In order to successfully transfer a vehicle title in North Carolina, the vehicle’s seller is required to provide the vehicle’s buyer with the notarized vehicle title and disclosure forms.
The buyer of the vehicle must take the vehicle title, disclosure forms, vehicle title application, ID, and proof of a valid insurance policy to their local NC DMV to apply for an NC vehicle title transfer.
Be advised, the buyer of the vehicle is required to pay a vehicle title transfer fee and taxes. Keep in mind, you may be required to submit additional documents and payments at the time of the vehicle title transfer.
Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection
In North Carolina, the state requires its residents to have their vehicle(s) ensure an emissions test. This test is only required in 48 counties in North Carolina. Most vehicles in this state are required to pass a vehicle safety inspection. The state of North Carolina is currently revising its current emissions testing program to increase the number of counties that are exempt from testing in the state.
There are 100 counties in North Carolina, and of these counties, 48 of them are required to have smog checks performed on gasoline vehicles that are manufactured in 1996 or newer, or vehicles that weigh less than 8,501 pounds. Vehicles that fit these criteria are required to have a safety inspection and smog check performed.
North Carolina Emissions and Smog Check Requirements
Vehicle owners in North Carolina are required to ensure their vehicle passes a vehicle emissions test within 90 days of the vehicle’s registration renewal deadline. If you reside in one of the designated 48 counties in NC that requires a vehicle safety and emissions inspection, and your vehicle doesn’t pass, the NC DMV will block your vehicle registration until your vehicle passes these inspections.
If your vehicle is not registered in one of the counties that requires a vehicle smog and emissions test, you are only required to pass an annual safety and visual tampering inspection.
Smog Check Exemptions in North Carolina
In the state of North Carolina, if your vehicle falls under one of the following categories, you are not required to have your vehicle pass a smog check:
- New vehicles that are made within the 3 most recent model years and driven less than 70,000 miles
- Vehicles made in the 1995 model year or earlier
- Diesel vehicles
- Farm vehicles
- The alternative-fueled vehicles that don’t use gasoline
- Vehicles that exceed 8,501 pounds
- Motorcycles
- Recreational vehicles (RVs)
- Motor homes
- Kit cars (contact your local NC DMV office for more information)
- Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) only if this vehicle meets all exemption criteria
Be advised, if you have a vehicle that falls into one of the above-mentioned categories, the vehicle will still have to pass a vehicle safety and tampering inspection.
How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in North Carolina?
Whether you are buying or selling a vehicle in North Carolina, you are required to transfer the vehicle’s title.
Transferring a Vehicle’s Title As a New Resident of North Carolina
As a new resident of NC, you are required to complete an out-of-state vehicle title transfer with the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NC DMV).
In North Carolina, you will apply for a vehicle title transfer and complete your vehicle registration simultaneously.
Before you can title and register your vehicle in NC, you are required to obtain:
- A valid NC vehicle insurance policy
- A valid NC driver’s license
Once you have these documents, you need to take the following to your local NY DMV title office:
- Proof of ownership (this includes the notarized vehicle title will all vehicle owner’s signatures or your out-of-state registration card if your vehicle title is held by a lien holder)
- If your vehicle is less than 10 years old, you’ll need to include an odometer reading
- A Vehicle Title Application (Form MVR-1)
- Proof of identity (this can include your NC driver’s license or your out-of-state license and your NC temporary driving certificate)
- Documentation for every listed vehicle owner (you need to provide a photocopy of their driver’s license or ID or a power of attorney document)
- Proof of a valid NC vehicle insurance policy (such as your vehicle insurance card or your insurance policy)
- Payment for all applicable fees:
- NC vehicle title transfer fee: $56 (if you require an instant vehicle title, the fee is $105.75 IN ADDITION TO the original vehicle title fee)
- Highway Use Tax (HUT): 3% (Make sure you include a Gross Receipt Declaration for Leased or Rental Vehicles (Form MVR-608). Only required if the vehicle is leased and the HUT is paid by the lessor.
- NC vehicle registration fees
The following forms of payment are accepted at NC DMV title offices for motor vehicle fees:
- Cash
- Money order or check
- Debit card
- Credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or Discover Card)
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Purchased From a Private Seller
When you purchase a vehicle from a private seller, it is your responsibility to correctly complete the NC vehicle title transfer process. Once you purchase a vehicle from a private seller, you are required to complete the vehicle title transfer in NC within 28 days of notarizing the vehicle title or receiving the vehicle, whichever occurs later. Failure to transfer the vehicle’s title within 28 days will result in a $20 late fee.
To complete an NC vehicle title transfer, you need to visit your local NC DMV office and present:
- All documents provided by the vehicle’s seller
- A Title Application (Form MVR-1) This form must be signed and notarized by all vehicle owners.
- Proof of a valid NC vehicle insurance policy (keep in mind, your vehicle insurance card must have your name, policy number, and expiration date. You can use your vehicle insurance policy or binder, or present an FS-1 Form from your vehicle insurance agent.
- A form of identification for all vehicle owners (NC residents are required to provide an NC driver’s license or ID. Non-residents of NC are required to provide a driver’s license or ID plus other documentation at any NC DMV branch).
- Payment for all applicable fees (the North Carolina DMV accepts money orders, cash, checks, or debit and credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, or Discover Card)
- Vehicle title transfer fee: $56 (you must add another $105.75 for an instant vehicle title)
- Highway Use Tax (HUT): 3%
- Include a Highway Use Tax Exemption Certification (Form MVR-613) to claim an exemption from HUT
- Registration fees
Make sure you have the required documentation and necessary payments to successfully complete the NC vehicle title transfer for a vehicle purchased from a private seller.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle You’re Selling
When you are selling a vehicle, there are different steps you need to follow. Once you sell your vehicle, you must provide the vehicle’s buyer with the following:
- The completed vehicle title (you and the buyer(s) need to sign the vehicle title and have it notarized)
- A Damage Disclosure Statement (Form MVR-181)
- A lien release (if any liens are listed on the vehicle title)
- An Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form MVR-180). Only required if the vehicle is less than 10 years old.
If you don’t have the vehicle’s title, you can apply for a duplicate NC vehicle title.
How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner is Deceased?
When the owner of a vehicle is deceased, there are certain steps you need to follow to transfer the title of the vehicle. As the beneficiary of a deceased individual’s estate, if you want to keep the vehicle, gift the vehicle to a family member, or sell the vehicle to someone else, you must transfer the vehicle’s title.
You can be a surviving spouse, joint-owner, or a beneficiary, and maintain the legal authority to transfer the vehicle’s title to someone else once the vehicle’s owner passes away.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle in a Probated Estate
When the owner of a vehicle passes away, the process you follow to transfer a vehicle title will vary depending on whether the vehicle’s title was in the individual’s name as a descendant or joint ownership. If the title of the vehicle was solely in the descendant’s name, you need to know if their estate is being probated.
The probate process takes place when there is no living spouse or beneficiary listed on the will. This is a legal process that proves the last will and testament are legitimate. The probate process also involves administering the estate of the deceased individual. The Probate Court will determine how you need to proceed with the deceased individual’s belongings and during this process, the deceased individual’s property is distributed according to their will.
If the vehicle in question is part of a probated estate, you are required to follow these steps to transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual.
Contact Probate Court and an Attorney
The administrator or executor of the deceased needs to contact an attorney or Probate Court to receive guidance with the next steps in the probate process. A vehicle’s title can’t be transferred until the probate process is completed. Once the probate is complete, the heir will receive the vehicle, unless the executor was given the vehicle. If the executor was given the vehicle, they can choose to keep the vehicle or sell it.
Gather the Required Documentation
The documents you are required to have to transfer the vehicle title in this situation vary by state, but in North Carolina, you must have all the following documents:
- The death certificate
- Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle’s title
- Certificate of the vehicle title
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Payment for the transfer fee
Visit the Title Office
If you are the beneficiary of the vehicle or the administrator of the deceased individual’s estate, you can visit your local NC title office with the above-listed documents to begin the vehicle title transfer process.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Without Probate
In the state of North Carolina, the deceased person’s property can’t exceed a specific amount and a certain amount of time needs to have passed since the individual passed away before the vehicle title transfer process can be initiated.
If you happen to be the administrator, spouse, beneficiary, or joint-owner of the estate, you may only be required to submit the death certificate and the vehicle’s title to your local NC title office for them to retitle the vehicle’s title. In this scenario, no attorneys or court orders are required.
Transferring the Title of an Inherited Vehicle
If you inherit a vehicle from your spouse and the will endures the probate phase, you’ll need to visit your local NC DMV and submit:
- Letter of administration or court certificate
- A certified copy of the will
If there isn’t a will or the will doesn’t include probate, you are required to present an affidavit that includes:
- The name and date of death of the deceased vehicle owner
- A statement that the person died without leaving a will or that the will is not enduring the probate process
- A statement that discloses the debts of the deceased individual have been paid or will be paid with the money from the vehicle’s sale
- The age, name, and relationship of the heirs of the will (if applicable)
- The name and address of the new vehicle owner
In addition to the above-listed documentation, you will most likely be required to provide other documentation to successfully transfer the title of a vehicle in this scenario in NC. If you would like to know more about transferring the title of an inherited vehicle in NC, contact the NC DMV at (919) 715-7000.
How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in North Carolina?
In order to transfer ownership of a vehicle without a vehicle title in North Carolina, you are required to apply for a duplicate vehicle title (Form MVR-4). You are required to have the vehicle’s title in order to transfer the vehicle’s title.
Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?
The good news is you can gift a vehicle to a family member, but you need to make sure you have the proper documentation. If you received the vehicle as a gift, or the vehicle is being transferred from a relative, you must complete a vehicle title transfer at your local NC DMV branch. For this scenario, you will follow the same steps as you would when you are buying or selling a vehicle in North Carolina.
Find the “price” section of the vehicle’s title and write “0” in the space provided. The person receiving the vehicle may be exempt from paying the sales tax on the vehicle. Just like with a private vehicle sale, you are required to fill out the transfer of ownership sections on the back of the original vehicle title.
Although the vehicle is being gifted to a relative, they may still owe a tax on the current market value of the vehicle when they go to register the vehicle. You need to make sure the recipient of the vehicle takes the signed original vehicle title to the city clerk to have the application for a new vehicle title completed.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title
When you have an out-of-state vehicle title, you need to take the out of state title certificate to your local NC DMV office. Make sure you also take your driver’s license and be prepared to complete an NC vehicle title transfer form. You are required to have a vehicle identification number (VIN) inspection performed.
If there is a lien on the vehicle, you must have a lien release letter from the lien holder if you don’t have a vehicle title showing a lien discharge signed by the lien holder. Make sure you are prepared to pay all applicable NC vehicle title transfer fees.
Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in North Carolina
You can replace your vehicle’s title at your local NC DMV office if your vehicle’s title is lost, stolen, damaged, or you need to remove a lien from the vehicle title.
To apply for a duplicate vehicle title in North Carolina, you need:
- The Application for Duplicate Title (Form MVR-4)
- A lien release form from your lien holder for any liens on the vehicle
- Proof of ID, such as your driver’s license (if you’re applying by mail, include a photocopy of your driver’s license)
- Payment for the NC duplicate title fee of $21.50 (if you are applying by mail, include a money order or check for this payment). If you’re applying in person, you can pay this fee using check, money order, cash, debit, or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or Discover Card)
If you’re mailing your duplicate vehicle title application, submit the documents to the address provided on the duplicate vehicle title form. If you’re applying in person, submit the required documents and payment at your local NC DMV office.
All duplicate vehicle title applications have a waiting period of 15 days from the day the DMV receives your duplicate title application.
Transferring a Vehicle Title With a Lien
Congratulations! You’ve paid off your vehicle loan. Once you pay off the loan on your vehicle, you can request to have the lien removed from your vehicle’s title by applying for a duplicate vehicle title (Form MVR-4).
How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in North Carolina?
There is a North Carolina vehicle titling fee. You will also be required to pay all applicable vehicle taxes and registration fees, which vary based on your specific situation. Neglecting to complete an out-of-state vehicle title transfer within one month of bringing a non-resident vehicle into NC will result in additional late titling fees.
North Carolina has the following vehicle titling fees:
- Certificate of title: $52
- Vehicle plate transfer: $20
- Highway use tax (HUT): 3%
Make sure you have the above-mentioned payments and documents that pertain to your specific situation with your vehicle to avoid unnecessary fees and penalties.
Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in North Carolina?
There are different DMV locations in North Carolina where you can transfer a vehicle’s title.
Department of Motor Vehicles
27 Plaza Pkwy
Lexington, NC 27292
Monday-Friday (9 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
Department of Motor Vehicles
1022 Randolf Street Ste 13
Thomasville, NC 27360
(336) 472-7334
Monday-Friday (9 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
How to Fill Out the North Carolina Title and Title Transfer Forms
You need to make sure you complete the North Carolina vehicle title and title transfer forms to avoid unnecessary penalties and delays with the vehicle title transfer process. You need to ensure you have all the necessary signatures of the vehicle’s seller and buyer in the provided areas on the vehicle’s title. Be advised, you need to create a bill of sale that discloses information about the vehicle, such as its color, year, make, and model. You will also need to include the vehicle’s VIN.
When you sell a vehicle instead of gifting it, you need to be sure to add the appropriate sales tax to the vehicle’s total price. There is a section on the vehicle’s title named “transfer of title by seller”. In this section, provide an odometer reading, and be sure the recipient of the vehicle signs the vehicle’s title in the provided spaces.
Keep in mind, you may be required to provide additional payments and documentation, such as a valid North Carolina vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceeds the minimum coverage limits set by this state. You may also be requested to provide a valid government-issued photo ID or a foreign passport as proof of identification.
My Car Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?
A vehicle’s title can be signed, but not transferred, and when this happens, the vehicle has an open title. When a vehicle has an open title, this means the vehicle’s owner didn’t transfer ownership of or register the vehicle in their name, which prevents them from assuming legal responsibility for the vehicle.
If the seller of the vehicle has lost the vehicle title, they can apply for a duplicate North Carolina vehicle title (Form MVR-4). Once this form is completed, the vehicle’s owner can sign it over to you for you to put in your name. Be advised, the person who is listed on the vehicle’s title must request the duplicate NC vehicle title.