N.C. Gen. Stat. § 25-9-501

(1) Filing offices. - Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, if the local law of this State governs perfection of a security interest or agricultural lien, the office in which to file a financing statement to perfect the security interest or agricultural lien is: The office designated for the filing or recording of a record of a mortgage on the related real property, if: The collateral is as-extracted collateral or timber to be cut; or

(2) The financing statement is filed as a fixture filing and the collateral is goods that are or are to become fixtures; or

(3) The office of the Secretary of State, in all other cases, including a case in which the collateral is goods that are or are to become fixtures and the financing statement is not filed as a fixture filing.

(4) Filing office for transmitting utilities. - The office in which to file a financing statement to perfect a security interest in collateral, including fixtures, of a transmitting utility is the office of the Secretary of State. The financing statement also constitutes a fixture filing as to the collateral indicated in the financing statement which is or is to become fixtures.