TRANSPORTATION / MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION
NORTH CAROLINA
Drivers License
New residents have 30 days to apply for a North Carolina drivers license. Bring proof of residency (unless one form of identification includes your current address), proof of age in the form of a legal birth certificate, and your social security number. If you do not have these documents, call the DMV office to inquire about the list of other acceptable documents. Proof of residency can take the form of an apartment lease, mortgage papers, a utility bill, or current insurance policy. Applicants who are 18 years of age and older will be required to take the written, sign, and vision tests. A road test may also be required, depending upon your driving record and other special circumstances. Drivers who are under 18 years of old must follow the graduated licensing regulations, which carry certain driving limitations. North Carolina issues drivers licenses for a five-year period. You may also register to vote at the time that you apply for a drivers license. The following website offers a directory of North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle field offices:
Driver License Field Offices
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/driver
Vehicle Registration
New residents have 30 days to register and title all vehicles in North Carolina. To register a vehicle, the owner must complete the required application forms and pay the appropriate fees. The DMV requires proof of ownership before registration. To register a vehicle for the first time in the state, you must present the title from the state where the vehicle was formerly registered. If the vehicle is from a non-title state, you must present the current vehicle registration with a property notarized transfer of ownership on the back or a notarized bill of sale from the former owner along with the former owner’s proof of purchase. When registering a vehicle and the title is held by a lienholder, you must furnish the lienholder’s name and address. The DMV will provide a form to be mailed to the lienholder requesting release of the title for North Carolina registration purposes. All liens must be declared in the order of their priority. All new residents of the state must pay a title fee of $35 and a registration fee of $20 for private passenger automobiles in order to obtain a license plate and validation decals.
Safety/Emissions Inspections
Within the Metropolitan Charlotte region including the surrounding suburban and rural counties, only Anson has yet to enforce emissions inspections. Cabarrus, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Union counties have programs in place. Burke, Cleveland, and Stanley counties will be phasing in emissions inspection programs. New residents will find more than 7,000 licensed inspections throughout the state that include garages, service stations, and other specialized automobile facilities. Inspection stations must post a sign that reads “Official Inspection Station.” The following website offers complete information:
Financial Responsibility
You will be unable to obtain a license plate unless you certify to the DMV that your vehicle is covered by liability insurance in the minimum amounts set by North Carolina law. Other options include either cash or bond deposited with the State Treasurer, or a certificate of self-insurance. If the DMV is notified that a vehicle owner is operating a motor vehicle without proper liability insurance, the vehicle’s license plate might be revoked for 30 days unless proof of insurance coverage can be furnished. The following website offers a directory of North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle field offices:
DMV Vehicle Registration Field Offices
https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/driver
DMV Information & Services
Once you have completed your original registration and titling of your vehicles in North Carolina, many services including vehicle registration and license plate renewals can be conducted online. You can also order a duplicate drivers license or vehicle registration cards. For more information about drivers licenses, vehicle registration and titling, insurance requirements, and safety or emissions inspections or for answers to your specific questions, contact:
North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
919-715-7000
https://www.ncdot.gov/DMV/Pages/default.aspx
Vehicle Property Tax
The property tax system requires counties to assess the values of motor vehicles registered with DMV and to prepare tax bills. Three months after the motor vehicle’s registration renewal date, the vehicle owner will receive a tax bill which is payable on the first day of the following month. The county charges interest for overdue accounts and registration renewals will be blocked. For more information on this tax, consult with your local property tax assessor:
County Assessors
Alexander County
828-632-4346
https://alexandercountync.gov/departments/tax-office/
Anson County
704-694-2918
http://www.co.anson.nc.us/
Burke County
828-764-3290
https://www.burkenc.org
Cabarrus County
704-920-2166
https://cabarruscounty.us/
Catawba County
828-465-8404
https://www.catawbacountync.gov/
Chester County, SC
803-377-4177
https://www.chestercounty.org/
Chesterfield County, SC
843-623-7362
https://chesterfieldcountysc.com/
Cleveland County
704-484-4843
https://www.clevelandcounty.com
Gaston County
704-866-3145
https://www.gastongov.com
Iredell County
704-878-3020
https://www.co.iredell.nc.us
Lincoln County
704-736-8542
http://www.co.lincoln.nc.us/
Mecklenburg County
704-336-7600
https://www.mecknc.gov/Pages/Home.aspx
Rowan County
704-216-8544
https://www.rowancountync.gov
Stanly County
704-986-3626
https://www.stanlycountync.gov/
Union County
704-283-3746
https://www.unioncountync.gov/
Seat Belts
North Carolina requires each front-seat occupant who is 16 years of age or older and each driver of a passenger motor vehicle manufactured with seat belts shall to be property secured. Drivers transporting passengers less than 16 years of age must properly secure them in a child-passenger restraint system or a seat belt. A child less than five years of age and weighing less than 40 pounds must be property secured in a weight-appropriate child-passenger restraint system. In vehicles equipped with an active passenger-side front air bag and a rear seat, a child less than five years of age and less than 40 pounds in weight must be properly secured in the rear seat unless the child restraint system is designed for use with air bags. North Carolina also prohibits children less than age 12 from riding in the open bed of a pick-up truck.
Vessel Registration & Titling
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is responsible for the registration of all motorized watercraft including jet skis and sailboats that are longer than 14 fee at the load waterline. New residents have 90 days to register their watercraft. Vessel owners can obtain one-year or three-year vessel registrations by mail or visit the Raleigh NCWRC office. Three-year registrations can also be obtained by visiting a Wildlife Service Agent or by an automated telephone procedure using Visa or Mastercard. For more information, the location of Wildlife Service Agents, or answers to specific questions, contact:
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
800-628-3773
800-NC-VESSEL
https://www.ncwildlife.org
SOUTH CAROLINA
Drivers License
New residents must apply for a South Carolina drivers license within 90 days. If your license from your home state has expired, you must also pass the knowledge and road tests in addition to the eye exam. Upon receiving your new license, you must relinquish your out-of-state license. Your South Carolina drivers license is valid for five years and must be renewed by your birthday in the fifth year. Drivers who are at least 15 years of age and have held a beginner’s permit for at least 180 days are eligible to apply for a conditional license. Drivers who are at least 16 years of age and have held a beginner’s permit for at least 180 days can apply for a restricted license. Drivers who are at least 17 years old and have held a beginner’s permit for 180 days are eligible to apply for a South Carolina drivers license with full privileges. For questions about licensing, contact:
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
803-896-5000
https://www.scdmvonline.com
DMV Office Locations
https://www.scdmvonline.com/Locations
Vehicle Registration & Title
Newcomers from another state must register and title their vehicles in South Carolina within 45 days. You may apply for the title and registration by mail, completing the Form 400 and mailing it to the address listed on the form. The following documentation is necessary to register and title a vehicle:
* The out-of-state vehicle title and registration. If there is a lien on your vehicle, you must bring the name and address of the company that holds the lien.
* Liability insurance information including the name of your automobile liability insurance company.
* The completed Form 400 with the vehicle odometer mileage reading and current lien information.
* Receipt for paid property tax on the vehicle. Before you can register your vehicle in South Carolina, you must first pay the property taxes that are required in the county in which you reside.
* Pay all associated title and registration fees.
Online DMV Services
South Carolina has expanded the number of services that are available online to include address changes, license renewals and duplicates, identification card renewals, viewing driver license status, obtaining your driver record, and paying reinstatement fees. Simply visit the following website and follow the instructions:
DMV Public Services Site
https://www.scdmvonline.com/
Vehicle Property Tax
Personal property taxes are paid directly to the county treasurer in your county of residence. These tax rates vary and are determined locally. First-time registrants must take their title and current registration to the county auditor’s office in order to receive a tax bill. The amount due is paid to the county treasurer who will issue a paid property tax receipt.
Insurance Requirements
Providing the name of your insurance company is required to register a vehicle. To register as an uninsured motorist, you must pay a $550 Uninsured Motorist Fee. This fee does not purchase insurance coverage. It only allows the driver to operate an uninsured motor vehicle on the South Carolina roads. Owners that pay the $550 Uninsured Motorist Fee are liable for damages if they are at fault in an accident.
Safety Regulations
South Carolina’s seat belt law requires that every driver and every occupant of a motor vehicle must wear a fastened seat belt that complies with all provisions of federal law for its use. The driver is charged with the responsibility of requiring every occupant 17 years of age or younger to wear a seat belt or be secured in a child restraint system as required by law. The seat belt law is secondary for persons 18 and older. This means that a law enforcement officer may not stop a vehicle for a violation of the seat belt law in the absence of another traffic violation. However, the law becomes primary for persons 17 and younger. An officer may stop a vehicle and issue a citation when he observes an occupant 17 or younger who is not wearing a seat belt or secured in a child safety seat. For more information or answers to questions, contact:
Auto Safety Information
888-327-4236
https://www.nhtsa.gov
South Carolina Highway Patrol
803-896-7920
https://scdps.sc.gov/schp
