How to Get a Car Title in North Carolina: 28-Day Deadline and Fees

To get a car title in North Carolina, you apply to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) within 28 days of the vehicle being transferred to you.¹ Bring the signed title (or, for a new car, the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin), a completed Title Application (Form MVR-1), proof of North Carolina liability insurance, a valid ID, and any odometer or lien paperwork the transaction requires. You pay a title fee, a 3% Highway Use Tax on the vehicle’s value, and, if you’re registering at the same time, a registration fee. Most people handle everything in a single visit to a local license plate agency.²

The 28-Day Deadline

State law gives you 28 days after a vehicle is transferred to you to apply for a new certificate of title.¹ The clock starts on the date the seller signs the title over to you, or the date the signature is notarized, depending on the transaction. Miss the window and the NCDMV adds a $20 civil penalty on top of your normal titling costs. There’s no reason to cut it close when a license plate agency can usually finish the paperwork the same day you walk in.

Documents to Bring

Turning up without the right paperwork is the most common reason people get sent home. Pull everything together before the visit:

Proof of ownership. For a used vehicle, this is the original title signed over by the seller. For a new vehicle from a dealer, it’s the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO).³
Title Application, Form MVR-1. Every owner listed on the application must sign in ink. If you’re adding co-owners, all signatures must be notarized, and you’ll need a black-and-white copy of each co-owner’s valid driver’s license or ID.⁴
North Carolina liability insurance from an insurer licensed in the state. Bring your insurance card or policy details.
A valid North Carolina driver’s license or state-issued ID.
Odometer Disclosure Statement, Form MVR-180, for any vehicle that isn’t exempt by age.⁵
Lien release, if the previous owner had a loan on the vehicle. This can be a notarized Form MVR-8 or a lien release letter from the lender.⁶

If someone else is handling the transaction on your behalf, the NCDMV accepts a Power of Attorney using Form MVR-63. When a lienholder holds the title, whether physically or electronically, a Secure Power of Attorney (Form MVR-63A) is required instead.⁷ Bring originals of everything rather than copies; the NCDMV may need to verify them.

Odometer Disclosure

Federal and state law require an odometer reading at every transfer of ownership, but older vehicles are exempt. The rules split by model year:⁸

Model year 2010 or older: exempt. No MVR-180 needed.
Model year 2011 or newer: exempt only after 20 years have passed from January 1 of the vehicle’s model year. In 2026, no 2011-or-newer vehicle qualifies yet.

If you’re buying a 2011 or later vehicle, complete an MVR-180 with an accurate reading. The seller usually fills in the mileage on the title itself and on the MVR-180, and the buyer acknowledges it. Falsifying the number is a federal offense, so verify it against the dashboard.

Fees and Highway Use Tax

Titling in North Carolina involves a title fee, the Highway Use Tax, and, in most cases, registration and notary costs. The NCDMV publishes current amounts on its fees page.⁹

Title and Registration

The title fee is charged every time a certificate of title is issued. Registration is a separate fee that varies by vehicle type. Private passenger vehicle registration starts at $46.25 per year, and can run higher depending on the classification and your county. Check the NCDMV fees page for the amount that applies to your vehicle.

Highway Use Tax

North Carolina charges a Highway Use Tax (HUT) instead of a traditional sales tax on vehicle purchases. The rate is 3% of the vehicle’s value. The NCDMV typically uses its own computer-generated value rather than relying solely on the purchase price you report, and assesses the tax on whichever figure is higher. On a $20,000 vehicle, that’s $600. On a $35,000 vehicle, $1,050. There is no general cap for regular passenger vehicles; a $2,000 cap exists only for commercial motor vehicles and recreational vehicles.¹⁰ Three percent sounds modest until you see it applied to an actual sale price, so budget for it alongside the title fee before your visit.

Certain transfers are fully exempt from the HUT:¹¹

Gifts between spouses.
Gifts between a parent and child, including stepparent and stepchild.
Transfers resulting from marital separation or divorce.

Gifts between siblings, between grandparents and grandchildren, or between unrelated people do not qualify and are taxed at the full 3%. To claim an exemption you still complete the MVR-1 and provide all normal documentation; NCDMV staff will ask about the nature of the transfer during processing.

Notary Fees

North Carolina caps notary fees by statute. Standard in-person notarization is up to $10 per signature. Electronic notarization can cost up to $15 per signature, and remote (video) notarization up to $25 per signature.¹² Many license plate agencies keep a notary on-site, so you can often handle notarization at the same visit.

Where to Submit and How Long It Takes

The standard route is in person at a local NCDMV license plate agency. Walk in with your completed MVR-1, supporting documents, proof of insurance, ID, and payment. Staff review everything on the spot and collect the title fee, Highway Use Tax, and registration fee if you’re registering at the same time.

Some transactions can be completed by mail, which adds processing time and creates back-and-forth when a signature or document is missing. For most private buyers, an in-person visit is faster.

Standard title applications take 10 to 15 business days to process, and the physical title is mailed to the address on your application. Double-check that mailing address before you sign anything.² If you can’t wait, the NCDMV offers an expedited “instant title” service that produces titles the same day or the next business day.¹³ An extra fee applies, and not every office offers it, so call ahead to confirm the fee and location.

Moving to North Carolina With an Out-of-State Title

New residents have 60 days after establishing permanent residence to title and register their vehicles with the NCDMV.¹⁴ If you take a job in the state, the deadline may be shorter depending on reciprocity with your previous state, often 30 days from starting work. Bring:

Your out-of-state title, or a registration card if a lender holds the title.
Form MVR-1.
Form MVR-180, if odometer disclosure is required.
A North Carolina driver’s license, or a valid out-of-state license paired with a North Carolina Temporary Driving Certificate.
North Carolina vehicle insurance.

You can register initially without an inspection, but North Carolina requires one before your first registration renewal.¹⁴ The Highway Use Tax still applies to vehicles brought into the state, based on the vehicle’s value.

Titling a Gifted or Inherited Vehicle

A gift follows the standard process. The giver signs the title over to you and completes the odometer section if required, and you bring the signed title, your MVR-1, insurance, and ID to a license plate agency. Be prepared to indicate on the application that the transfer is a gift and to state your relationship to the giver. The HUT is waived only for the family relationships listed above; the standard title fee still applies.

Inheritance is more involved. If the estate is being administered by a court-appointed executor or administrator, that person signs the title over to the heir or buyer on behalf of the estate, and the heir then applies for a new title with the signed title and standard documents. For smaller estates with no will being probated and all heirs in agreement, North Carolina uses Form MVR-317 (Affidavit of Authority to Assign Title), which is available from the Clerk of Superior Court’s office rather than the NCDMV. The Clerk’s office can walk you through the specific requirements, which typically include notarized signatures from all heirs, proof that funeral expenses have been paid, a death certificate, and proof of the vehicle’s value.

Replacing a Lost or Never-Received Title

If your title is lost, stolen, or never arrived in the mail, request a duplicate using Form MVR-4 (Application for Duplicate Title). The form must be notarized and completed exactly as the original was issued. The fee is $25.50.¹⁵ A mandatory 15-day waiting period runs from the date the NCDMV receives the application.¹⁶ Once the duplicate is issued, the original title becomes void, and if you find it later you’re required to return it to the NCDMV. Plan around the waiting period if you’re trying to sell the vehicle, since buyers will want to see a title before handing over money.

1
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-73 – New Owner Must Get New Certificate of Title
2
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Titles
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Title Documents and Forms
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Title Application MVR-1
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. MVR-180 Odometer Disclosure Statement
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Application for Removal of Lien from the Certificate of Title MVR-8
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Power of Attorney MVR-63
8
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 20 Article 15 – Vehicle Mileage Act
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Title and Registration Fees
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 105 Article 5A – Highway Use Tax
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 105-187.6 – Exemptions from Highway Use Tax
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 10B-31 – Fees for Notarial Acts
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Instant Vehicle Titles
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Moving to North Carolina
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. MVR-4 Application for Duplicate Title
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North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Replacement and Duplicate Vehicle Titles