Car Registration

North Dakota requires all residents to register their vehicles annually with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). The state classifies any person who lives in the state for 90 consecutive days as a resident. Out-of-state college students and military members stationed in North Dakota are exempt.

How to Register Your Vehicle in North Dakota

All North Dakota registrations annually end on December 31 and begin anew on January 1. If you register later in the year, your registration rate will be prorated.

To register, you need to complete an Application for Certificate of Title and Registration of Vehicle. This can be easily downloaded or found at any Motor Vehicle office.

If your car is new, you must include a certificate of origin from the manufacturer.

And you must also include a registration fee, which the state bases on the number of years your vehicle has been registered and on its gross weight. The fees change yearly, and are prorated by month. You can print the most recent schedule from the state’s Web site, or reference the following table for an estimate on registering your automobile.

Gross Weight Less than 3,200 Pounds

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$73

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$65

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$57

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$49

Gross Weight Between 3,200 and 4,499 Pounds

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$93

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$81

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$69

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$57

Gross Weight Between 4,500 and 4,999 Pounds

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$111

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$94

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$79

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$63

Gross Weight Between 5,000 and 5,999 Pounds

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$142

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$120

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$98

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$76

Gross Weight Between 6,000-6,999

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$175

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$146

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$117

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$89

Gross Weight Between 7,000 and 7,999 Pounds

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$208

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$172

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$137

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$102

Gross Weight Between 8,000 and 8,999

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$241

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$199

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$157

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$115

Gross Weight Between 9,000-Over

• First, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth years registered―$274

• Seventh, eighth or ninth years registered―$225

• Tenth, eleventh, or twelfth years registered―$177

• Thirteenth and subsequent years registered―$128

Registration Renewal

NDDOT will mail you a registration renewal form at about the end of November. You have the choice of mailing this back or you can renew online.

The advantage of renewing online is that you can do this 24 hours a day and it only takes NDDOT five to seven days to process, as compared to three weeks when you renew by mail. The lone catch is that you must pay by credit or debit card (Visa, Discover, MasterCard).

Nonoperational Vehicles

You are not required to pay a registration fee, provided your vehicle remains off the road for one full year. North Dakota does not prorate annual registration fees, even if your vehicle is nonoperable for most of the year.

Re-registering is simple. Just visit any motor vehicle office with your vehicle's old registration certificate. No affidavits or notarized proof confirming your vehicle was nonoperational are needed.

Miscellaneous Registration Information

• You must carry your registration certificate with you at all times while operating the vehicle. Failure to do so can result in a $25 fine.

• If you change your address, you need to notify NDDOT within 10 days.