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Vehicle Titles

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NCDMV Employee at Computer

​Before a vehicle can be registered in North Carolina, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles requires a title, which serves as proper proof of ownership.

For new vehicles, the manufacturer's certificate of origin is the official transfer document, but residents new to North Carolina or who have purchased a vehicle already registered in North Carolina must present the certificate of title properly assigned by the former owner.

To title and register a vehicle, go to a ​license plate agency or mail in the information outlined in the following steps:

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  • Title requirements

    ​General requirements

    • The individual who is titling the vehicle must have a valid North Carolina driver license or ID. Some exceptions for non-North Carolina residents apply. For new North Carolina residents, a valid out-of-state driver license and their North Carolina Temporary Driving Certificate are required. This excludes all dealer work.
    • For vehicles owned by more than one individual, all signatures on required documents must be notarized and accompanied by a black-and-white copy of the alternate owner's valid driver license or ID.
    • Alternatively, a Power of Attorney can sign for the owner(s). If paperwork is signed by the Power of Attorney, a black-and-white copy of the owner's valid driver license is required when paperwork is submitted.
    • If mailing in the paperwork, the individual titling the vehicle must provide with their title information a black-and-white copy of their valid North Carolina driver license.
    • Highway-use tax must be paid. Property taxes may be paid at the time of registration or deferred for 60 days.

    Special requirements

    Additional requirements may apply to other types of vehicles (e.g., antiques, replicas, mobile homes, mopeds, motorcycles and trailers) as well as special cases, such as leased, salvaged and abandoned vehicles or vehicles in a trust, as well as when an owner does not have proof of ownership.

    New & non-North Carolina residents

    Residents who are new to North Carolina or non-residents who have recently acquired a vehicle, must get the vehicle titled in North Carolina before registering it.

    In addition to a driver license, non-North Carolina residents must provide one of the following:

    • A military ID (for active-duty military personnel stationed in North Carolina)
    • A student ID (showing enrollment in a North Carolina college or university)
    • A MVR-614 form documenting that the vehicle is garaged in North Carolina for at least six months each year
    • A court-ordered sale of the vehicle
    • Registration for a motor home

    Proof of liability insurance

    North Carolina law requires continuous liability insurance (provided by a North Carolina-licensed provider) on all vehicles titled and registered in North Carolina. It is required prior to license plate and registration sticker issuance.

  • Title transfers

    ​An individual buying, selling, gifting or donating a vehicle must transfer ownership of it via a title transfer.

    To transfer a vehicle's title, go to a license plate agency or mail in the information outlined in the following steps:

    For a title transfer, the information on the back of the original title must be completed by both the original owner and the recipient. If the original title is a North Carolina title, it must also be notarized. For out-of-state titles, NCDMV will recognize that state's requirements. This information includes the:

    • Buyer and recipient's name and address
    • Date of sale or date of delivery
    • Seller's signature and hand-printed name
    • Odometer reading (if required)
    • Damage disclosure statement

    Sold vehicles

    If you see a vehicle on your registration file that you no longer own and wish to have the status changed to “cancelled" on your record, fill out an MVR-46F form. This form will need to be notarized before mailing it or bringing it in-person to a license plate agency .

    Transferring to family

    If transferring a vehicle between spouses, a parent and child or a stepparent and stepchild, the recipient is exempt from the highway-use tax upon completion of the Highway-Use Tax Exemption Certificate (MVR-613) form.

    The exemption is applicable to North Carolina residents transferring a North Carolina title to another North Carolina resident.

  • Instant titles

    Title applications require 10-15 business days for processing, but NCDMV offers an expedited titling service – referred to as an instant title – in which titles are processed and issued the same day or next business day.

    Restrictions

    NCDMV can issue instant titles for duplicate title applications that require a 15-day waiting period. The customer would order the instant title and pick it up at the same license plate agency on the 16th day.

    NCDMV does not issue Instant titles for the following:

    • Any title that requires a hold for review of the work
    • Antique vehicles
    • Court orders
    • Government 97 titles
    • Green slips (L&T titles) 
    • Indemnity bonds
    • Salvage (Blue) titles
    • Out-of-State title for a state that does not report to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS)

    Instant titling locations

    Instant titles are issued over the counter at the following license plate agencies:​

    Asheboro License Plate Agency
    338 S. Fayetteville Street
    Asheboro, NC 27203
    336-629-9623

    Asheville License Plate Agency at Hendersonville Road
    780 Hendersonville Road, Suite 8
    Asheville, NC 28803
    828-277-7767

    Asheville License Plate Agency at Ingles Plaza
    153 Smokey Park Highway, Suite 160-A
    Asheville, NC 28806
    828-252-8526

    Canton License Plate Agency
    11 Peach Blossom Street
    Canton, NC 28716
    828-646-0091

    Carrboro License Plate Agency at Carrboro Plaza
    104 N.C. 54, Suite D
    Carrboro, NC 27510
    919-521-8600

    Cary License Plate Agency
    1251 Buck Jones Road
    Raleigh, NC 27606
    919-469-1444

    Charlotte License Plate Agency at The Independence Promenade Shopping Center
    5309-E E. Independence Boulevard
    Charlotte, NC 28212
    704-900-5727​

    Charlotte License Plate Agency at The Shops at Westerly Station
    3250-G Wilkinson Boulevard
    Charlotte, NC 28208
    980-237-9658

    Charlotte License Plate Agency at The South Oak Shopping Center
    809 E. Arrowood Road, Suite 800
    Charlotte, NC 28217
    704-525-3832

    Concord License Plate Agency at Clear Springs Plaza
    929-D Concord Parkway South
    Concord, NC  28027
    704-723-4991

    Currituck County License Plate Agency
    257 Caratoke​ Highway (N.C. Highway 168), Suite E
    Moyock, NC 27958
    252-232-9670

    Durham License Plate Agency at Parkway Plaza Shopping Center
    4215 University Drive, Suite 8
    Durham, NC 27707
    919-286-4908

    Durham License Plate Agency at Triangle Square Shopping Center
    4723 NC Highway 55, Suite 7A
    Durham, NC 27713
    919-544-3662

    Edenton License Plate Agency
    555 B Virginia Road
    Edenton, NC 27932
    252-482-2424

    Franklin License Plate Agency
    353 Westgate Plaza
    Franklin, NC 28734
    828-369-8165

    Gastonia License Plate Agency at Eastridge Mall
    246 N. New Hope Road, Suite 239
    Gastonia, NC 28054
    704-864-4856

    Goldsboro License Plate Agency
    220 West Main Street
    Goldsboro, NC 27530
    919-734-0881

    Greensboro License Plate Agency at Golden Gate Shopping Center
    2218 Golden Gate Drive
    Greensboro, NC 27405
    336-275-7715

    Greensboro License Plate Agency at Guilford Shoppes Station
    5533 W. Market Street
    Greensboro, NC 27409
    336-856-1510

    High Point License Plate Agency
    1701 Westchester Drive, Suite 220
    High Point, NC 27262
    336-889-8247

    Indian Trail License Plate Agency at Indian Trail Village
    14015-J East Independence Boulevard
    Indian Trail, NC 28079
    704-234-8704

    Jackson County License Plate Agency
    876 Skyland Drive
    Sylvia, NC 28779
    828-339-1121

    Lumberton License Plate Agency
    118 West Fifth Street
    Lumberton, NC 28358
    910-593-1133

    McDowell County License Plate Agency
    60 East Court Street
    Marion, NC  28752
    828-652-0179

    Mocksville License Plate Agency
    1047 Yadkinville Road
    Mocksville, NC 27028
    336-753-6677

    Morganton License Plate Agency
    603 S. College Street
    Morganton, NC 28655
    828-437-4505

    Mount Airy License Plate Agency
    137 Riverside Drive
    Mount Airy, NC 2703
    336-786-5201

    Murphy License Plate Agency
    1176 Andrews Road
    Murphy, NC 28906
    828-837-9922

    North Raleigh License Plate Agency
    2533 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 102
    Raleigh, NC 27604
    919-831-9996

    Raleigh Central Services License Plate Agency
    4121 New Bern Avenue
    Raleigh, NC  27610
    919-715-7000

    Rockingham License Plate Agency
    601 S Long Drive, Suite C
    Rockingham, NC 28379
    910-997-4014

    Rural Hall License Plate Agency
    145 Bethania Street
    Rural Hall, NC 27045
    336-642-9016

    Shelby License Plate Agency
    118 N. Morgan Street
    Shelby, NC 28150
    704-487-4551

    Smithfield License Plate Agency
    3175A U.S. Highway 301 South
    Smithfield, NC 27577
    919-934-3187

    Spindale License Plate Agency
    1639 College Avenue, Suite 149
    Spindale, NC 28160
    828-287-3600

    Thomasville License Plate Agency
    1650 Liberty Drive
    Thomasville, NC 27360
    336-472-7334

    Troy License Plate Agency at Troy Shopping Center
    448 Albemarle Road
    Troy, NC 27371
    910-572-2911

    Whiteville License Plate Agency
    201 E. Main Street
    Whiteville, NC 28472
    910-642-7500

    Wilmington License Plate Agency
    2390 Carolina Beach Road, Suite 108
    Wilmington, NC 28401
    910-763-6752

    Zebulon License Plate Agency
    520 W Gannon Avenue
    Zebulon, NC 27597
    919-404-8008

  • Replacement and duplicate titles

    Corrections and replacements

    NCDMV issues replacement titles if there is:

    • A name change due to marriage, divorce, court order or naturalization
    • An error on the original title
    • A significant modification to the titled vehicle

    To request a replacement title, submit all required documents and pay the required fee. Identification is required for all services processed in person.

    Required documents

    DocumentNotes
    Vehicle titleNotarization required
    Corrected driver licenseRequired if request is due to a name change
    Lien releaseRequired if request is due to an error in lienholder information
    Copy of court orderRequired if request is due to a name change resulting from legal proceedings
    Naturalization paperworkRequired if request is due to a name change resulting from legal proceedings
    Odometer readingRequired if vehicle is less than 10 years old
    Corrected or Substituted Title Application (MVR-5)Notarization required
    Affidavit of Facts (MVR-28)Required in the case of vehicle modifications​

    ​Duplicate titles

    A vehicle's registered owner can order a duplicate title if the original title has been lost or was never received. In cases where the title was never received, the title fee can be waived if the original title is issued within 60 days of requesting a duplicate.

    All requests for duplicate titles must age 15 days before being processed.

    To request a duplicate title, submit all required documents and pay the required fee. Identification is required for all services processed in person.

    Required documents​

    DocumentNotes
    Lien releaseMust be completed if any liens are shown on vehicle's title
    Application for Duplicate Title (MVR-4)Must be notarized and completed exactly as the original

5/18/2026 4:43 PM

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