Car Insurance

North Carolina was one of the first states to require liability insurance on registered motor vehicles. All motor vehicles registered in the state must be covered by liability insurance and the insurance must remain in effect, with continuous coverage, until you terminate the registration. In order to register and title your vehicle, you will need to show proof of insurance.

Providing Proof of Liability Insurance

Acceptable proof of insurance includes an insurance certificate from an insurance company that is licensed to do business in North Carolina. You can also furnish your company name and policy number if you are providing your own insurance.

Minimum Requirements

In order to register/title your vehicle, by law, you must have a minimum of $30,000 worth of coverage for bodily injury for one person; $60,000 of bodily injury coverage for two or more people, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage.

Lapses in Insurance Coverage

The law states that insurance companies must notify the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) whenever coverage is canceled. Therefore, if your coverage lapses, you'll receive a notice (Form FS 5-7) from DMV and you must respond within 10 days. If your coverage has lapsed, you will have to recertify and pay $50 within 10 days of the date of the notice. If there was no break in coverage, simply enter the correct information on the form and return it to the DMV within 10 days.

If you fail to reply within 10 days, you can lose your license plate for 30 days. When this happens, in order to get your plates back you will have to relicense by paying a penalty fee, a processing fee, and another license plate fee.

If your insurance was terminated wrongfully, you have a right to an insurance hearing to dispute it. Call (919) 715-7000 to set up a hearing.

See the DMV's information page for more insurance details.