The North Carolina DMV states that within 60 days of establishing a permanent residence in North Carolina that you must get a North Carolina Drivers License and title and register their vehicles with the DMV.
Start the steps in order below now!
Step 1: Get a North Carolina Insurance Quote
IMPORTANT NOTE - THIS MUST BE COMPLETED FIRST BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DMV!!
Many don't realize that they need to get auto insurance from a North Carolina insurer and that your out-of-state insurance will not satisfy the NCDMV requirements in most cases. Get your North Carolina Insurance first to avoid any hiccups when it comes to getting your driver's license or registering your vehicle.
The Minimum liability limits you must carry for North Carolina Auto Insurance is $30,000 in bodily injury, $60,000 Aggregate (Means total of 2 or more people injured), and $25,000 in property damage. 30/60/25. Though it is usually recommended you carry higher limits, this is the minimum.
You can request a quote for free from Oak City Insurance! We make getting North Carolina Insurance extremely easy and we are an independent local insurance agency with access to 20+ A Rated insurance carriers. You can be confident when you request a quote from us, you are getting a local insurance expert (This is a big deal due to the very unique insurance situations in North Carolina), and that you are getting a really good rate! Click here to request a quote, it takes less than 5 Seconds!
Step 2. Make an Appointment to get your Drivers License at the North Carolina Drivers License Office
IMPORTANT NOTE- DO NOT JUST WALK INTO A DRIVERS LICENSE OFFICE EXPECTING TO BE SEEN.
With large companies like Apple and Google making North Carolina home, new families are moving to North Carolina more and more every day. It also is driving new residents to the DMV to get established creating longer wait times at the DMV. After you have requested your insurance quote, now you will want to click the link below and make an appointment with the DMV to get your driver’s license. While you are there, familiarize yourself with what other documents you will need to bring and other requirements as everyone’s situation is different.
Another thing to note that differs from state to state are the locations. North Carolina generally has a separate driver’s license office and license plate agency. That means you will go to two separate locations to get your drivers license then to another location to register your vehicle.
Make an appointment at the DMV to get your drivers license- https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-license-appointments/Pages/default.aspx
North Carolina DMV Locations - https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/locate-dmv-office/Pages/dmv-offices.aspx
Step 3: Register your vehicle
IMPORTANT NOTE - REVIEW THE FEE'S DUE ON THE DMV WEBSITE BELOW TO BE PREPRED ON THE COST
Now that you have your North Carolina Insurance and Drivers license, you are ready to go to the NCDMV registration location.
Vehicle Inspection- New residents do not have to complete an inspection to get your vehicle registered initially! But, at the renewal, it will be required and every year after.
If you would like to see the fee's associated with registering your vehicle for your unique situation, I would recommend you visit their website below to see what fee's would be applicable to your situation.
Something you may not be aware of, but in North Carolina, you must pay property tax on your vehicle every single year. The link below will give you an idea of how much you will be charged for property taxes on your vehicle.
North Carolina DMV Locations - https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/locate-dmv-office/Pages/dmv-offices.aspx
Vehicle Property Tax Estimator - https://edmv.ncdot.gov/TaxEstimator
Review Fee's Associated - https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/help/moving/Pages/new-residents.aspx
Step 4: Review the North Carolina Driver Handbook
This is especially important if you have young drivers in the household or anyone new to driving. If you have moved from a different country this also can be a great way to learn about the laws and regulations to assist with your transition as well. Below is the link that will take you to the handbook.
North Carolina Drivers Handbook - https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-licenses/new-drivers/Documents/driver-handbook.pdf