Licensing in North Carolina

[Thom]

Newbie here... (well, to North Carolina at least)

I'm relocating to North Carolina sometime before the end of this year. I've got a chance to license my car one more year here in Ohio (we pay a flat rate for plates) before moving down there so I'm wondering if someone can share with me what I would be in store for if I just waited until I was there to get new plates, etc.

Do you have inspection requirements? (we have a e-check we have to go through that used to cost about 20 bucks)
How are plates fees calculated? (I'm told it's based on the value of your car)
Do you think I will need to take any tests? (I've got a motorcycle permit as well on my Ohio license)
Is there a website for the BMV there?

Any help or input will be appreciated...

[Miniboomer]

Welcome to the state. One source of information is http://www.ncdot.org/DMV/ It details license and registration details. Inspections vary depending on the county. Some require emissions and safety, others require just safety.

[orangecrush]

Newbie here... (well, to North Carolina at least)

I'm relocating to North Carolina sometime before the end of this year. I've got a chance to license my car one more year here in Ohio (we pay a flat rate for plates) before moving down there so I'm wondering if someone can share with me what I would be in store for if I just waited until I was there to get new plates, etc.

Do you have inspection requirements? (we have a e-check we have to go through that used to cost about 20 bucks)
How are plates fees calculated? (I'm told it's based on the value of your car)
Do you think I will need to take any tests? (I've got a motorcycle permit as well on my Ohio license)
Is there a website for the BMV there?

Any help or input will be appreciated...

Welcome to Tar Heel Mini club and North Carolina.

A few thoughts.

We have inspections, they're roughly 23 bucks.... good for one year (plus 10.00 if you have tinted windows.)

The plates are roughly 25'ish bucks a year... not a big deal.

The PIA here is the "property tax". It is based on the tax value of your car and could be 200-300 per year depending on the value of your vehicle. (it sucks and is completely stupid.... they call it a highway use tax....)

Test is only a written test but I suggest you study for it. I was told it wasn't difficult but they always throw in some stupid questions that throw you off.

When I moved down from OH back in 1990, I studied for my driver's license test. No problem, got a 100%, BUT when I walked in, the DMV officer said "I noticed you have your motorcycle endorsement, do you want to take that too".

I figured, no big deal, absolutely... I got 7 WRONG... the max you can get wrong ... lol, so just read the book.

There is a website for the DMV.org site, I'll look it up.

One more thing to note. NC doesn't require two plates like OH so you can ditch that stupid front plate. :ms_thumbsup:

HTH's,

Mark

[Thom]

One more thing to note. NC doesn't require two plates like OH so you can ditch that stupid front plate. :ms_thumbsup:

HTH's,

Mark

Oops, I was supposed to install that? :unsure:

"I'm sorry officer it fell off"
(It's in the trunk mounted on the plastic thingy -- never installed from the day I picked it up)

Thanks for the other info...

[Thom]

Welcome to the state. One source of information is http://www.ncdot.org/DMV/ It details license and registration details. Inspections vary depending on the county. Some require emissions and safety, others require just safety.

Thanks for the link Miniboomer!!!

Wonderful... This should be an interesting process...
My Ohio license expires on my birthday in December... Looks like I'll be renewing the plates here for 2010 and the license there...

Beginning September 15, 2007, you must present a valid North Carolina Driver License or a North Carolina Identification Card to register a vehicle in North Carolina as stated in N.C. General Statute 20-52(a).

[jcauseyfd]

Thom,

Welcome!! You'll be in my area when you make it down here.

I believe when you register your vehicle here, you will have to get it titled in NC. That is where the Highway Use Tax kicks in. iirc 3% of the value of the vehicle as determined by DMV (they have a computer program that will tell you the amount when you are in the office). The rest of the fees for the initial title, registration are in the 70 - 80ish range I think.

Every year therafter you have to renew. $20 I think, more for a personalized plate.

Every year you will have to pay property taxes on the vehicle. Again, the value is determined by the government. Depending on where you live, you will have either city and county tax or just county tax. The bill itself will be sent to you 2-3 months after you renew your license plate.

Every year will require an inspection. In the Mebane area, you will have to get both safety and emissions.

The State, counties, and cities have setup a system so you cannot do your annual license plate renewal without having already paid your property taxes and getting your inspection done. The systems are all tied together now.

Good luck! Look forward to meeting you at an event when you get down here!

[Thom]

Thom,

Welcome!! You'll be in my area when you make it down here.

I believe when you register your vehicle here, you will have to get it titled in NC. That is where the Highway Use Tax kicks in. iirc 3% of the value of the vehicle as determined by DMV (they have a computer program that will tell you the amount when you are in the office). The rest of the fees for the initial title, registration are in the 70 - 80ish range I think.

Every year therafter you have to renew. $20 I think, more for a personalized plate.

Every year you will have to pay property taxes on the vehicle. Again, the value is determined by the government. Depending on where you live, you will have either city and county tax or just county tax. The bill itself will be sent to you 2-3 months after you renew your license plate.

Every year will require an inspection. In the Mebane area, you will have to get both safety and emissions.

The State, counties, and cities have setup a system so you cannot do your annual license plate renewal without having already paid your property taxes and getting your inspection done. The systems are all tied together now.

Good luck! Look forward to meeting you at an event when you get down here!

Thanks for the welcome.

The other info, although I needed it, doesn't sound so welcoming!!!

We're on the side of Mebane that is Orange County and will be paying city and county taxes...
Boy, I hate taxes...

Are custom plates more expensive by a few dollars? We pay almost double up here, but it's still only $80.00 for plates for a year.

[orangecrush]

Are custom plates more expensive by a few dollars? We pay almost double up here, but it's still only $80.00 for plates for a year.


No man, they are cheap down here.... I run personalized plates on all my vehicles and though I can't remember the exact price, it's dirt cheap.

Mark

[Teresa]

I just renewed my personalized plates last month... $50

[Thom]

I just renewed my personalized plates last month... $50

Well, that's not so bad... Thanks

[WINICooper]

It cost me $72 a year flat for my Illinois plates... in NC it is going to be a bit over $500 to register WINI in November,
$32 inspection
$10 tint
$XXX County Tax
$XX Municipal Tax
$XXX Hwy Use Tax
$84 Title
$15 Lein Holder Xfer

hence why I have kept my plates from Illinois so long.

[Thom]

It cost me $72 a year flat for my Illinois plates... in NC it is going to be a bit over $500 to register WINI in November,
$32 inspection
$10 tint
$XXX County Tax
$XX Municipal Tax
$XXX Hwy Use Tax
$84 Title
$15 Lein Holder Xfer

hence why I have kept my plates from Illinois so long.

What's the lein holder transfer? Is that because you have a lender/ loan? If that's the case, I should be able to skip that by the time I need plates down there.

[jcauseyfd]

Orange County. Not sure, but if they don't have the highest property tax rate in the state, they are close to the top. Mebane not so bad - middle of the road.

[Thom]

Oh, the great news you bring me... LOL

We're looking at it this way.. The property tax (city + state) seems to be lower there than it is up here. We were paying $2400+ a year up here and I think it will be about $1900 there.

The best part is NOT AS MUCH SNOW!!!! :ms_thumbsup: