Do you pay taxes on your car every year in NC?
Yes, but you have the option to defer tax payment by getting a limited registration plate, which expires 60 days from the date of issue. You must pay the property tax by the time the sticker on the plate expires. Can I renew my vehicle registration without paying my property tax? No.
How much does it cost to renew registration? The fee to renew a private passenger vehicle is $38.75. If you are renewing the registration for a motorcycle, it will cost $25.50. Renewal fees for all types of vehicles can be found on the NCDMV website.
North Carolina collects a 3% state sales tax rate on the purchase of all vehicles. In addition to taxes, car purchases in North Carolina may be subject to other fees like registration, title, and plate fees.
Vehicle registrations must be renewed annually. Both are due at the same time and can be paid online as well as by mail or at an NCDMV license plate agency as part of North Carolina's Tag & Tax Together program that, under state law, transfers the responsibility of motor vehicle tax collection to NCDMV.
Vehicle owners will receive this statement about 60 days prior to their vehicle's registration expiration. Beginning September 2013, your annual vehicle inspection, registration renewal and vehicle property tax is due the same month each year.
Whether you opt for monthly, six month or annual payments, taxing your car is quite a straightforward process that doesn't take much time at all. Once you've set up the tax, it should automatically renew each year so you don't have to do it again.
A personalized version of the plate, where you choose the characters, will cost an additional $30 (for a total of $40 annually).
"Money that is collected by vehicle registration fees goes to the North Carolina Highway Trust Fund and the state's General Fund," Brockwell said. "That money is then used to improve roads in North Carolina."
Fees For Replacing a Lost, Stolen or Damaged License Plate In North Carolina. In North Carolina, the fee for a replacement registration vehicle registration is $20. The fee for a replacement car tag or license plate sticker is also $20.
North Carolina has a flat 4.99 percent individual income tax rate. North Carolina also has a 2.50 percent corporate income tax rate. North Carolina has a 4.75 percent state sales tax rate, a max local sales tax rate of 2.75 percent, and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 6.98 percent.
How do I find out how much my vehicle property tax in NC?
Statements for vehicle property taxes paid to the NC DMV at the time of registration are not available on the County's web site. To obtain a statement of the property taxes paid for your vehicle, visit NC DMV online.
For Tax Year 2022, the North Carolina individual income tax rate is 4.99% (0.0499). Tax rates for previous years are as follows: For Tax Years 2019, 2020, and 2021 the North Carolina individual income tax rate is 5.25% (0.0525).

A motor vehicle registered in North Carolina must pass an annual safety inspection before its registered owner can renew its vehicle registration. They can be conducted no more than 90 days before the license plate and registration expires.
General Requirements
The individual who is titling the vehicle must have a valid North Carolina driver license or ID. For new North Carolina residents, a valid out-of-state driver license and their North Carolina Temporary Driving Certificate are required.
(a) Annual Renewal. – The registration of a vehicle must be renewed annually. In accordance with G.S. 105-330.5(b), upon receiving written consent from the owner of the vehicle, the Division may send any required notice of renewal electronically to an e-mail address provided by the owner of the vehicle.
Senior Citizens / Disabled
North Carolina excludes from property taxes a portion of the appraised value of a permanent residence owned and occupied by North Carolina residents aged 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled whose 2022 income does not exceed $33,800 annually.
Revenue from the highway-use tax goes to the North Carolina Highway Trust Fund and the North Carolina's General Fund and is earmarked for road improvements. The type of vehicle determines the amount of tax paid, as detailed in the following table.
The amount you pay may change each year as your car ages or if you get a new one altogether. Car tax can be paid in a single payment for the whole year, once every six months or monthly. Usually a single yearly payment will work out to be the cheapest way but you'll get the choice when you apply.
This means that from 1 April each year, vehicles manufactured more than 40 years before 1 January of that year are automatically exempt from paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), otherwise known as road tax.
You must tax your vehicle, even if you do not have to pay anything. Motorists who do not tax their vehicle can face financial penalties, court action and the risk of having their vehicles clamped or impounded.
What age do you stop paying vehicle tax?
Historic car tax - when you can stop paying car tax
Once a vehicle reaches 40 years old it is classed as “historic” and, although it still has to be taxed every year, there is no charge. From January the exemption will apply to cars made before 1980 or registered before 8 January 1980.
Cost type | Average cost |
---|---|
Highway-use tax | 3% |
Registration fee | $28 to $59.75 |
Title fee | $40 |
Plate transfer | $15 |
North Carolina does not require a front license plate, only requiring a rear license plate for cars registered in the state.
Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1913, when the state began to issue plates. As of 2022, plates are issued by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1956.
New Hampshire is the best state to buy a car in general.
You can save money upfront because there are no state sales taxes, and the registration fees are low. The insurance premiums in the state are also pretty low. The average cost of having a car in New Hampshire is about $2,691 per year.
...
Economics 2022.
State | Registration Cost | Notes |
---|---|---|
Minnesota | $35 | (Or more. Based on vehicle value) |
Mississippi | $14 |
North Carolina does not require proof of residency to register a vehicle.
If you're wondering how much is a car inspection in NC, the fees are as follows: Safety inspection $13.60. Emissions testing $30.
- Vehicle title (or if held by a lender, a registration card)
- MVR-1 Title Application.
- MVR-180 Odometer Disclosure (if vehicle is less than 10 years old)
- A North Carolina driver license or a valid out-of-state driver license along with a North Carolina Temporary Driving Certificate.
The title must be assigned to the purchaser BEFORE coming into the License Plate Agency. The purchaser will then pay $56 to transfer the title, and plate fee which starts at $38.75.
Is NC a tax-friendly state?
While the cost of living in North Carolina is relatively low, the state does have higher taxes than some other US states. It came in as the 20th most-taxed state. The state's income tax rate is 4.99% in 2022, but the state updated its income tax schedule for the next seven years.
If you make $50,000 a year living in the region of North Carolina, USA, you will be taxed $9,962. That means that your net pay will be $40,039 per year, or $3,337 per month.
The three main elements of the property tax system in North Carolina are real property, personal property, and motor vehicles.
North Carolina state law allows property tax relief for low-income seniors and disabled homeowners, as well as disabled veterans or their unmarried surviving spouse.
How are property taxes calculated? A homeowners' property tax bill is calculated by multiplying the assessed value of a property by the combined city and county tax rate. In North Carolina, there is no state property tax. Counties collect the largest share of property tax revenue.
Orange County collects the highest property tax in North Carolina, levying an average of $2,829.00 (1.09% of median home value) yearly in property taxes, while Montgomery County has the lowest property tax in the state, collecting an average tax of $494.00 (0.59% of median home value) per year.
If you make $60,000 a year living in the region of North Carolina, USA, you will be taxed $12,963. That means that your net pay will be $47,037 per year, or $3,920 per month. Your average tax rate is 21.6% and your marginal tax rate is 34.8%.
In North Carolina, there is no tax on Social Security Income, income taxes have been lowered a flat rate (and that rate has been decreasing), there is no State Estate Tax, and a low corporate income tax.
If you make $80,000 a year living in the region of North Carolina, USA, you will be taxed $19,911. That means that your net pay will be $60,089 per year, or $5,007 per month. Your average tax rate is 24.9% and your marginal tax rate is 34.8%.
The maximum annual fee for the motor vehicle emissions inspection and safety inspection is $30, however, inspection stations can charge less. Vehicles registered in counties other than emissions counties must have an annual safety/tamper inspection.
How much is registration in NC?
When you register your car, you will be required to pay a title fee, highway-use tax and plate fee. The fee for a new title is $56. The state highway-use tax is $3 of a vehicle's value, and won't exceed $250 for new residents. The standard plate fee for most counties is $38.75.
Vehicles are exempt from emissions inspections under the following conditions: Some light-duty vehicles less than 3 years old or have fewer than 70,000 miles. Vehicle is 20 years old or older
A person who moves to North Carolina and establishes residency has sixty (60) days to obtain a North Carolina drivers license.
- Valid photo ID or NC driver's license.
- Vehicle title that is notarized and signed.
- Proof of a valid car insurance policy.
- Completed title application (Form MVR-1)
- Completed Damage Disclosure Statement (Form MVR-180) if the car is less than 10 years old.
Grace Period for Expired Tags in NC
You can still drive your vehicle for up to 15 days after your registration expires, However, after the specified expiration date on your registration documents, you may be charged a late fee of up to $25.
The law requires the plates to be replaced every seven years.
Vehicle registration is required within 30 days of moving here or soon after obtaining a job within the state. Don't forget to register to vote too!
After it's passed an MOT, DVLA 's records will be updated automatically. Your vehicle tax will be renewed on the date it was due to run out. You do not need to contact DVLA or tax your vehicle again. If you do not get an MOT in time, you'll need to tax your vehicle again.
A motor vehicle registered in North Carolina must pass an annual safety inspection before its registered owner can renew its vehicle registration. They can be conducted no more than 90 days before the license plate and registration expires.
You must tax your vehicle, even if you do not have to pay anything. Motorists who do not tax their vehicle can face financial penalties, court action and the risk of having their vehicles clamped or impounded.
How long can I drive without car tax?
What's the penalty for driving without road tax? Driving without road tax is an escalating penalty. The long and short of it is this: if you get a warning letter, pay it then, and within the reduction period of 33 days if you can.
You do not need to get an MOT if: the vehicle was built or first registered more than 40 years ago. no 'substantial changes' have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years, for example replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine to change the way the vehicle works.
If you're wondering how much is a car inspection in NC, the fees are as follows: Safety inspection $13.60. Emissions testing $30.
Vehicles are exempt from emissions inspections under the following conditions: Some light-duty vehicles less than 3 years old or have fewer than 70,000 miles. Vehicle is 20 years old or older
Compared to the national average, North Carolina car insurance rates are one of the cheapest in the country. The state's low rate of uninsured drivers and low incidences of vehicle theft and natural disasters in North Carolina help to keep rates low.