North Carolina License Plates & Placards

Car owners must comply with the requirements to title/register their vehicles in the state. To do this, new residents are given 30 days. Drivers need to apply for any car insurance premium allowed by the state. Please take note that under certain conditions, your vehicle registration may be rejected. The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is the official license plate provider of the state. Generally, the serial format of passenger license plate includes three letters and four numbers.

To request replacement plates, fill out the replacement plate form and submit an insurance document as proof. Other details are explained on the Lost or Stolen Plates page.

Types of North Carolina Plate

Anyone planning to get a license plate for the first time must visit an NCDMV license plate agency. Below are some of the license plates available for North Carolina residents:

1. Standard
2. Special Interests
3. NASCAR
4. Military
5. Collegiate
6. Civic Clubs

Transferring of License Plates in North Carolina

You need to satisfy the requirements of the DMV to allow a plate transfer. Each transaction costs $20.

Titling Requirements and Procedure in North Carolina

The applicant may apply for a title at a local state DMV office. Before allowing the application to start, they will need to confirm the identity of the applicant. To do it, the state’s driver license or ID must be presented to them. Afterward, the applicant may submit the requirements to continue. Secure a Temporary Driving Certificate to deliver the vehicle where the titling process is being held. Wait for 10 to 15 working days to complete your request.

If you were in a hurry to rush the process, you may seek the Instant Title option which reduces the processing time to one day. Prepare your payment for the fees and taxes required during the titling process. For vehicles with a shared ownership, a Power of Attorney may be required to represent other owners. The DMV may ask for other requirements if the vehicle you wish to title has any of the following designations or their equivalents: bonded, leased, salvaged and abandoned.

All vehicles are required by law to have a state-approved insurance coverage. A highway-use tax is imposed when transferring a title to another person. However, if the parties involved in a plate transfer have relations listed by the state as tax exempt. They may use the tax exemption form to qualify for the exemption. A replacement can be requested in case the current title is missing or mutilated. The process may take about two weeks to complete. If the title did not arrive within the given time frame, the recipient may waive the fees if he or she decides to get another title. Go to the Vehicle Titles page of the state’s DMV for other details that are not covered in this section.

More Resources for North Carolina Drivers:

• North Carolina License and ID
• North Carolina Vehicle Registration and Titling
• North Carolina License Renewal & Replacement
• North Carolina Transfer Plates to Another Vehicle
• North Carolina Vehicle Property Tax Estimator
• North Carolina Driver’s Handbook

Buying a used car in North Carolina?  Don’t make a costly mistake. Run a Free License Plate Lookup for your North Carolina-registered vehicle!

1. Check for accidents. Every year, approximately 6.0 million automobile accidents are reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2. Check for title brands. Flood, hail-damage, and salvage titles are examples of critical title brands.
3. Check for special purpose designations, including taxi-use, rental-use, or police-use.
4. Check for thefts. Lookup a VIN to check for an active theft or previously recovered theft record.

Run a Free North Carolina License Plate Lookup to uncover the full-story of your North Carolina-registered vehicle.