NC Weighted Tag Chart: Rates, Farmer Fees, and CDL Thresholds

North Carolina’s weighted tag chart sets annual registration fees for property-hauling vehicles by declared gross weight, under N.C. General Statute 20-88. At the general rate, a 4,000-pound pickup costs $46.25 a year and a 26,000-pound work truck costs $720. Farmers who qualify pay much less at every tier. The exact fee depends on the weight you declare and which rate category you fall into.

General Rate Fees by Declared Weight

Most owners who haul property for personal or business use pay the general rate. The figures below come from the NCDMV fee schedule (Form MVR-34) and already include the $5 statutory surcharge added to every property-hauling registration.¹²

4,000 lbs — $46.25
5,000 lbs — $70.00
6,000 lbs — $83.00
7,000 lbs — $96.00
8,000 lbs — $109.00
9,000 lbs — $122.00
10,000 lbs — $160.00
11,000 lbs — $175.50
12,000 lbs — $191.00
13,000 lbs — $206.50
14,000 lbs — $357.80
15,000 lbs — $383.00
16,000 lbs — $408.20
17,000 lbs — $433.40
18,000 lbs — $500.00
20,000 lbs — $555.00
22,000 lbs — $610.00
24,000 lbs — $665.00
26,000 lbs — $720.00

Watch the jump between 13,000 and 14,000 pounds. The fee climbs from $206.50 to $357.80 because the per-hundred-pound rate nearly doubles at that line. If your declared weight lands just above 13,000, take a second look at your real load before committing to the higher bracket.

Farmer Rate Fees by Declared Weight

The farmer rate is substantially lower, especially at heavier weights. A 26,000-pound truck that would cost $720 at the general rate drops to $330 at the farmer rate.²

4,000 lbs — $38.50
5,000 lbs — $31.00
6,000 lbs — $36.20
7,000 lbs — $41.40
8,000 lbs — $46.60
9,000 lbs — $51.80
10,000 lbs — $70.00
13,000 lbs — $89.50
17,000 lbs — $197.10
20,000 lbs — $255.00
26,000 lbs — $330.00

The 4,000-pound farmer fee looks odd because it is higher than the 5,000-pound fee. That happens because GS 20-88 sets a minimum annual fee of $38.75 at the farmer rate and $46.25 at the general rate. Whenever the per-hundred-pound math would produce a lower number, the minimum applies instead. Vehicles registered at 4,000 pounds also get a 500-pound tolerance above the declared weight.¹

Who Qualifies as a Farmer

Eligibility is narrow. You must grow or raise farm products on at least 10 acres in North Carolina, and you cannot be in the business of buying products for resale. The truck must be used primarily to carry your own farm products or farm supplies, and a farmer-rate plate cannot go on a vehicle that hauls for hire. Qualifying products include food crops, livestock, poultry, dairy, nursery stock, cotton, tobacco, logs, pulpwood, and other forest products you grow or process yourself.¹

How to Set Your Declared Weight

The declared weight is the number that decides which row of the chart applies to you. Start with the empty (curb) weight of your vehicle, add the heaviest load you plan to haul during the registration year, and include the weight of any trailer you will tow. The NCDMV weight declaration form (MVR-618) requires the declared weight to cover the vehicle plus anything hauled or pulled.³

One narrow exception applies to the trailer rule. If your truck is registered at 6,000 pounds or less and the whole combination (truck, trailer, and cargo) stays under 9,000 pounds, you do not have to include the trailer in your declaration.¹

The state rounds your declared weight to the nearest thousand pounds. Anything over 500 pounds rounds up to the next thousand, and 500 pounds or under drops down.¹ Getting the number right matters. Underdeclare, and a roadside stop can cost more than a year of registration.

Trailer and Wrecker Fees

Trailers and semitrailers do not follow the weight-based chart. An annual trailer plate is $32.25. A multiyear plate costs $126 and stays valid until you sell the trailer or turn the plate in; NCDMV issues multiyear plates in a different color and marks them accordingly. House trailers cannot use the multiyear option.¹

Wreckers are their own category. A wrecker weighing 7,000 pounds or less fully equipped costs $105.75 per year; a heavier wrecker costs $207. Wrecker fees can be prorated by month when the vehicle is registered partway through the year.¹

Penalties for Running Over Your Declared Weight

If a weigh station or officer finds your truck heavier than the weight it is registered for, GS 20-118 sets a tiered civil penalty by the pound:⁴

First 1,000 lbs over: 4 cents per pound
Next 1,000 lbs: 6 cents per pound
Every pound beyond that: 10 cents per pound

A truck caught 5,000 pounds over its declared weight would owe $40 on the first 1,000, $60 on the next 1,000, and $300 on the remaining 3,000, for $400 on a single stop. Operating without proper registration for the weight class can bring additional penalties up to $10,000.⁴ The registration savings between one tier and the next is usually smaller than a single overweight ticket.

When a Heavier Tag Requires a CDL

A higher declared weight can also push you across the commercial driver’s license line. Federal thresholds:⁵

Class B CDL for any single vehicle with a gross weight of 26,001 pounds or more
Class A CDL for any combination totaling 26,001 pounds or more when the towed unit weighs more than 10,000 pounds

These rules apply to commercial operation. Towing a personal recreational vehicle or driving a rented moving truck for personal use does not trigger the CDL requirement. Hauling property for business at those weights does.

1
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 20-88 – Property-Hauling Vehicles
2
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles Motor Vehicle License Fees MVR-34
3
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Statement for Weight Declaration MVR-618
4
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-118 – Weight of Vehicles and Load
5
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Drivers – Commercial Drivers License