N.C. Gen. Stat. § 47-54: Registration by register's deputies or clerks.

All registrations of instruments heretofore made in the office of register of deeds of the several counties by the register's deputy or clerk, and signed in the name of the register of deeds by the deputy or clerk, or signed by the deputy in his own name and not in the name of the register of deeds, when such registrations are in all other respects regular, are hereby validated and declared to be of the same force and effect as if signed in the name of the register of deeds by such register. (1911, c. 184, s. 1; C.S., s. 3335; 1953, c. 849; 1963, c. 203.)