Last Updated on February 17, 2023 9:22 am
Effective Monday, March 23, 2020 – Watauga County buildings will be closed to the public. All county departments and operations will remain on normal operating hours. Staff will be available to respond to citizen’s request via email, telephone, or by appointment where applicable.
Below is contact information for County and State Agencies:
Administration – (828) 265-8000; Email – administration@watgov.org
Animal Control – (828) 262-1672
Animal Care and Control will staff telephones and be available on an emergency call basis.
Board of Elections – (828) 265-8061
- Voter Registrations Forms can be delivered in person and put in a drop box in the glass foyer of the front entrance of the Courthouse.
- Voter Registration Forms can be mailed to the Watauga County Board of Elections at PO Box 528 Boone, NC 28607.
- Online Voter Registration Forms can be found at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Voter_Registration/NCVoterRegForm_06W.pdf
- If you are registering to vote for the first time in your county of residence: You must mail or deliver this application in-person with your original signature.
- If you are changing your name, address or party affiliation within your current county of registration: in addition to mail (PO Box 528, Boone, NC 28607), you may also fax (828-265-8068) or email matthew.snyder@watgov.org a scanned image of your signed application.
- All public records requests may be requested by phone at 828-265-8061 or be submitted by e-mail to matthew.snyder@watgov.org.
- The public may call 828-265-8061 for assistance.
Emergency Services – (828) 264-4235 – Emergency dial 911
Finance – (828) 265-8001
Information Technologies (IT) – (828) 265-8015
Parks and Recreation – (828) 264-9511
Planning and Inspections – (828) 265-8043
- Application for permits. Most permits are online, can be downloaded, completed and emailed to p&i@watgov.org, mailed (126 Poplar Grove Connector Suite 201, Boone, NC 28607), or faxed (828-265-8080). If a needed form is not online, it can be emailed by staff upon request. Currently payment of fees must be made by cash or check. We should be able to receive credit card payments online or by phone by March 30, 2020.
- Schedule inspections. No change in that process. May be called in or requested by email.
- Building inspections. No change anticipated at present. Inspectors will be in the office 8:00 -9:30 AM receiving calls and reviewing plans; in the field performing inspections after 9:30 AM.
- Development site inspections. No change anticipated at present.
- Face-to-face meetings. These are to be minimized/avoided, but if necessary, appointments may be scheduled with staff by email or phone. This includes signing of plats.
- Board meetings. Pursuant to County Amended Emergency Declaration, all meetings are to be conducted remotely, with the possibility for exceptions allowing face-to-face quasi-judicial proceedings.
Project on Aging – (828) 265-8090
- Home Delivered Meals will continue. Volunteers are accessing the building through the back kitchen door.
- In-Home Aide services are continuing on a limited basis. Clients will continue to be contacted on an individual basis. Clients should call the Project on Aging at (828)265-8090 if they have questions.
- CAP services will continue. Please call your assigned Case Manager at (828)265-8090 with questions.
- Transportation services through AppalCART are continuing for shopping and other errands. Clients can call Project on Aging at (828)265-8090 or AppalCART at (828)297-1300.
- Referrals for any service can be made by calling (828)265-8090.
- Please call (828)265-8090 for questions regarding any services.
Register of Deeds – (828) 265-8052
- All vital records requests for certified copies of births, deaths and marriages must be submitted online at: https://www.getcertificatenow.com/watauga#1. There is no additional charge for using our online service and the certificate will be mailed out the same day the request is received. They may call 828-265-8034 for additional assistance.
- Customers wishing to record real estate documents have the following options:
a. Electronic Recording–We currently work with three e-recording vendors. Simplify www.simplifile.com (800) 460-5657; CSC www.erecording.com (866) 652-0111 and EPN (E-recording Partners Network) www.goepn.com (888) 325-336.
b. US Mail, FedEx, UPS – (842 West King Street, Suite 9, Boone, NC 28607) if they will have access to the courthouse during closure to public.
c. Online – document searches should be done online at www.wataugacounty.org or using the link: http://72.15.246.181/watauganc/#1. The public may call 828-265-8052 for assistance. - Other services: Notary Oaths, Issuance of Marriage Licenses, Filing Military Discharges, Vital Record Amendments, Delayed Births or Legitimations will be suspended until further notice. Special accommodations may be made on a case by case basis.
Sanitation – (828) 264-5305
- Container Sites:
Green Valley 421 West, 321-Aho, Deep Gap, Foscoe, Valle Crucis, 221 South, and Triplett:
Open 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM – Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday
Bethel:
Open 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM – Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday.
Landfill Road:
Open 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM – Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Sunday
Residential solid waste and recycling accepted - Transfer Station and Scale House open 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Friday, and 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Saturday. All categories of solid waste and recycling accepted.
- Sanitation office hours are 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Monday – Friday. Residents can contact staff at 828-264-5305 for assistance.
Sheriff’s Office – (828) 264-3761
Department of Social Services – (828) 265-8100 – Emergency dial 911
Tax Department – (828) 265-8021
- Tax Payments: Payments may be mailed or payment can be made online with Debit, Credit or E-Check at http://wataugacounty.org/serviceFee.aspx
- Online real estate searches may be done through our website, www.wataugacounty.org.
- Applications for Senior Exemptions and Disability Exemptions may be mailed (842 West King Street, Suite 21, Boone, NC 28607), faxed or emailed by June 1st. Applications may be accessed at https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/property-tax/property-tax-forms#exemption-and-exclusion-forms. Completed applications submitted by fax at 828-265-8087 or via email to stephanie.reece@watgov.org.
- Business Personal Listings and Personal Property Listings may be mailed, faxed to 828-265-8087 or emailed to larry.warren@watgov.org.
- Real Estate Tax Certifications can be done via mail, fax or email. Fax 828-265-8087 or email mitzi.rochelle@watgov.org.
- Requests for proration on motor vehicle taxes may be made through mail, fax or email as long as the required proof accompanies the request. Fax 828-265-8087 or email stephanie.reece@watgov.org.
- Requests for paid tax receipts for income tax season may be supplied through mail, fax or email. Request should be sent by fax at 828-265-8087 or email larry.warren@watgov.org.
- Application for real property appeals may be submitted via mail, fax or email no later than April 15th. To request an appeal form, call 828-265-8040 or email larry.warren@watgov.org. Completed appeal forms should be faxed to Eric Crump, 828-265-8087 or emailed to eric.crump@watgov.org.
Veterans Services – (828) 265-8065
The Veterans Office will conduct business by phone and email. Necessary documents will be mailed to applicants and returned via mail or email. The Office will have a drop box set up for those items that cannot be mailed. Arrangements will need to be made with staff prior to using the drop box.
Health Department – (828) 264-4995
Closed to the public. Clinical services and WIC by appointments only. Environmental Services call for guidance or appointment.
Clerk of Court – (828) 268-6600
N.C. Department of Public Safety
Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice
Adult Probation
a. We will still have probation officers working in the office doing administrative work, monitoring offenders that are on house arrests and making phone calls to offenders.
b. We will still have an administrative assistant that will answer all incoming calls to this office and route the calls to the appropriate officer.
c. Probation Officers will continue to work out of this office doing field work and take care of any public safety need.
Juvenile Justice
Staff will be available to assist law enforcement, community members, juveniles and families by appointment Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. For an appointment, please call 828-265-5366.
For needs arising after hours or on weekends the on-call Juvenile Court Counselor can be reached by contacting the Watauga County Communications Center at 828-264-3761, who will contact a Court Counselor to assist.
Watauga County Courthouse
Essential court services are still available. Please do not come to the courthouse if you do not have to. For information call:
Clerk of Court 828-268-6600
District Attorney 828-268-6611
Magistrate 828-268-6619
Probation 828-265-5423
Superior Court Judge 828-268-6616
Cooperative Extension – (828) 264-3061
USDA/FSA will conduct business by phone, email, or mail. One employee will be staffed in the office each day from 8:00 A.M – 4:30 PM. The public can call 828.264.3850 or email Julia Houck at julia.houck@usda.gov with questions and concerns.
USDA/NRCS will conduct business by phone & email. Office will be staffed from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM but closed to the public. The public can call 828-719-3386 or contact David Tucker via email at David.Tucker@usda.gov.
Cooperative Extension will conduct business by phone, email, and via online resources: http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu The Extension office will be closed to the public but will remain staffed from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM to answer phone calls and transfer messages to individual agents. For questions, call 828.264.3061 or email Jim Hamilton at jim_hamilton@ncsu.edu. Individual Agents can be reached via email via the link above.
Watauga County Soil & Water will be closed to the public. The public can contact Graham Fox at 828-719-3385 or Graham.Fox@watgov.org and Janie Poe can be reached at 828-719-3387 or Janie.Poe@watgov.org from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Office staff will come in once per week check mail and conduct any financials. All other work will be done remotely.
The High Country Food Hub will be closed to the public. Customers can order local food online at
www.highcountryfoodhub.org from Thursday-Monday at midnight and pick up their order each Wednesday (11:30-6:00 PM) outside of the High Country Food Hub (252 Poplar Grove Rd. Boone, NC 28607). Outdoor pickup has been arranged and staff will be available to answer questions from producers and customers. For any questions, please email info@brwia.org or call 828-412-0834.
Additional Food Hub steps to ensure safe practices include:
• Closing our facility to the public and moving interactions with customers outside where customers can keep distance between each other.
• Frequently disinfecting surfaces touched by staff, producers, and customers.
• Maintaining detailed and accurate records of who utilizes the Food Hub
These steps follow guidance from Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture's local and statewide partners (NC Extension “Local Farmers’ Markets Do Their Part to Flatten the Curve on Coronavirus”, CFSA “Farmers' Market Protocols”, NC Extension “Farmers' Market Protocols”, NC DHHS Guidance on Gov. Cooper's Executive Order No. 118).
All essential services will continue to operate: Sheriff, 911 Call Center, EMS, and Sanitation. This action has been taken to protect the health and welfare of our employees and residents of Watauga County and to encourage social distancing.
