How to Fill Out the NC MVR-18A: Sections, Submission, and Limits

The NC MVR-18A form is North Carolina’s License Plate Turn-in Verification, used to report a registration plate as lost, stolen, or taken by law enforcement. You complete a single page with your plate number, the reason for turn-in, your vehicle details, and owner information, sign the certification, and submit it to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles by mail or at any local license plate agency.¹

When to Use the Form

The MVR-18A covers three situations: your plate was lost, your plate was stolen, or a law enforcement officer confiscated it. The form works as a sworn statement to the DMV that the plate and its year and month stickers are no longer in your possession. If an officer took your plate, attach documentation from the seizing agency; without that proof, the form will not be processed.¹

File promptly. The plate stays registered to your vehicle until the DMV updates its records, so if someone else uses it for toll violations or worse, a filed MVR-18A establishes the date the plate left your control.

How to Complete Each Section

The form has five parts on one page. Gather your registration card or insurance documents and a valid ID before you start. Illegible or incomplete entries slow processing.

Plate Number and Reason for Turn-In

Enter your North Carolina plate number at the top. Under “Reason for Turn In,” check exactly one box: lost, stolen, or taken by law enforcement. If the plate was stolen, file a police report first and keep the report number in case the DMV requests it.¹

Vehicle Information

Fill in the year, make, body style, series or model, and vehicle identification number for the vehicle the plate was assigned to. The VIN is typically 17 characters and appears on your registration card, insurance documents, or the metal plate visible through the driver’s side of the windshield. Verify it character by character. A single wrong digit will get the form kicked back.¹

Owner Information

Enter the full legal name and ID number (usually your North Carolina driver license number) for Owner 1. Add Owner 2 details if there’s a co-owner. Provide the residence address for an individual owner or the business address for a company, and a separate mailing address if it differs.¹

Certification and Signature

The certification statement in the middle of the form is a legal declaration that you, as the owner or the owner’s designee, are reporting the plate and its stickers as lost, stolen, or confiscated. Sign and print your name. If you are signing on behalf of the registered owner, note your relationship (such as spouse or authorized agent) on the designated line.¹

A false statement on a vehicle-related application in North Carolina is a Class 1 misdemeanor.²³

Where to Submit It

Mail the completed form to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, 3148 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27697-3148, or bring it to any local license plate agency in person.¹ Going in person is faster if you also need a replacement plate the same day, because both transactions can happen in one visit.

The form is a PDF download from the NCDOT website, or you can pick up a paper copy at any license plate agency. If you print it, make sure the copy is clean.

Getting a Replacement Plate

Filing the MVR-18A reports the old plate as gone. It does not generate a new one. Request a replacement registration plate separately through a license plate agency, bring a valid driver license, and be prepared to pay the applicable plate fee.⁴ If your registration is still current, you should walk out with a new plate and updated stickers.

Until the replacement is mounted, avoid driving the vehicle on public roads. Operating an unregistered vehicle or one displaying no plate is a separate violation. If you need the car sooner, ask your local office about a temporary marker or transit permit.

What This Form Does Not Do

The MVR-18A is not a title document. If you bought a vehicle and the seller could not give you a certificate of title, this form will not help. That situation runs through North Carolina’s bonded title process, which involves a separate Affidavit of Facts (Form MVR-92H), an inspection by an NCDMV License and Theft Bureau inspector, a surety bond, and a title application.⁵

1
North Carolina Department of Transportation. License Plate Turn in Verification MVR-18A
2
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 20-111 – Violation of Registration Provisions
3
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 15A-1340.23 – Punishment Limits for Each Class of Offense
4
North Carolina Department of Transportation. New License Plates
5
North Carolina Department of Transportation. Requirements and Instructions for Obtaining Title by Filing an Indemnity Bond