Car Registration

If you're a North Carolina resident who owns a motor vehicle, you most likely have to register and title it. Certain vehicles, such as ATVs and mopeds, are exempt, but cars, motorcycles, RVs, and trucks all must be registered and titled.

Gather your documents together before you visit a vehicle and license plate renewal office, and registration will be easy and convenient. (This article assumes that you are the owner of the vehicle being registered.)

If you are moving into North Carolina and are bringing a vehicle registered in another state, you have a limited amount of time before you must register your car here. Depending on your former state of residence and its agreement with North Carolina, this is usually 30 days or when you secure gainful employment, whichever is sooner.

Bring the following documents with you and/or fill out the necessary forms at the office:

• License and insurance

  To register a motor vehicle in North Carolina, you must have a North Carolina driver license first. You must also show proof of liability insurance in order to register your vehicle. When you visit a vehicle and license plate renewal office to register your vehicle, you should have your driver license and insurance card with you.

• Title and lien release, registration card (if applicable)

  If you purchased your vehicle from a dealer, the dealer will furnish you with a title, which you should bring with you when registering. If you purchased your vehicle from another individual, have that person transfer the title into your name, and bring the title with you.

  If there is a lien shown on the front of the title, you must also obtain a lien release. A Form MVR-57 will be issued to you to send to the lienholder. The lienholder must then release the out-of-state title to the DMV. When the DMV receives it, they will issue a North Carolina title and mail it to the lienholder.

  If you are registering a vehicle you brought from another state, bring with you the title and out-of-state registration card, both in your name.

• Title application form
  Next, fill out a Title Application Form, and sign it in the presence of a notary (vehicle and license plate renewal offices have notaries there). If the vehicle was purchased from a dealer, you must declare all liens on this form.

• Odometer statement

  If your vehicle is less than 10 years old, you must supply an odometer statement, signed by the seller and the buyer. This applies to vehicles bought from individuals, as well as dealers.

  If there is a recorded lienholder, you can declare the odometer reading on your application. If the vehicle is coming from out of state and being registered in the same owner's name, you can also declare the odometer reading on your application.

• Damage disclosure statement

  If you bought your vehicle from a dealer, you must supply a Damage Disclosure Statement.

• Bill of sale

  When you bought your vehicle from a dealer, you should have received a bill of sale. Because dealer-purchased vehicles are taxed on the amount you paid, bring the bill of sale with you. It must show the vehicle's purchase price. (Vehicles bought from individuals are taxed on their book value.)

• Emissions and safety certificates (if applicable)

  If you bought your vehicle from a dealer, you should receive these documents for tests already performed on the car. If you bought from a private seller, you may need to get the car tested before registering it. Find more information on our Smog & Emission Checks page on this site.

Receiving a License Plate

Receiving a Title: Instant or Fast Title

You will receive your title in the mail shortly after you register your vehicle. If there is a lien on the vehicle, the lienholder will receive the title instead.

As a convenience, the Raleigh and Charlotte state offices offer an instant title service, where you can get your title over the counter. There is an extra fee of $35 for this convenience (making your entire title fee $75); however, you won't have to wait days for your title to arrive in the mail.

You can also request a fast title at any vehicle and license plate renewal office. The fee is the same as for an instant title ($75), and the title will be mailed out the next business day.

Nonoperational Vehicles

If your vehicle is nonoperable, or you wish to place it in storage, you may cancel your registration by turning in your plates to the DMV. Do this before canceling your insurance, or you may face a $50 fine.

Registration and Titling Fees

Registration and titling fees are based upon the class of vehicle you are registering.

RTAR Tax

If you are registering certain types of vehicles in Wake, Durham, or Orange County, there is an additional $5 Regional Transportation Authority Registration Tax. This fee funds the Regional Transportation Authority. The tax applies to the following types of vehicles:

• Private passenger vehicles

• Private motorcycles

• U-drive it passenger vehicles

• Limousine vehicles

• Common carriers, contract carriers

• Exempt for-hire passenger carrier vehicles

• Property hauling (farm vehicles)

• Manufacturer and motor vehicle dealers

Highway Use Tax

Finally, instead of a state sales tax, there is a Highway Use Tax. North Carolina collects this tax each time a title is transferred. For passenger vehicles, the fee is 3% of the vehicle's value. If you purchased your vehicle from a dealer, it is 3% of the purchase price, less any trade-in credit. If you purchased it from an individual, the 3% is assessed from a value table maintained by the DMV. Commercial vehicles are charged a maximum of $1,000.

Special rules apply to vehicles coming from out of state and for those owned by military personnel. You can read full details on the DMV's information page.

Driving Privileges for Non-Citizens

If you're visiting North Carolina and hold a valid license from another country, you may drive within the state for up to one year. Be sure to have your license with you whenever you're driving.

If you become a resident of the state, though, you'll need to apply for a North Carolina license within 60 days of residency to keep your driving privileges. For information on how to do so, including the documents you must have, consult the driver handbook.