North Carolina car registration fee calculator (embed)

Your vehicle

Vehicle typeNorth Carolina prices trucks by registered gross weight; a light pickup at 4,000 lbs pays the same $46.25 as a car.

Your situation

Purchase price or value

The 3% Highway Use Tax is charged on this when the vehicle gets a North Carolina title. On a private sale the DMV uses the higher of the price paid and its schedule value. North Carolina has no sales tax on vehicles.

Trade-in allowance

A vehicle traded in to the dealer reduces the Highway Use Tax base. A manufacturer rebate does not.

Titled in my name in another state for at least 90 daysIf so, the Highway Use Tax is capped at $250. If not, you pay the full 3%, less sales or use tax already paid to another state.

Sales or use tax already paid to another state

Credited against the Highway Use Tax (it can bring it down to $0, not below).

Applying for the title more than 28 days after the saleAdds the $20 late title transfer penalty.

Registered gross weightThe fee follows the gross weight you register the truck for. Weights not listed here are not in the table we have.

FuelPlug-in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles pay an extra yearly fee. A hybrid that can't plug in pays nothing extra.

County of registrationWake, Durham and Orange add $17 a year and Randolph $1. Emissions testing applies in 19 counties.

The vehicle is financed (lien recorded on the title)

Exempt from the emissions testOnly matters in the 19 emissions counties: less than 3 years old or under 70,000 miles, 20 years or older, diesel, farm vehicles and trucks over 8,500 lbs GVWR. Electric vehicles and motorcycles are always exempt.

Renewing late?

Vehicle tax value (for property tax, optional)

The county's assessed value of your vehicle, shown on your Tag & Tax notice. Leave blank to skip the property tax estimate.

Combined county + city tax rate (per $100 of value)

From your notice: a rate of $0.70 per $100 is 0.70. Leave blank to skip.

Estimated total

$1,013.00

Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.

Registration (1 yr)Private passenger vehicleNCDMV Fee Schedule MVR-94 (effective July 1, 2024): private passenger vehicle $46.25 a year, motorcycle $29.50, private trucks by gross weight ($46.25 at 4,000 lbs to $2,205 at 80,000 lbs), electric vehicle $214.50, plug-in hybrid $107.25, certificate of title $66.75, lien recording $25.50, plate transfer $25.50, late title transfer $20; Regional Transit Authority $10 + county registration tax $7 in Wake, Durham and Orange, PART $1 in Randolph (read by the site owner, figures cross-checked) · checked Oct 20, 2026$46.25
Title feeNCDMV Fee Schedule MVR-94 (effective July 1, 2024): private passenger vehicle $46.25 a year, motorcycle $29.50, private trucks by gross weight ($46.25 at 4,000 lbs to $2,205 at 80,000 lbs), electric vehicle $214.50, plug-in hybrid $107.25, certificate of title $66.75, lien recording $25.50, plate transfer $25.50, late title transfer $20; Regional Transit Authority $10 + county registration tax $7 in Wake, Durham and Orange, PART $1 in Randolph (read by the site owner, figures cross-checked) · checked Oct 20, 2026$66.75
Highway Use Tax3% of priceN.C. General Statutes 105-187.3 (Highway Use Tax: 3% of the sum of the vehicle's retail value, less a dealer trade-in; $2,000 maximum for Class A and B commercial vehicles and recreational vehicles; $250 maximum for a new resident's vehicle titled in another state) · checked Oct 20, 2026$900.00
Vehicle property tax (1 yr)County + city rate; enter it from your notice. Not in this totalnot available

Total excludes items marked "not available".

What you'll pay later

Renewal at today's rates: $76.25/yr + items not available

Year 1 $1,013.00 · Years 2–5 $76.25/yr · 5-year total $1,318.00 + items not available

Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.

Estimate only. Rates checked October 20, 2026 · North Carolina. Confirm with the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), part of NCDOT.

North Carolina fees, sources and notes on VehicleFeeCalculator