TRANSPORTATION / MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION

Drivers License
New residents have 30 days to apply for a North Carolina drivers license. Bring proof of residency (unless one form of identification includes your current address), proof of age in the form of a legal birth certificate, and your social security number. If you do not have these documents, call the DMV office to inquire about the list of other acceptable documents. Proof of residency can take the form of an apartment lease, mortgage papers, a utility bill, or current insurance policy. Applicants who are 18 years of age and older will be required to take the written, sign, and vision tests. A road test may also be required, depending upon your driving record and other special circumstances. Drivers who are under 18 years of old must follow the graduated licensing regulations, which carry certain driving limitations. North Carolina issues drivers licenses for a five-year period. You may also register to vote at the time that you apply for a drivers license. The following website offers a directory of North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle field offices:

Driver License Field Offices
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-licenses

Vehicle Registration
New residents have 30 days to register and title all vehicles in North Carolina. To register a vehicle, the owner must complete the required application forms and pay the appropriate fees. The DMV requires proof of ownership before registration. To register a vehicle for the first time in the state, you must present the title from the state where the vehicle was formerly registered. If the vehicle is from a non-title state, you must present the current vehicle registration with a property notarized transfer of ownership on the back or a notarized bill of sale from the former owner along with the former owner’s proof of purchase. When registering a vehicle and the title is held by a lienholder, you must furnish the lienholder’s name and address. The DMV will provide a form to be mailed to the lienholder requesting release of the title for North Carolina registration purposes. All liens must be declared in the order of their priority. All new residents of the state must pay a title fee of $35 and a registration fee of $20 for private passenger automobiles in order to obtain a license plate and validation decals.

Safety/Emissions Inspections
New residents will find more than 7,000 licensed inspections throughout the state that include garages, service stations, and other specialized automobile facilities. Inspection stations must post a sign that reads “Official Inspection Station.” The following website offers complete information:

North Carolina Emissions Program
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv

Financial Responsibility
You will be unable to obtain a license plate unless you certify to the DMV that your vehicle is covered by liability insurance in the minimum amounts set by North Carolina law. Other options include either cash or bond deposited with the State Treasurer, or a certificate of self-insurance. If the DMV is notified that a vehicle owner is operating a motor vehicle without proper liability insurance, the vehicle’s license plate might be revoked for 30 days unless proof of insurance coverage can be furnished. The following website offers a directory of North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle field offices:

DMV Vehicle Registration Field Offices
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/title-registration/registration

DMV Information & Services
Once you have completed your original registration and titling of your vehicles in North Carolina, many services including vehicle registration and license plate renewals can be conducted online. You can also order a duplicate drivers license or vehicle registration cards. For more information about drivers licenses, vehicle registration and titling, insurance requirements, and safety or emissions inspections or for answers to your specific questions, contact:

North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
919-715-7000
https://www.ncdot.gov/DMV

Online DMV Services
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online

Vehicle Property Tax
The property tax system requires counties to assess the values of motor vehicles registered with DMV and to prepare tax bills. Three months after the motor vehicle’s registration renewal date, the vehicle owner will receive a tax bill which is payable on the first day of the following month. The county charges interest for overdue accounts and registration renewals will be blocked. For more information on this tax, consult with your local property tax assessor:

County Assessors

Alamance County
https://www.alamance-nc.com/

Chatham County
https://www.chathamcountync.gov/

Durham County
https://www.dconc.gov/

Franklin County
https://www.franklincountync.gov/

Granville County
https://www.granvillecounty.org/

Guilford County
http://www.myguilford.com/tax

Johnston County
https://www.johnstonnc.com/

Orange County
https://www.orangecountync.gov/

Person County
https://www.personcountync.gov/

Wake County
https://www.wakegov.com/departments-government/tax-administration

Seat Belts
North Carolina requires each front-seat occupant who is 16 years of age or older and each driver of a passenger motor vehicle manufactured with seat belts shall to be property secured. Drivers transporting passengers less than 16 years of age must properly secure them in a child-passenger restraint system or a seat belt. A child less than five years of age and weighing less than 40 pounds must be property secured in a weight-appropriate child-passenger restraint system. In vehicles equipped with an active passenger-side front air bag and a rear seat, a child less than five years of age and less than 40 pounds in weight must be properly secured in the rear seat unless the child restraint system is designed for use with air bags. North Carolina also prohibits children less than age 12 from riding in the open bed of a pick-up truck.

Vessel Registration & Titling
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is responsible for the registration of all motorized watercraft including jet skis and sailboats that are longer than 14 fee at the load waterline. New residents have 90 days to register their watercraft. Vessel owners can obtain one-year or three-year vessel registrations by mail or visit the Raleigh NCWRC office. Three-year registrations can also be obtained by visiting a Wildlife Service Agent or by an automated telephone procedure using Visa or Mastercard. For more information, the location of Wildlife Service Agents, or answers to specific questions, contact:

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
800-628-3773
800-NC-VESSEL
https://www.ncwildlife.org/