Want to register your vehicle in NC? Here’s what you will need and how much it costs
Registering your car with the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) is legally required for you to drive it.
Vehicle registrations allow the DMV to determine ownership, and helps you avoid liability if your car is ever stolen and used recklessly by another driver.
If you just moved to North Carolina, or recently purchased a new car, here’s what you need to know about registering your vehicle.
How can I renew my registration?
Registration renewals can be completed online at payments.ncdot.gov, or in-person at any NCDMV license plate agency, which includes 116 open driver license offices, 130 open license plate offices and 25 open mobile locations.
To renew online, you must have the vehicle’s license plate number and the last five digits of the vehicle title number.
How often do I need to renew my registration?
Vehicle registrations must be renewed annually, NCDMV says.
What are the requirements to renew my vehicle registration?
Before renewing your registration, your vehicle must pass safety and emissions inspections no more than 90 days before its license plate expires.
Proof of car insurance is also required for a vehicle registration to be renewed.
What if I just moved to North Carolina?
If you’re a new resident, you’ll need to take the following to a local license plate agency to register your vehicle:
A North Carolina drivers license
A vehicle title
An MVR-180 Odometer Disclosure if your vehicle is less than 10 years old
Proof of car insurance
How much does it cost to register a vehicle?
When you register your car, you will be required to pay a title fee, highway-use tax and plate fee.
The fee for a new title is $56.
The state highway-use tax is $3 of a vehicle’s value, and won’t exceed $250 for new residents.
The standard plate fee for most counties is $38.75. If you live in Randolph County, you’ll pay $39.75, and if you live in Durham, Orange or Wake counties you’ll pay $53.75.
How much does it cost to renew registration?
The fee to renew a private passenger vehicle is $38.75. If you are renewing the registration for a motorcycle, it will cost $25.50. Renewal fees for all types of vehicles can be found on the NCDMV website.
Motorists also have to pay a tax based on the appraised value of your vehicle, which depends on your county’s vehicle property tax.
What if I renew my registration late?
A late fee of $15 will be charged for plates that have expired in the past month.
For one to two months after expiration, the fee is $20, and those with a plate that is expired by more than two months will be charged $25.
