The short answer
The state registration fee for a private passenger car in North Carolina is $46.25 a year. A plug-in electric car pays $214.50 a year on top of that, and a plug-in hybrid $107.25. If you register in Wake, Durham or Orange County, add $17; in Randolph County, add $1. When a car gets its first North Carolina title, you also pay a $66.75 title fee and the 3% Highway Use Tax once. Each year your county and city vehicle property tax comes on the same bill as the renewal, and that amount depends on where you live and what the car is worth.
Yearly registration fees
These are the yearly amounts from the NCDMV fee schedule (form MVR-94), in effect since July 1, 2024:
| Vehicle | Registration, per year |
|---|---|
| Private passenger car, SUV or van | $46.25 |
| Motorcycle or moped | $29.50 |
| Truck or pickup | By registered gross weight: $46.25 at 4,000 lbs up to $2,205 at 80,000 lbs (table below) |
| Extra for a plug-in electric vehicle | +$214.50 |
| Extra for a plug-in hybrid | +$107.25 |
| Hybrid that can't plug in | No extra fee |
The fee doesn't depend on the car's make, model, age or price. North Carolina adjusts DMV fees for inflation every four years: the July 2024 adjustment was 19.18% and raised passenger registration from $38.75 to $46.25 (NCDOT). Pages that still quote $38.75 are out of date. The next adjustment is due in 2028. The electric and plug-in hybrid fees are set in G.S. 20-87. Whether the electric vehicle fee applies to an electric motorcycle is not stated in the fee schedule, so that amount is not available.
Trucks are priced by weight
A truck's registration follows the gross weight you register it for (G.S. 20-88; MVR-94). A light pickup registered at 4,000 lbs pays the same as a car.
| Registered gross weight | Per year | Registered gross weight | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,000 lbs | $46.25 | 15,000 lbs | $383 |
| 5,000 lbs | $70 | 20,000 lbs | $555 |
| 6,000 lbs | $83 | 30,000 lbs | $830 |
| 7,000 lbs | $96 | 40,000 lbs | $1,105 |
| 8,000 lbs | $109 | 50,000 lbs | $1,380 |
| 10,000 lbs | $160 | 60,000 lbs | $1,655 |
| 70,000 lbs | $1,930 | ||
| 80,000 lbs | $2,205 |
The fee for a weight between these steps is not available here, because the schedule we have lists only these weights.
County registration taxes
Four counties add a yearly tax that is collected with the registration (MVR-94):
| County | Regional transit tax | County registration tax | Added per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake | $10 | $7 | $17 |
| Durham | $10 | $7 | $17 |
| Orange | $10 | $7 | $17 |
| Randolph | $1 (PART) | None | $1 |
| Every other county | None | None | $0 |
Some cities and towns also charge a municipal vehicle tax. There's no official statewide list of those amounts, so they are not available here: your renewal notice shows whether you owe one.
The Highway Use Tax: paid once, when the car is titled
North Carolina doesn't charge sales tax on vehicles. Instead, the state charges a Highway Use Tax of 3% each time a certificate of title is issued (G.S. 105-187.3). On a dealer purchase the 3% is charged on the price less the value of a vehicle you trade in to that dealer. A manufacturer rebate doesn't lower it. On a $30,000 car with no trade-in, that's $900. Renewals never pay it again.
- New residents whose vehicle was titled in their name in another state for at least 90 days pay at most $250.
- Class A and B commercial vehicles and recreational vehicles are capped at $2,000. Our calculator applies that cap to trucks registered at 30,000 lbs or more.
Gifts within the family, private sales and the full list of exemptions are covered in our North Carolina title transfer and Highway Use Tax guide.
Tag & Tax Together: property tax on the renewal bill
North Carolina counties tax vehicles as property, and the NCDMV collects that tax together with the registration renewal. You pay both on one bill, to the DMV. The county sets your vehicle's value and the rate, and a city or town that levies its own rate adds it (NCDMV vehicle property tax page). That's why there is no single statewide renewal total: two identical cars in different places owe different property tax.
The property tax is the assessed value divided by 100, times the combined county and city rate per $100. As an illustration only (not any county's real rate): a vehicle valued at $10,000 with a combined rate of $0.70 per $100 owes $10,000 ÷ 100 × $0.70 = $70 for the year. County rates are not available here; use the value and rate printed on your renewal notice. When you buy a car or move in, you can put off the first property tax payment for about 60 days by taking a limited registration.
Inspections before you renew
A vehicle needs to pass an inspection each year before its registration can be renewed. A vehicle registered in North Carolina for the first time doesn't need one for that first registration (NCDMV).
| Inspection | Fee | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Safety only | $13.60 | Counties without emissions testing, and vehicles exempt from it |
| Safety + emissions | Up to $30 (the station may charge less) | Alamance, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Randolph, Rowan, Union and Wake |
Both fees include the electronic authorization fee (G.S. 20-183.7) and are paid to the inspection station. In the 19 emissions counties, vehicles less than 3 years old or with under 70,000 miles, vehicles 20 years or older, diesels and farm vehicles skip the emissions part. Electric vehicles and motorcycles get a safety inspection only.
Worked examples
| Renewal, gasoline car, Alexander County (safety only) | Renewal, gasoline car, Wake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | $46.25 | $46.25 |
| Regional transit tax | – | $10 |
| County registration tax | – | $7 |
| Inspection | $13.60 (safety) | Up to $30 (safety + emissions) |
| Total before property tax | $59.85 | $93.25 |
| Renewal, plug-in electric car, Alexander County | New $30,000 car from a dealer, Mecklenburg County | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | $46.25 | $46.25 |
| Electric vehicle fee | $214.50 | – |
| Inspection | $13.60 (safety) | – (not needed for the first registration) |
| Title | – | $66.75 |
| Highway Use Tax, 3% of $30,000 | – | $900 |
| Total before property tax | $274.35 | $1,013 |
All four totals match our North Carolina calculator. None of them includes vehicle property tax, which depends on your county and city rate. The same new car registered in Wake County would be $1,030.
What this guide doesn't cover
Vehicle property tax rates for each county and city, municipal vehicle taxes, leased vehicles, trailers, buses, personalized plates, card payment and notary fees, and dealer documentation fees. For title fees, Highway Use Tax exemptions, lien fees and late fees, see North Carolina title transfer and Highway Use Tax. For other states, see car registration late fees by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is it to renew a car registration in North Carolina?
$46.25 for a private passenger car, plus $214.50 for a plug-in electric car or $107.25 for a plug-in hybrid, plus $17 in Wake, Durham and Orange Counties or $1 in Randolph. The renewal bill also carries your vehicle property tax, and you need a passed inspection ($13.60, or up to $30 in the 19 emissions counties).
Does North Carolina charge sales tax on cars?
No. It charges a 3% Highway Use Tax instead, once, when the vehicle is titled in North Carolina. A dealer trade-in reduces the amount it's charged on.
What is Tag & Tax Together?
It's how North Carolina collects vehicle property tax: the NCDMV bills the county and city property tax with your registration renewal, and you pay both together. The county sets the value and the rate.
Why is my North Carolina renewal more than $46.25?
The renewal bill adds your county and city vehicle property tax, any county registration tax ($17 in Wake, Durham and Orange, $1 in Randolph), any municipal vehicle tax, and the electric or plug-in hybrid fee if your car has one.
How much more does an electric car cost to register in North Carolina?
$214.50 a year on top of the $46.25 registration, so $260.75 before property tax and any county tax. A plug-in hybrid pays $107.25 extra, $153.50 in all.
Calculate your North Carolina fees
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.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the North Carolina car registration fee calculator page.
- NCDMV 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)
- NCDOT news release – NCDMV fees to increase July 1, per state law (quadrennial CPI adjustment of 19.18%; private passenger registration $38.75 to $46.25)
- N.C. General Statutes 20-87 (passenger vehicle registration fees; electric and plug-in hybrid additional fees)
- N.C. General Statutes 20-88 (property-hauling vehicles: registration fees by gross weight)
- N.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)
- N.C. General Statutes 20-183.7 (inspection fees: safety $13.60, safety + emissions up to $30.00, each including the electronic authorization fee)
- NCDMV – Vehicle Emissions & Safety Inspections (emissions testing in 19 counties; exemptions: less than 3 years old or under 70,000 miles, 20 years or older, diesel, farm vehicles; first North Carolina registration without an inspection)
- NCDMV – Vehicle Property Taxes (Tag & Tax Together: the county property tax is billed and paid with the registration renewal; the county sets the value and rate)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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