Is it legal to drive with expired registration tags in NC? What the law says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NC law prohibits driving vehicles with expired or unregistered license plates.
- Drivers have a 15-day grace period post-expiration before facing penalties.
- Failing to renew can lead to fines, misdemeanor charges or vehicle citations.
Failing to renew your registration may seem like a minor oversight, but is it legal to drive with expired tags? Here’s what state law says.
Can you drive with expired registration tags in NC?
No. According to state law, it is illegal “to drive a vehicle on a highway, or knowingly permit a vehicle owned by that person to be driven on a highway, when the vehicle is not registered with the Division” and “to willfully display an expired license or registration plate on a vehicle knowing the same to be expired.”
Grace period for expired registration in NC
Drivers can legally operate their vehicles up to 15 days after their registrations expire, according to NCDMV.
Penalties for driving without registration
If drivers fail to renew their registrations before the 15-day limit, NCDMV can charge a late fee of up to $25 for all renewals paid after the expiration date, according to NCDMV.
Drivers who don’t renew their registrations in time can also be charged with Class 3 misdemeanors, state law says. That can be punishable by up to 20 days in jail and a $200 fine, according to King Law, a firm based in western North Carolina.
“If it [vehicle registration tag] is valid, of course, we’ll keep on going but if it shows it is expired, what we would normally do is, we’re going to stop you...and we are going to run it, confirm it,” Master Trooper Christopher Casey of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol previously told The Charlotte Observer.
“A lot of times before we even stop you, we run your tags just to make sure what’s going on...Sometimes an officer might issue you a verbal warning or written warning, or possibly you get written a citation.”
How to renew registration in NC
Before renewing your vehicle registration in North Carolina, your car must pass a safety or emissions inspection within 90 days of the license plate’s expiration date.
NCDMV typically sends out renewal notices about 60 days before your registration expires. These notices include details on renewal fees and any vehicle property taxes owed, but receiving one is not required to renew your registration.
You can renew your registration online at payments.ncdot.gov, by mail or in person at an NCDMV license plate agency. To renew, you’ll need your license plate number and proof of insurance. If renewing online, you’ll also need the last five digits of your vehicle identification number.
You can also renew your vehicle registration and print license plate stickers and registration cards at DMV self-service kiosks at Harris Teeter locations in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas, The Observer previously reported.
Chyna Blackmon’s reporting contributed to this story.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Is it legal to drive with expired registration tags in NC? What the law says."
