Here is some information to make your move a little easier (choose from the list below):

North Carolina

• State Sea Shell - Scotch Bonnet
• State Flower - Dogwood
• State Bird - Cardinal
• State Reptile - Box Turtle
• State Fish - Channel Bass
• State Population - 8 million
  

Licenses and Registrations

Automobile Registration - To change an out-of-state title, an owner must show the title or registration and insurance policy number and declare the mileage on the vehicle. For a new title proof of insurance coverage and mileage information is required. State annual registration license fee is $20 per private passenger vehicle. Please see NC Highway Use Tax.

• Oak Island, 104 SE 58th St., Oak Island 278-9036
• Shallotte, 5300 Main Street, Shallotte 754-4591

Driver's License - New drivers must take written, vision, sign and road tests. Bring a certified copy of birth certificate and one other official document showing your age. Out-of-state drivers must take written, vision and sign tests, and possibly a road test, and surrender their old licenses. Proof of liability insurance DL 123 is required for any first time licenses in North Carolina or anyone renewing his license who has had a traffic conviction within the past four years.

5298 Main Street, Shallotte 754-5114

Voter Registration - Newcomers must register 30 days prior to elections, be 18 years of age or older, be a resident of North Carolina and the county in which you live for at least 30 days prior to election and a U.S.Citizen. Stop by the Board of Elections, Public Library or Chamber of Commerce Office and pick up the NC Voter Registration Application. Fill out the form and return it to:

• Board of Elections Office in person at the Brunswick Government Complex, Old Hwy. 17, Bolivia, or mail it to P.O. Box 2, Bolivia, NC 28422.
• Board of Elections.......888-445-2504 or 253-2620
  Or register when you get your North Carolina Driver’s License

Dog License -

• Oak Island - Tags sold at Town Hall. Bring in shot record.
• Southport - Tags sold at City Hall. Rabies shots required.
• Boiling Spring Lakes - Registration required.
• Bald Head Island - not required
• Caswell Beach - not required
• Brunswick County - not required
• State requires valid Rabies Tag
  

Utilities

Electric -

1. Oak Island, Caswell Beach, St. James & County -  Brunswick Electric Membership Corp (BEMC), Highway 211, Southport 457-9808
2. City of Boiling Spring Lakes & Village of Bald Head Island -   Progress Energy @ Olde Brunswick General Store, 1450 Fifty Lakes Dr., Boiling Spring Lakes 845-2707
3. Within City Limits of Southport and surrounding areas including Smithville Woods - City Hall, 201 E. Moore Street 457-7910

Water -

1. Town of Oak Island - 4601 E. Oak Island Dr., Oak Island 278-5011
2. City of Southport - 201 E. Moore Street, Southport 457-7910
3. Village of Bald Head Island - 457-9700
4. St. James - BC Water 253-2655
5. Town of Caswell Beach - 278-5471
6. County - Private wells or Brunswick Co. Water 253-2655
7. Boiling Spring Lakes - Private wells (Construction of a water system has been approved)

Telephone - 

1. Southport, Oak Island, Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach and parts of St. James -  
2. BellSouth Telecommunications, P.O. Box 960, Wilmington Residential 780-2355Outside BellSouth Territory 1-800-767-2355 Business 780-2800 Outside BellSouth Territory 1-800-919-2800
3. Boiling Spring Lakes, Most of the County and parts of St. James - Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation
   Box 3198, Shallotte, NC 28459 754-4311

Cable -

1. Southport, Oak Island, Caswell Bch & St. James - Time Warner Cable, 1949 Dawson St., Wilmington 457-6319, 104 SE 58th St., Oak Island 278-3121
2. Boiling Spring Lakes & Most of County - Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation, Box 3198, Shallotte, NC 28459 754-4311
3. Bald Head Island - Telemedia Cable 1-800-533-7048 or 842-8383

Trash -

Trash removal is provided by Waste Industries 1-800-814-4544

Sewer -

Only available in City of Southport, St. James, Southeast Sanitary District and portions of Oak Island and Caswell Beach.

Education

School Registration 253-2900
The Brunswick County Public School System operates eight elementary, four middle schools, three high schools and the Brunswick County Learning Center. Students living in the Southport-Oak Island area attend:

• Southport Elementary School - Pre K-5
• South Brunswick Middle School - 6-8
• South Brunswick High School - 9-12
• Bolivia Elementary School - K-5
• Brunswick Learning Center - 7-12
• Virginia Williamson Elementary - K-5
• There are also private schools in the County.

Brunswick Community College- offers the continuation of education in Brunswick County. Main Campus in Supply with satellite campuses in Leland and classes held in Southport.
P.O. Box 30, Hwy. 17, Supply 754-6900

Gardner-Webb University offers a weekend Bachelor completion program on the
Campus of Brunswick Community College. For more information contact
Gardner-Webb University at 704-406-4318 or visit them at

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is nearby.
601 College Rd., Wilmington 395-3000

Hospitals

J.A. Dosher Memorial Hospital - 924 N. Howe St., Southport 457-3800
Brunswick Community Hospital - Hwy.17 South, Supply 755-8121

Taxes

Real Property Tax - The 1997-98 state average in rural areas of North Carolina is .717 cents per $100 valuation with $1.19 combined county, city, district. The tax rate for Brunswick County includes all school funding but an additional .04 cents is added to homes in Smithville Township as a Hospital Tax. Excluded from property taxes are manufacturers' inventories, contractors' inventories, retail and wholesale merchants inventories.

Tax Rates - Per $100 Valuation

1. Bald Head Island - .63.5
2. Boiling Spring Lakes - .25
3. Bolivia - .06
4. Brunswick County - .5925
5. Caswell Beach - .27
6. Oak Island - .38
7. St. James - .10
8. Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District - .05
9. Southport - .40
10. Smithville Township Hospital Tax - .04

Personal Property Tax - When moving into Brunswick County you must declare your personal property with the Brunswick County Tax Office. They will give you a form on which you must register any motors, non-registered motor vehicles, single wide mobile homes, watercraft, mopeds, boats and airplanes. Your registered vehicles are subject to this tax but they will be declared when you register the vehicle. Items are depreciated. Some items may qualify for an exemption so ask for details.

For more information on Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes: Brunswick County Tax Office 1-800-527-9001, 253-2829

Individual Income Tax - The State of North Carolina uses the base federal net taxable income with adjustments to figure the NC net taxable income. Tax rates are 6% ,7% or 8.25%.

Sales Tax - The State of North Carolina levies a general retail sales & use tax of 4.5%. Counties levy an additional local sales and use tax. Brunswick County’s is 2.5%. Sales of food for home consumption is subject to a 4.5% (2% local, 2.5% state) tax. A 6% tax is imposed on liquor other than mixed beverages. Mixed beverages subject to state and county rates of tax.

North Carolina Highway Use Tax - 3% of the retail value of motor vehicles. Cannot exceed $1,000 for Class A and Class B commercial vehicles. Tax is applied when the vehicle is purchased or titled in North Carolina.

North Carolina Corporate Income Tax - Percent of net income allocatable to North Carolina. 1999-7.00%, 2000+-6.90%.

North Carolina Franchise Tax - $1.50 per $1,000 of the largest of three alternate bases:

1. Amount of capital stock, surplus and undivided profits, or
2. 55% of appraised value of property subject to local taxation, or
3. Book value of real and tangible property less outstanding debt created to acquire or improve real property.

Inheritance Tax - For purpose of the tax, heirs or beneficiaries are divided into three classes: Class A includes any lineal ancestor or descendant, or adopted child or stepchild; Class B includes brother, sister, descendant of a brother or sister, and aunt or uncle by blood of the decedent; Class C includes all others. Exemptions include: property passing to the surviving spouse of a decedent; bequests or insurance payable to charitable, religious or educational institutions; and proceeds of insurance policies paid by the U.S. government, or on its behalf, to the estate or beneficiaries of military veterans. Qualified Class A beneficiaries as a group are given a $33,150 tax credit. For a single Class A beneficiary, the credit is equivalent to a value of $600,000. The rate will vary and is dependent on the amount and Class.

Gift Tax - Gifts to spouses are exempt. Gifts of $10,000 or less per year to any individual are not taxable. A lifetime exemption of $100,000 is allowed each donor for gifts made to Class A donees, including the donor's lineal issue, lineal ancestor, adopted child or stepchild of the donor. When this exemption or any part thereof is applied against gifts to more than one donee, it is apportioned among the donees in the same ratio as the gross gift after exclusion to each donee is to the total gifts to Class A donees in the calendar year in which the gifts are made.

For a state & local taxes information booklet contact:
N.C. Department of Revenue
Phone (919) 733-4548
P.O. Box 2500, Raleigh, NC 27640
(address change possible after Jan 1st)

*Some tax information provided by Brunswick County Economic Development Commission.

Population

1. Bald Head Island - 217
2. Boiling Spring Lakes - 3,131
3. Bolivia - 124
4. Brunswick County - 73,143
5. Caswell Beach - 386
6. Oak Island - 7,000
7. St. James - 1,200
8. Southport - 2,388

* See also the US Census Bureau data online at http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37019.html. 

For additional population breakdowns see http://www.ncruralcenter.org/databank/profile.asp?county=Brunswick.

Town Information and Contact Numbers

1. Brunswick County Incorporated 1764
2. Southport (Smithville) Incorporated 1792
3. Boiling Spring Lakes Incorporated 1961
4. Caswell Beach Incorporated 1975
5. Bald Head Island Incorporated 1986
6. Oak Island Incorporated 1999
7. St. James Incorporated 1999

Brunswick County Government -

1. Administration - Old Ocean Hwy 17, Bolivia - PO Box 249 1-800-442-7033 or 253-2000
2. Animal Control 1-800-233-2169 or 754-8204
3. Board of Elections 1-888-445-2504 or 253-2620
4. Building Inspections 1-800-822-5986 or 253-2050
5. Central Permitting 1-800-621-0609 or 253-2055
6. Clerk of Superior Court 253-8502
7. District Court Judge/Trial Court Admin 253-4848
8. District Attorney 253-4447
9. Economic Development Commission 253-2244
10. Emergency Management 253-4376
11. Emergency Medical Services 253-5383
12. Family Assistance 754-4766
13. Finance 253-2070
14. Health 253-2250 or 457-5281
15. Juvenile Services 253-4415
16. Magistrate's Office 278-4193 or 253-4471 or 457-6614
17. Mental Health Center 253-4485
18. NC Adult Probation & Parole 253-4411
19. NC Cooperative Extension 253-2610
20. Older Adults/Department of Aging 253-2077
21. Parks & Recreation 1-800-222-4790 or 253-2670
22. Planning 253-2025
23. Public Housing 253-2222
24. Register of Deeds 253-2690
25. Sheriff's Department 253-2777 or 457-5101
26. Social Services 253-2077 or 457-6227
27. Soil & Water Conservation 253-2830
28. Solid Waste and Recycling 253-2520
29. Tax Administrator 1-800-527-9001 or 253-2829
30. Tax Collector 1-800-222-0593 or 253-2729
31. Utilities 253-2655
32. Veteran Services 253-2233
33. Wildlife Resources Officer Bill Lester.......457-5199

Village of Bald Head Island -

1. Public Safety Department 911 or business 457-5252
2. Fire Department 911 or business 457-4310
3. Building Inspections 457-6255
4. Village Hall (all other departments) - 106 Lighthouse Wynd - PO Box 3009 457-9700

City of Boiling Spring Lakes -

1. Police Department 911 or business 845-2247
2. Fire Department 911 or business 845-2818
3. Rescue Squad 911 or business 845-2568
4. City Hall (all departments) - Highway 87 - PO Box 2410 845-2614

Town of Caswell Beach -

1. Police - Fire - Rescue Departments 911 or business 278-5595
2. Town Hall (all other departments) - 1100 Caswell Beach Rd. - PO Box 460 278-5471

Town of Oak Island -

1. Police - Fire - Rescue Departments 911 or business 278-5595
2. Yaupon Beach Fire Department, Inc. - Yaupon Drive 911 or business 278-6797
3. Inspections Department - Community Services Bldg - 518 Yaupon Drive 278-9625
4. Parks and Recreation Department - 3003 E. Oak Island Drive 278-5518
5. Town Hall (all other departments) - 4601 E. Oak Island Drive 278-5011

City of Southport -

1. Police - Fire - Rescue Departments 911 or business 457-7911
2. Tax Department (City Hall) 457-7920
3. Utility Billings (City Hall) 457-7910
4. Recreation Department 457-7945
5. Inspections - 107 E. Nash Street 457-7925
6. City Hall (all other departments) - 210 E. Moore Street 457-7900

Town of St. James -

City Hall - 3628 St. James Dr., Southport, NC 28461 253-4730
Fire Department - 253-9990

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce
4841 Long Beach Rd., SE
Southport, NC 28461
(910) 457-6964    (800) 457-6964
Fax (910) 457-0598
Email: info@southport-oakisland.com

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