NC S203

Establishes a uniform procedure for determining title to oil, gas, or mineral rights that have been severed from surface property.

Requires mineral rights owners to register their oil, gas, or mineral interests with the register of deeds in the relevant county by January 1, 2020, or the rights become null and void and merge with the surface estate.

Provides that severed mineral interests automatically merge with the surface fee simple estate if the surface owner has held unbroken record title for at least 30 years and the mineral interests have not been mined, drilled, worked, or listed for tax purposes in the previous 10 years.

Directs the Secretary of State to publish notice of this section at least once per calendar year for three years in newspapers of general circulation throughout North Carolina.

Takes effect when enacted into law.