As a result of recent legislation, effective Oct. 1, 2026, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles has moved to an all-electronic registration system, eliminating the requirement for license plate stickers and printed registration cards.
If you want a copy of your registration, you can download a free PDF to save on your device or print. Enter your license plate number and the last
5 digits of your vehicle’s title number, which you can find on your
renewal notice or in
MyDMV.
If you are having trouble downloading a PDF copy of your registration card from our website, give us a call at 919-715-7000 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or send us a message.
Do I need a printed copy of my registration?
No. You do not need to carry a printed copy. Law enforcement can check your registration electronically, and inspection stations can use your renewal notice to look up your vehicle.
If you want a paper copy, you can print the free PDF yourself. For $5, you can get a printed copy at a license plate agency or order one to be mailed to you.
Order a Printed Copy
Why did vehicle registration change?
On Oct. 1, 2026, North Carolina stopped issuing license plate stickers and automatically providing printed registrations. State law no longer requires them. Law enforcement can check registration status electronically, and ending stickers saves money and reduces sticker fraud.
What does this mean for me?
When you register or renew a vehicle, you no longer receive a license plate sticker or a printed registration automatically. Your registration
remains valid as long as you pay your registration fees and vehicle property taxes and
maintain continuous insurance coverage.
Find information for your situation:
Vehicle owners
Digital vehicle registration is accepted in most states. If you'd like a backup, download a copy to your device or print one to keep in your vehicle.
You can print the free PDF available on our website. For $5, you can get a printed copy at a license plate agency or order one to be mailed to you.
You can find key registration information on your renewal notice or transaction receipt. If you want a copy of your registration, you can:
- Download a PDF for free on this page.
- Get a copy by email when you renew online, at a self-service kiosk or at a license plate agency.
- Get a printed copy for $5 at a license plate agency or order online at the link above.
In 2027, you’ll also be able to access your registration in the NC Wallet alongside your Mobile ID.
No. You will never be asked to hand over your phone to police officers to verify your registration. Officers will verify your registration using their own electronic verification systems.
Yes. This change does not eliminate your responsibility to register your vehicle or pay vehicle property taxes. You must still renew your registration annually and pay all required fees and taxes on time. Failure to do so can result in late fees, citations, interest accrual and/or collection actions.
Yes. You are still required to get a safety inspection before you can register your vehicle or renew the registration. Inspections must be completed no more than 90 days before the renewal of your registration. In addition to a safety inspection, vehicles registered in 19 counties are also required to pass an emissions inspection.
Safety inspection technicians will be able to look up your vehicle using the barcode on the digital version of your vehicle registration, your tax property notice or any receipt documenting a recent vehicle transaction.
Yes, we recommend removing your old sticker(s) on or after October 1, 2026.
Updates occur in our system within a couple minutes. If you need documentation before your digital registration is available, the receipt includes any relevant information that may be needed by a third party.
Yes. All those renewal options are still available to you.
Yes. NCDMV will continue to mail out registration renewal notices 90 days before your registration expires. If you have a myNCDMV account, you will also receive an email reminder.
Yes. NCDMV will mail you a receipt to your address on file confirming your registration was successfully renewed.
Dealers
NCDMV is ending license plate stickers and printed registration cards. The dealer plate changes are still underway and will not take effect on October 1.
You can use a recent DMV receipt with enough information to verify ownership. Dealers with access to DMV systems can also check the vehicle record directly.
Dealers will continue to receive a receipt listing all transactions processed in the dealer folder. They will also receive individual receipts for new plate purchases and tag transfers.
Online dealers will receive a receipt they can print.
Commercial trucking
You will no longer receive a license plate sticker or a printed cab card automatically. Instead, you will receive an IRP receipt with instructions for downloading your cab card from ncdmv.gov/IRP. You can request a printed copy for $5 per vehicle at myNCDMV.
Important: Your cab card must show a barcode to be valid. Some browsers or PDF viewers may fail to display it. If the barcode is missing, open the cab card in a different browser or PDF viewer. To view multiple cab cards, allow pop-ups from ncdmv.gov/IRP.
Log in at ncdmv.gov/IRP to renew and pay by EFT. You can also renew at an IRP office, or start your renewal online and pay in person at a license plate agency.
Log in at ncdmv.gov/IRP to download cab cards for active vehicles in your fleet throughout the registration year. You can also request printed copies by mail for $5 per vehicle through myNCDMV.
No. You no longer need to turn in your cab card when completing an IRP transaction.