Standard plates
For all motor vehicles registered in North Carolina, NCDMV issues a standard license plate that is available in three designs for private passenger and private hauler vehicles:
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"First in Flight": Commemorates the Wright Brothers' first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. in 1903.
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"First in Freedom": Recognizes two important North Carolina milestones in the American Revolution.
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National/State Motto: Includes both the United States motto ("In God We Trust") and North Carolina motto ("To Be Rather Than to Seem").
Speciality plates
NCDMV issues specialty license plates representing more than
100 causes and interest groups. Fees vary depending on the design chosen and are in addition to standard vehicle registration fees.
Specialty plates are made in limited production and subject to availability. They can be ordered online, by mail, or by visiting a
license plate agency.
Learn more about ordering a speciality plate
Personalized plates
Standard and specialty license plates can be personalized for an additional fee and can be ordered online, by mail, or by visiting a
license plate agency.
Please note: Supreme Court case law has deemed state-issued license plates as "government speech" and provides the issuing agency with broad discretion in refusing to issue or recall a plate with an in decent word/phrase or meaning. Therefore, such speech is not subject to a First Amendment analysis.
Learn more about ordering a personalized plate
Personalized and speciality plates help
You cannot order a personalized or special license plate online or by mail for a vehicle not currently titled and registered in North Carolina. You can, however, order one in person at
an NCDMV license plate agency when you
title and register your vehicle.
NCDMV will initially issue you a standard license plate to use until your personalized or special plate arrives in the mail within 6-8 weeks. When you receive a personalized plate, swap it out with the old plate and return the old plate to an
NCDMV license plate agency.
Personalized plates orders are manufactured by an outside vendor. Once the NCDMV receives the plate, it is mailed to address listed on your registration record, along with a new registration card and validation sticker. This process takes about 6-8 weeks.
"Plate not available" means that your personalized plate choice is being used by another applicant, conflicts with another plate class or might not be allowed because of poor taste.
Special plates are made in limited production runs, so your chosen plate may not be available at the time you request it. Some special plates are replaced with new designs; others may be discontinued. You are free to choose another plate that is available, or if the plate is out of stock, you may choose to have it mailed to you when it is restocked.
Personalized text may consist of any combination of letters, numbers or
special characters. The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles reserves the right to refuse submissions that are:
- Deemed offensive to good taste and decency.
- Over the space limit allowed for each plate style.
- Duplicates of another plate issued to a registered North Carolina vehicle.
Supreme Court case law has deemed state-issued license plates as "government speech" and provides the issuing agency with broad discretion in refusing to issue or recall a plate with an indecent word/phrase or meaning. Therefore, such speech is not subject to a First Amendment analysis.
Note: If you are ordering by mail and your choices of text are rejected, your application will be denied and you will be notified by mail. You may reapply with other choices at any time.
The number of character spaces allowed depends on the type of North Carolina license plate you choose.
| Personal vehicle | 8 |
| Private motorcycle | 7 |
| Private trailer | 8 |
| Disabled license plate | 6 |
| Special license plate | 4 |
Note: Personalized special plate requests must contain at least one letter.
You can use numbers and some special characters, including the question mark (?), ampersand (&), dollar sign ($) and the “at” symbol (@). Get creative and use symbols or numbers where letters would take up too much space. The letter “O” is automatically converted into a zero (0) on your personalized license plate to avoid confusion.
Note: Personalized special plate requests must contain at least one letter. Some special characters occupy one-half space in width. Half-space characters are allowed on motorcycle license plates.
Specialty plates for most military and civic clubs can be obtained only if you can verify that you are a member of that specific group, club or have obtained a specific recognition. For example, you cannot obtain the “Purple Heart” special plate unless you can verify that you had received the Purple Heart Award.
Yes, you can personalize a standard plate design by filling out a
personalized plate application form and mailing it, along with the fee, to:
N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles
3155 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27697-3155
If you would like a special registration plate (personalized or not personalized), you must fill out the
appropriate special plate application.
Note: There is an additional fee if you want to personalize your special plate.
Please see the
license plates page for information on how to move your license plate from one vehicle to another.
If you have a personalized plate and would like to give that plate to a friend or relative you cannot give the plate to them, but you can release the rights to the personalized plate text to them. You would need to complete an
MVR-27N (personalized license plate relinquish form) and return the personalized license plate along with the completed form to
an NCDMV license plate agency.
The personalized plate will be turned in with a special code that will relinquish the plate text to the friend or relative. Once the plate has been turned in with the special code, the friend or relative may request a personalized plate with that same personalized text and pay the $30 personalized fee along with any other fees that might be due at that time.
You can request a new embossed plate at the time of
your vehicle’s registration renewal. Simply write on your renewal card: “Request new plate – embossed,” and send it in. A new, embossed personalized plate will be sent to you in 6-8 weeks.
Note: You will not be able to request a new personalized plate if you renew online.
If your license plate has been lost or stolen, it’s possible that someone may be using that plate illegally. To avoid the potential for duplication, NCDMV must wait until the current expiration date on that license plate has passed. When that happens, you may order a new personalized license plate with the old text.
Yes. If you request a new personalized license plate at the time you are paying the license plate renewal fee for a current personalized plate, a new plate will be manufactured at the cost of the renewal fee (the plate text may be the same or a different text). If you request a new personalized plate any other time than when you are paying the renewal fee for a personalized plate the cost will be the standard personalized plate fee.
Returning your plate
If you cancel your liability insurance, move out-of-state, sell a vehicle without transferring the plate, or if a vehicle is totaled, you must immediately surrender the plate.
North Carolina license plates can be returned to any
license plate agency or by mailing it to:
NCDMV Vehicle Registration Section
Renewal Title & Plate Unit
3148 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27697-3148
Please note: You must return the plate BEFORE canceling your liability insurance to avoid fines.
Lost, stolen & damaged plates
Lost, stolen, and damaged license plates can only be replaced by visiting a
license plate agency with the following:
Lost, stolen & damaged registration stickers
If your plate's registration sticker is damaged, defective, faded, lost, or incorrect, it can be replaced by visiting a
license plate agency with the following:
- MVR-18 Form
- Damaged, defective, faded or incorrect sticker
- Proof of liability insurance provided by a company licensed to do business in North Carolina
- Vehicle insurance policy number
Requests for replacement stickers can also be submitted by mail (defective or incorrect sticker must be mailed back with request).
Transferring plates to another vehicle
To transfer a license plate from one vehicle to another, the individual transferring the plate must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain liability insurance on both vehicles and provide proof of the coverage
- The vehicle to which the license plate is being transferred must have a current inspection
- The license plate being transferred must be valid
- The name on the applicant's license and the vehicle title must match
A fee is required for license plate transfers (see the table below), except in the following cases when a vehicle is already titled in North Carolina when:
- Transferring ownership of a single vehicle from single ownership to joint ownership (if one of the names is the same)
- Transferring ownership of a single vehicle from joint ownership to single ownership (if one of the names is the same)
- The registered owner dies and the title is transferred to a surviving spouse
Restrictions
In cases where a vehicle's owner dies, some specialty plates (e.g., military, disabled veteran, disability, etc.) cannot be transferred to surviving spouses since the plates carry eligibility requirements. Some plates, such as the Prisoner of War plate, are transferable if the surviving spouse does not remarry and continues to renew the plate each year.
License plate/registration fees
License plate/registration fees vary depending on the type of vehicle being plated, and where the vehicle is registered. Some counties also charge local and regional transportation taxes on certain types of vehicles.