N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-543.1
In all matters in which it is proper or necessary to make or serve a tender, the clerk of the superior court in the county in which the tender is to be made shall, upon request of the tendering party, direct the sheriff of said county to serve an order of tender, together with the property to be tendered, upon the party or parties upon whom said tender is to be made. In the event said property is incapable of being manually tendered, said order of tender shall so state and service of said order tendering same shall have the same legal effect as if the property had been manually tendered. Within five days after receipt of the order, the sheriff shall make his return thereon, showing upon whom the same was served, the date and hour of service, the property tendered, and whether or not said tender was accepted, or that, after due diligence, the party or parties upon whom service was to be made could not be found within the county. He shall then return said order of tender to the clerk who issued it, and this shall constitute proper tender. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent other methods of tender or tender by any party to an action in open court upon any other party to said action.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-543.1