurance, and other expenses associated with maintaining 21
ownership of the property or have contributed to the physical improvement, 22
maintenance, or upkeep of the property. 23
(7) Any other relevant factor. 24
(b) The court may not consider any one factor in subsection (a) of this section to be 25
dispositive without weighing the totality of all relevant factors and circumstances. 26
"§ 46A-96. Open-market sale; sealed bids; auction. 27
(a) If the court orders a sale of heirs property, the sale must be an open-market sale unless 28
the court finds that a sale by sealed bids or an auction would be more economically advantageous 29
and in the best interest of the cotenants as a group. 30
(b) If the court orders an open-market sale and the parties, not later than 10 days after the 31
entry of the order, agree on a real estate broker licensed in this State to offer the property for sale, 32
the court shall appoint the broker and establish a reasonable commission. If the parties do not 33
agree on a broker, the court shall appoint a disinterested real estate broker licensed in this State 34
to offer the property for sale and shall establish a reasonable commission. The broker shall offer 35
the property for sale in a commercially reasonable manner at a price no lower than the 36
determination of value and on the terms and conditions established by the court. 37
(c) If the broker appointed under subsection (b) of this section obtains within a reasonable 38
time an offer to purchase the property for at least the determination of value, then the following 39
apply: 40
(1) The broker shall comply with the reporting requirements in G.S. 46A-97. 41
(2) The sale may be completed in accordance with State law other than this Part. 42
(d) If the broker appointed under subsection (b) of this section does not obtain within a 43
reasonable time an offer to purchase the property for at least the determination of value, the court, 44
after hearing, may do any of the following: 45
(1) Approve the highest outstanding offer, if any. 46
(2) Redetermine the value of the property and order that the property continue to 47
be offered for an additional time. 48
(3) Order that the property be sold by sealed bids or at an auction. 49 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 6 Senate Bill 317-First Edition
(e) If the court orders a sale by sealed bids or an auction, the court shall set terms and 1
conditions of the sale. If the court orders an auction, the auction must be conducted under 2
G.S. 46A-76. 3
(f) If a purchaser is entitled to a share of the proceeds of the sale, the purchaser is entitled 4
to a credit against the price in an amount equal to the purchaser's share of the proceeds. 5
"§ 46A-97. Report of open-market sale. 6
(a) A broker appointed under G.S. 46A-96(b) to offer heirs property for open-market sale 7
shall file a report with the court not later than seven days after receiving an offer to purchase the 8
property for at least the value determined under G.S. 46A-92 or G.S. 46A-96. 9
(b) The report required by subsection (a) of this section must contain all of the following 10
information: 11
(1) A description of the property to be sold to each buyer. 12
(2) The name of each buyer. 13
(3) The proposed purchase price. 14
(4) The terms and conditions of the proposed sale, including the terms of any 15
owner financing. 16
(5) The amounts to be paid to lienholders, if any. 17
(6) A statement of contractual or other arrangements or conditions of the broker's 18
commission. 19
(7) Any other material facts relevant to the sale. 20
"§ 46A-98. Uniformity of application and construction. 21
In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to 22
promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. 23
"§ 46A-99. Relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. 24
This Part modifies, limits, and supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and National 25
Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq., but does not modify, limit, or supersede § 101(c) of 26
that act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001(c), or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in 27
§ 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C. § 7003(b)." 28
SECTION 2. G.S. 46A-26 reads as rewritten: 29
"§ 46A-26. Methods of partition. 30
In a partition proceeding under this Article, the court shall order one of the following methods 31
of partitioning the real property: 32
(1) Actual partition under Part 2 of this Article. 33
(2) Partition sale under Part 3 of this Article so long as the requirements of that 34
Part are satisfied. 35
(3) Actual partition of part of the property and a partition sale of the remaining 36
part. 37
(4) Partition of part of the property, whether by actual partition or by partition 38
sale, and order that the remaining part continue to be held in cotenancy. The 39
court, however, shall not order a cotenant to continue to hold property in 40
cotenancy over the cotenant's objection. 41
(5) If the property is determined to be heirs property, as defined in G.S. 46A-88, 42
then partition under Part 4 of this Article as a partition of heirs property." 43
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective January 1, 2026, and applies to petitions 44
for partition filed on or after that date. 45