NC · Registration fee guide

North Carolina car registration fees

Last verified 2026-10-28 · View sources

Base registration fee$46.25Fee source ↗

EV / hybrid fee$214.50 / $0.00See applicable rules

Typical example total$63.2512-month renewal example

North Carolina charges $46.25 a year to register a private passenger vehicle.

Your itemized estimate

Estimate your registration

Use your vehicle details to calculate the listed fees. Amounts reflect the schedule verified in 2026.

Start with the published example below, then adjust the details for your vehicle.

County

Fuel type

Registration type

Value shown on your renewal notice ($)

Published example · listed fees

$63.25

12-month renewal example

Where the fees go

State fees$46.25
County / local$17.00
One-time$0.00

View breakdown data

Where the fees go — amounts in USD
Category	Amount
State fees	$46.25
County / local	$17.00
One-time	$0.00

Itemized estimate, with official fee sources
Fee	Amount
Private passenger vehicle registration	$46.25
County registration tax	$7.00
Regional transportation tax	$10.00

Estimate only. Includes only the fees listed here; other taxes, penalties or local charges may apply. Confirm with the official agency.

Confirm with North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)

Registration fee schedule

Only applicable fees contribute to your estimate. Optional fees are excluded unless selected. One-time fees apply only to new registrations.

North Carolina fee rules · verified 2026-10-28
Fee	Amount or rule	Applies to
Private passenger vehicle registration	$46.25	All listed vehicles All listed vehicles
County registration tax	View county rates Alamance: $0.00; Alexander: $0.00; Alleghany: $0.00; Anson: $0.00; Ashe: $0.00; Avery: $0.00; Beaufort: $0.00; Bertie: $0.00; Bladen: $0.00; Brunswick: $0.00; Buncombe: $0.00; Burke: $0.00; Cabarrus: $0.00; Caldwell: $0.00; Camden: $0.00; Carteret: $0.00; Caswell: $0.00; Catawba: $0.00; Chatham: $0.00; Cherokee: $0.00; Chowan: $0.00; Clay: $0.00; Cleveland: $0.00; Columbus: $0.00; Craven: $0.00; Cumberland: $0.00; Currituck: $0.00; Dare: $0.00; Davidson: $0.00; Davie: $0.00; Duplin: $0.00; Durham: $7.00; Edgecombe: $0.00; Forsyth: $0.00; Franklin: $0.00; Gaston: $0.00; Gates: $0.00; Graham: $0.00; Granville: $0.00; Greene: $0.00; Guilford: $0.00; Halifax: $0.00; Harnett: $0.00; Haywood: $0.00; Henderson: $0.00; Hertford: $0.00; Hoke: $0.00; Hyde: $0.00; Iredell: $0.00; Jackson: $0.00; Johnston: $0.00; Jones: $0.00; Lee: $0.00; Lenoir: $0.00; Lincoln: $0.00; Macon: $0.00; Madison: $0.00; Martin: $0.00; McDowell: $0.00; Mecklenburg: $0.00; Mitchell: $0.00; Montgomery: $0.00; Moore: $0.00; Nash: $0.00; New Hanover: $0.00; Northampton: $0.00; Onslow: $0.00; Orange: $7.00; Pamlico: $0.00; Pasquotank: $0.00; Pender: $0.00; Perquimans: $0.00; Person: $0.00; Pitt: $0.00; Polk: $0.00; Randolph: $1.00; Richmond: $0.00; Robeson: $0.00; Rockingham: $0.00; Rowan: $0.00; Rutherford: $0.00; Sampson: $0.00; Scotland: $0.00; Stanly: $0.00; Stokes: $0.00; Surry: $0.00; Swain: $0.00; Transylvania: $0.00; Tyrrell: $0.00; Union: $0.00; Vance: $0.00; Wake: $7.00; Warren: $0.00; Washington: $0.00; Watauga: $0.00; Wayne: $0.00; Wilkes: $0.00; Wilson: $0.00; Yadkin: $0.00; Yancey: $0.00 Only Durham, Orange and Wake ($7) and Randolph ($1) levy this tax.	All listed vehicles All listed vehicles
Regional transportation tax	View county rates Alamance: $0.00; Alexander: $0.00; Alleghany: $0.00; Anson: $0.00; Ashe: $0.00; Avery: $0.00; Beaufort: $0.00; Bertie: $0.00; Bladen: $0.00; Brunswick: $0.00; Buncombe: $0.00; Burke: $0.00; Cabarrus: $0.00; Caldwell: $0.00; Camden: $0.00; Carteret: $0.00; Caswell: $0.00; Catawba: $0.00; Chatham: $0.00; Cherokee: $0.00; Chowan: $0.00; Clay: $0.00; Cleveland: $0.00; Columbus: $0.00; Craven: $0.00; Cumberland: $0.00; Currituck: $0.00; Dare: $0.00; Davidson: $0.00; Davie: $0.00; Duplin: $0.00; Durham: $10.00; Edgecombe: $0.00; Forsyth: $0.00; Franklin: $0.00; Gaston: $0.00; Gates: $0.00; Graham: $0.00; Granville: $0.00; Greene: $0.00; Guilford: $0.00; Halifax: $0.00; Harnett: $0.00; Haywood: $0.00; Henderson: $0.00; Hertford: $0.00; Hoke: $0.00; Hyde: $0.00; Iredell: $0.00; Jackson: $0.00; Johnston: $0.00; Jones: $0.00; Lee: $0.00; Lenoir: $0.00; Lincoln: $0.00; Macon: $0.00; Madison: $0.00; Martin: $0.00; McDowell: $0.00; Mecklenburg: $0.00; Mitchell: $0.00; Montgomery: $0.00; Moore: $0.00; Nash: $0.00; New Hanover: $0.00; Northampton: $0.00; Onslow: $0.00; Orange: $10.00; Pamlico: $0.00; Pasquotank: $0.00; Pender: $0.00; Perquimans: $0.00; Person: $0.00; Pitt: $0.00; Polk: $0.00; Randolph: $1.00; Richmond: $0.00; Robeson: $0.00; Rockingham: $0.00; Rowan: $0.00; Rutherford: $0.00; Sampson: $0.00; Scotland: $0.00; Stanly: $0.00; Stokes: $0.00; Surry: $0.00; Swain: $0.00; Transylvania: $0.00; Tyrrell: $0.00; Union: $0.00; Vance: $0.00; Wake: $10.00; Warren: $0.00; Washington: $0.00; Watauga: $0.00; Wayne: $0.00; Wilkes: $0.00; Wilson: $0.00; Yadkin: $0.00; Yancey: $0.00 Only Durham, Orange and Wake ($10) and Randolph ($1) levy this tax.	All listed vehicles All listed vehicles
Electric vehicle fee	$214.50 Charged on top of the registration fee; amount effective Jan. 1, 2024.	See conditions fuel type: electric
Certificate of title	$66.75	New registration All listed vehicles; one-time
Highway-use tax	3% of vehicle value 3% of vehicle value, charged each time a title is transferred, in place of state sales tax. For new residents it is capped at $250, which the calculator does not apply.	New registration All listed vehicles; one-time

How North Carolina fees work

North Carolina charges $46.25 a year to register a private passenger vehicle. Durham, Orange and Wake counties add $17 in county and regional transportation taxes, and Randolph adds $2. Electric vehicles pay an extra $214.50 a year. Titling a car costs $66.75 plus a 3% highway-use tax on its value. County vehicle property tax is billed with the renewal but is not included here.

The listed registration period is 12 months. Agency information

Cost factors: flat, county, fuel, value.

Electric & hybrid surcharges

Electric: $214.50 in the listed schedule. Fee source

Choose the matching fuel type in the calculator to include the applicable surcharge.

Late registration

NCDMV charges a late fee of up to $25 on renewals paid after the plate's expiration date, starting the first day of the following month. Interest is also charged: 5% for the rest of the month after expiration, then 0.75% a month. Separately, a $20 late penalty applies if a buyer does not apply for a title transfer within 28 days.

Confirm deadlines and penalties with the agency

Worked example

Gas car renewing in Wake County: $46.25 registration + $7 county registration tax + $10 regional transportation tax (property tax not included).

Listed total: $63.25

See the fee rules and sources above

Common questions

How are North Carolina registration fees calculated?

Where can I confirm my final registration cost?

Confirm the final amount with North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Its official website is linked below the calculator and in this guide’s sources.

What other limitations should I consider?

County (and some city) vehicle property tax is billed together with the renewal under Tag & Tax Together. It depends on the county's assessed value and local rates, so it is not included; see NCDMV's property tax estimator or your county tax office. Conventional hybrids pay no extra fee. Plug-in hybrids pay $107.25 a year on top of registration, which the calculator's 'hybrid' option does not add. Highway-use tax for new residents is 3% of value but no more than $250. Online renewals carry a PayIt fee of $3 plus 1.85% card processing, which goes to the vendor, not the state. A printed registration card costs $5 (from Oct. 1, 2026), and personalized plates cost $30.

Sources and last checked

Sources

Title and Registration Fees NCDMV
Vehicle Registration (renewal late fees) NCDMV
Vehicle Property Taxes NCDMV
Property Tax Rates and Reappraisal Schedules for North Carolina Counties (county list) NC Department of Revenue

Last verified 2026-10-28

Fees can change. Confirm your final amount with the official registration agency before paying.

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