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North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 20 Motor Vehicles

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Article 1 - Division of Motor Vehicles.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-1. Division of Motor Vehicles established
The Division of Motor Vehicles of the Department of Transportation is established. This Chapter sets out the powers and duties of the Division. (1941, c....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-2. Commissioner of Motor Vehicles; rules
(a) Commissioner and Assistants. The Division of Motor Vehicles shall be administered by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, who shall be appointed by and serve...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-3. Organization of Division
The Commissioner, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, shall organize and administer the Division in such manner as he...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-3.1. Purchase of additional airplanes
The Division of Motor Vehicles shall not purchase additional airplanes without the express authorization of the General Assembly. (1963, c. 911, s. 1 1/2; 1971,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4. Repealed by Session Laws 2002-190, s. 4, effective January 1, 2003
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.01. Definitions
Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply throughout this Chapter to the defined words and phrases and their cognates: (1a) Alcohol. Any substance...

Article 1A - Reciprocity Agreements as to Registration and Licensing.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.1. Declaration of policy
It is the policy of this State to promote and encourage the fullest possible use of its highway system by authorizing the making and execution...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.2. Definitions
As used in this Article: (1) "Commercial vehicle" means any vehicle which is operated in furtherance of any commercial enterprise. (2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.3. Commissioner may make reciprocity agreements, arrangements or declarations
The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall have the authority to execute or make agreements, arrangements or declarations to carry out the provisions of this Article....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.4. Authority for reciprocity agreements; provisions; reciprocity standards
(a) The Commissioner may enter into an agreement or arrangement for interstate or intrastate operations with the duly authorized representatives of another jurisdiction, granting to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.5. Base-state registration reciprocity
An agreement or arrangement entered into, or a declaration issued under the authority of this Article may contain provisions authorizing the registration or licensing in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.6. Repealed by Session Laws 1997-122, s. 1
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.7. Extension of reciprocal privileges to lessees authorized
An agreement or arrangement entered into, or a declaration issued under the authority of this Article, may contain provisions under which a leased vehicle properly...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.8. Automatic reciprocity, when
On and after July 1, 1961, if no agreement, arrangement or declaration is in effect with respect to another jurisdiction as authorized by this Article,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.9. Suspension of reciprocity benefits
Agreements, arrangements or declarations made under the authority of this Article may include provisions authorizing the Division to suspend or cancel the exemptions, benefits or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.10. Agreements to be written, filed and available for distribution
All agreements, arrangements or declarations or amendments thereto shall be in writing and shall be filed in the office of the Commissioner. Copies thereof shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.11. Reciprocity agreements in effect at time of Article
All reciprocity registration agreements, arrangements and declarations relating to vehicles in force and effect July 1, 1961, shall continue in force and effect until specifically...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.12. Article part of and supplemental to motor vehicle registration law
This Article shall be, and construed as, a part of and supplemental to the motor vehicle registration law of this State. (1961, c. 642, s.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.13 through 20-4.17. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 1B - Reciprocal Provisions as to Arrest of Nonresidents.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.18. Definitions
Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases, for the purpose of this Article, shall have the following meanings: (1) Citation. Any citation,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.19. Issuance of citation to nonresident; officer to report noncompliance
(a) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Chapter, a law‑enforcement officer observing a violation of this Chapter or other traffic regulation by a nonresident shall issue...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.20. Division to transmit report to reciprocating state; suspension of license for noncompliance with citation issued by reciprocating state
(a) Upon receipt of a report of noncompliance, the Division shall transmit a certified copy of such report to the official in charge of the...

Article 1C - Drivers License Compact.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.21. Title of Article
This Article is the Drivers License Compact and may be cited by that name. (1993, c. 533, s. 1.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.22. Commissioner may make reciprocity agreements, arrangements, or declarations
The Commissioner may execute or make agreements, arrangements, or declarations to implement this Article. (1993, c. 533, s. 1.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.23. Legislative findings and policy
(a) Findings. The General Assembly and the states that are members of the Drivers License Compact find that: (1) The safety of their streets and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.24. Reports of convictions; effect of reports
(a) Reports. A state that is a member of the Drivers License Compact shall report to another member state of the compact a conviction for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.25. Review of license status in other states upon application for license in member state
Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing authority of a state that is a member of the Drivers License Compact must determine if...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.26. Effect on other laws or agreements
Except as expressly required by the provisions of this Article, this Article does not affect the right of a member state to the Drivers License...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.27. Effect on other State driver license laws
To the extent that this Article conflicts with general driver licensing provisions in this Chapter, this Article prevails. Where this Article is silent, the general...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.28. Administration and exchange of information
The head of the licensing authority of each member state is the administrator of the Drivers License Compact for that state. The administrators, acting jointly,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.29. Withdrawal from Drivers License Compact
A member state may withdraw from the Drivers License Compact. A withdrawal may not become effective until at least six months after the heads of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-4.30. Construction and severability
This Article shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes. The provisions of this Article are severable; if any part of this Article is declared...

Article 2 - Uniform Driver's License Act.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-5. Title of Article
This Article may be cited as the Uniform Driver's License Act. (1935, c. 52, s. 31.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-6. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7. Issuance and renewal of drivers licenses
(a) License Required. To drive a motor vehicle on a highway, a person must be licensed by the Division under this Article or Article 2C...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.01. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 667, s. 43
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.1. Notice of change of address or name
(a) Address. A person whose address changes from the address stated on a drivers license must notify the Division of the change within 60 days...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.2. Repealed by Session Laws 1987, c. 581, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.3. Availability of organ, eye, and tissue donor cards at motor vehicle offices
The Division shall make organ, eye, and tissue donor cards available to interested individuals in each office authorized to issue drivers licenses or special identification...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.4. License to Give Trust Fund established
(a) There is established the License to Give Trust Fund. Revenue in the Fund includes amounts credited by the Division as required by law, and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.5. License to Give Trust Fund Commission established
(a) There is established the License to Give Trust Fund Commission. The Commission shall be located in the Department of Administration for budgetary and administrative...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7.6. Powers and duties of the License to Give Trust Fund Commission
The License to Give Trust Fund Commission has the following powers and duties: (1) Establish general policies and guidelines for awarding grants‑in‑aid to nonprofit entities...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-8. Persons exempt from license
The following are exempt from license hereunder: (1) Any person while operating a motor vehicle the property of and in the service of the armed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-9. What persons shall not be licensed
(a) To obtain a regular drivers license, a person must have reached the minimum age set in the following table for the class of license...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-9.1. Physicians and psychologists providing medical information on drivers with physical and mental disabilities
(a) Notwithstanding G.S. 8‑53 for physicians and G.S. 8‑53.3 for psychologists, or any other law relating to confidentiality of communications between physicians or psychologists and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-9.2. Selective service system registration requirements
(a) Any male United States citizen or immigrant who is at least 18 years of age but less than 26 years of age shall be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-9.3. Notification of requirements for sex offender registration
The Division shall provide notice to each person who applies for the issuance of a drivers license, learner's permit, or instruction permit to operate a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-10. Age limits for drivers of public passenger-carrying vehicles
It shall be unlawful for any person, whether licensed under this Article or not, who is under the age of 18 years to drive a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-10.1. Mopeds
It shall be unlawful for any person who is under the age of 16 years to operate a moped as defined in G.S. 105‑164.3 upon...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-11. Issuance of limited learner's permit and provisional drivers license to person who is less than 18 years old
(a) Process. Safe driving requires instruction in driving and experience. To ensure that a person who is less than 18 years old has both instruction...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-11.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1965, c. 410, s. 4
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-12. Repealed by Session Laws 1997-16, s. 6
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-12.1. Impaired supervision or instruction
(a) It is unlawful for a person to serve as a supervising driver under G.S. 20‑7(l) or G.S. 20‑11 or as an approved instructor under...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-13. Suspension of license of provisional licensee
(a) The Division may suspend, with or without a preliminary hearing, the operator's license of a provisional licensee upon receipt of notice of the licensee's...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-13.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 555, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-13.2. Grounds for revoking provisional license
(a) The Division must revoke the license of a person convicted of violating the provisions of G.S. 20‑138.3 upon receipt of a record of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-14. Duplicate licenses
A person may obtain a duplicate of a license issued by the Division by paying a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) and giving the Division...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-15. Authority of Division to cancel license or endorsement
(a) The Division shall have authority to cancel any driver's license upon determining any of the following: (1) The licensee was not entitled to the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-15.1. Revocations when licensing privileges forfeited
The Division shall revoke the license of a person whose licensing privileges have been forfeited under G.S. 15A‑1331A, 50‑13.12, and 110‑142.2. If a revocation period...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16. Authority of Division to suspend license
(a) The Division shall have authority to suspend the license of any operator with or without a preliminary hearing upon a showing by its records...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.01. Double penalties for offenses committed while operating a commercial motor vehicle
Any person who commits an offense for which points may be assessed pursuant to the Schedule of Point Values for Violations While Operating a Commercial...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.1. Mandatory suspension of driver's license upon conviction of excessive speeding; limited driving permits for first offenders
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, the Division shall suspend for a period of 30 days the license of any driver without preliminary...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.2. Implied consent to chemical analysis; mandatory revocation of license in event of refusal; right of driver to request analysis
(a) Basis for Officer to Require Chemical Analysis; Notification of Rights. Any person who drives a vehicle on a highway or public vehicular area thereby...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.3. Alcohol screening tests required of certain drivers; approval of test devices and manner of use by Department of Health and Human Services; use of test results or refusal
(a) When Alcohol Screening Test May Be Required; Not an Arrest. A law‑enforcement officer may require the driver of a vehicle to submit to an...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.3A. Checking stations and roadblocks
(a) A law‑enforcement agency may conduct checking stations to determine compliance with the provisions of this Chapter. If the agency is conducting a checking station...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.4. Repealed by Session Laws 1989, c. 691, s. 4
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.5. Immediate civil license revocation for certain persons charged with implied-consent offenses
(a) Definitions. As used in this section the following words and phrases have the following meanings: (1) Law Enforcement Officer. As described in G.S. 20‑16.2(a1)....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17. Mandatory revocation of license by Division
(a) The Division shall forthwith revoke the license of any driver upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction for any of the following offenses:...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.1. Revocation of license of mental incompetents, alcoholics and habitual users of narcotic drugs
(a) The Commissioner, upon receipt of notice that any person has been legally adjudicated incompetent or has been involuntarily committed to an institution for the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.2. Repealed by Session Laws 2006-253, s. 25, effective December 1, 2006, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.3. Revocation for underage purchasers of alcohol
The Division shall revoke for one year the driver's license of any person who has been convicted of violating any of the following: (1) G.S....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.4. Disqualification to drive a commercial motor vehicle
(a) One Year. Any of the following disqualifies a person from driving a commercial motor vehicle for one year if committed by a person holding...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.5. Effect of disqualification
(a) When No Accompanying Revocation. A person who is disqualified as the result of a conviction that requires disqualification but not revocation may keep any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.6. Restoration of a license after a conviction of driving while impaired or driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs
(a) Scope. This section applies to a person whose license was revoked as a result of a conviction of any of the following offenses: (1)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.7. Commercial motor vehicle out-of-service fines authorized
The Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety may adopt rules implementing fines for violation of out‑of‑service criteria as defined in 49 C.F.R. 390.5. These...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-17.8. (For change in effective date, see Editor's note) Restoration of a license after certain driving while impaired convictions; ignition interlock
(a) Scope. This section applies to a person whose license was revoked as a result of a conviction of driving while impaired, G.S. 20‑138.1, and:...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-18. Conviction of offenses described in � 20-181 not ground for suspension or revocation
Conviction of offenses described in G.S. 20‑181 shall not be cause for the suspension or revocation of driver's license under the terms of this Article....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-19. Period of suspension or revocation; conditions of restoration
(a) When a license is suspended under subdivision (8) or (9) of G.S. 20‑16(a), the period of suspension shall be in the discretion of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-20. Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 938, s. 5
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-20.1. Limited driving privilege for certain revocations
(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Limited driving privilege. A judgment issued by a court authorizing a person with a revoked...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-20.2. Processing fee for limited driving privilege
Upon the issuance of a limited driving privilege by a court under this Chapter, the applicant or petitioner must pay, in addition to any other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-21. No operation under foreign license during suspension or revocation in this State
Any resident or nonresident whose driver's license or right or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this State has been suspended or revoked as...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-22. Suspending privileges of nonresidents and reporting convictions
(a) The privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the highways of this State given to a nonresident hereunder shall be subject to suspension or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-23. Revoking resident's license upon conviction in another state
The Division may revoke the license of any resident of this State upon receiving notice of the person's conviction in another state of an offense...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-23.1. Suspending or revoking operating privilege of person not holding license
In any case where the Division would be authorized to suspend or revoke the license of a person but such person does not hold a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-23.2. Suspension of license for conviction of offense involving impaired driving in federal court
Upon receipt of notice of conviction in any court of the federal government of an offense involving impaired driving, the Division is authorized to revoke...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-24. When court or child support enforcement agency to forward license to Division and report convictions, child support delinquencies, and prayers for judgment continued
(a) License. A court that convicts a person of an offense that requires revocation of the person's drivers license or revokes a person's drivers license...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-24.1. Revocation for failure to appear or pay fine, penalty or costs for motor vehicle offenses
(a) The Division must revoke the driver's license of a person upon receipt of notice from a court that the person was charged with a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-24.2. Court to report failure to appear or pay fine, penalty or costs
(a) The court must report to the Division the name of any person charged with a motor vehicle offense under this Chapter who: (1) Fails...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-25. Right of appeal to court
Any person denied a license or whose license has been canceled, suspended or revoked by the Division, except where such cancellation is mandatory under the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-26. Records; copies furnished; charge
(a) The Division shall keep a record of all applications for a drivers license, all tests given an applicant for a drivers license, all applications...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-27. Availability of records
(a) All records of the Division pertaining to application and to drivers' licenses, except the confidential medical report referred to in G.S. 20‑7, of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28. Unlawful to drive while license revoked, after notification, or while disqualified
(a) Driving While License Revoked. Except as provided in subsection (a1) of this section, any person whose drivers license has been revoked who drives any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.1. Conviction of moving offense committed while driving during period of suspension or revocation of license
(a) Upon receipt of notice of conviction of any person of a motor vehicle moving offense, except a conviction punishable under G.S. 20‑28(a1), such offense...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.2. Forfeiture of motor vehicle for impaired driving after impaired driving license revocation
(a) Meaning of "Impaired Driving License Revocation". The revocation of a person's drivers license is an impaired driving license revocation if the revocation is pursuant...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.3. Seizure, impoundment, forfeiture of motor vehicles for offenses involving impaired driving while license revoked or without license and insurance
(a) Motor Vehicles Subject to Seizure. A motor vehicle that is driven by a person who is charged with an offense involving impaired driving is...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.4. Release of impounded motor vehicles by judge
(a) Release Upon Conclusion of Trial. If the driver of a motor vehicle seized pursuant to G.S. 20‑28.3: (1) Is subsequently not convicted of an...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.5. Forfeiture of impounded motor vehicle or funds
(a) Sale. A motor vehicle ordered forfeited and sold or a seized motor vehicle authorized to be sold pursuant to G.S. 20‑28.3(i), shall be sold...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.6. Repealed by Session Laws 1998-182, s. 6 effective December 1, 1998, and applicable to offenses committed, contracts entered, and motor vehicles seized on or after that date
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.7. Responsibility of Division of Motor Vehicles
The Division shall establish procedures by rule to provide for the orderly seizure, forfeiture, sale, and transfer of motor vehicles pursuant to the provisions of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.8. Reports to the Division
In any case in which a vehicle has been seized pursuant to G.S. 20‑28.3, in addition to any other information that must be reported pursuant...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-28.9. Authority for the Department of Public Instruction to administer a statewide or regional towing, storage, and sales program for driving while impaired vehicles forfeited
(a) The Department of Public Instruction is authorized to enter into a contract for a statewide service or contracts for regional services to tow, store,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-29. Surrender of license
Any person operating or in charge of a motor vehicle, when requested by an officer in uniform, or, in the event of accident in which...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-29.1. Commissioner may require reexamination; issuance of limited or restricted licenses
The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, having good and sufficient cause to believe that a licensed operator is incompetent or otherwise not qualified to be licensed,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-30. Violations of license or learner's permit provisions
It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any of the following acts: (1) To display or cause to be displayed or to have...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-31. Making false affidavits perjury
Any person who shall make any false affidavit, or shall knowingly swear or affirm falsely, to any matter or thing required by the terms of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-32. Unlawful to permit unlicensed minor to drive motor vehicle
It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or knowingly permit any minor under the age of 18 years to drive a motor vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-33. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 667, s. 28
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-34. Unlawful to permit violations of this Article
No person shall authorize or knowingly permit a motor vehicle owned by him or under his control to be driven by any person who has...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-34.1. Violations for wrongful issuance of a drivers license or a special identification card
(a) An employee of the Division or of an agent of the Division who does any of the following commits a Class I felony: (1)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-35. Penalties for violating Article; defense to driving without a license
(a) Penalty. A violation of this Article is a Class 2 misdemeanor unless a statute in the Article sets a different punishment for the violation....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-36. Ten-year-old convictions not considered
Except for offenses occurring in a commercial motor vehicle, or a second failure to submit to a chemical test when charged with an implied‑consent offense,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37. Limitations on issuance of licenses
There shall be no driver's license issued within this State other than that provided for in this Article, nor shall there be any other examination...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.01. Drivers License Technology Fund
The Drivers License Technology Fund is established in the Department of Transportation as a nonreverting, interest‑bearing special revenue account. The revenue in the Fund at...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.02. Verification of drivers license information
(a) The Commissioner shall establish and operate an electronic system that can be used to verify drivers licenses and identification cards issued by the Division...

Article 2A - Afflicted, Disabled or Handicapped Persons.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1989, c. 157, s. 1
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.2 through 20-37.4. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 411, s. 5
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.5. Definitions
Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply throughout this Article to the defined words and phrases and their cognates: (1) "Distinguishing license plate"...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.6. Parking privileges for handicapped drivers and passengers
(a) General Parking. Any vehicle that is driven by or is transporting a person who is handicapped and that displays a distinguishing license plate, a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.6A. Parking privileges for out-of-state handicapped drivers and passengers
Any vehicle displaying an out‑of‑State handicapped license plate, placard, or other evidence of handicap issued by the appropriate authority of the appropriate jurisdiction may park...

Article 2B - Special Identification Cards for Nonoperators.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.7. Special identification card
(a) Eligibility. A person who is a resident of this State is eligible for a special identification card. (b) Application. To obtain a special identification...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.8. Fraudulent use prohibited
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to use a false or fictitious name or give a false or fictitious address in any application...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.9. Notice of change of address or name
(a) Address. A person whose address changes from the address stated on a special identification card must notify the Division of the change within 60...

Article 2C - Commercial Driver License.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.10. Title of Article
This Article may be cited as the Commercial Driver License Act. (1989, c. 771, s. 2.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.11. Purpose
The purpose of this Article is to implement the federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 36, and reduce or prevent...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.12. Commercial drivers license required
(a) On or after April 1, 1992, no person shall operate a commercial motor vehicle on the highways of this State unless he has first...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.13. Commercial drivers license qualification standards
(a) No person shall be issued a commercial drivers license unless he: (1) Is a resident of this State; (2) Is 21 years of age;...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.14. Nonresident commercial driver license
The Division may issue a nonresident commercial driver license (NRCDL) to a resident of a foreign jurisdiction if the United States Secretary of Transportation has...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.15. Application for commercial drivers license
(a) An application for a commercial drivers license must include the information required by G.S. 20‑7 for a regular drivers license and a consent to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.16. Content of license; classifications and endorsements; fees
(a) A commercial drivers license must be marked "Commercial Drivers License" or "CDL" and must contain the information required by G.S. 20‑7 for a regular...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.17. Record check and notification of license issuance
Before issuing a commercial driver license, the Division shall obtain driving record information from the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS), the National Driver Register,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.18. Notification required by driver
(a) Any driver holding a commercial driver license issued by this State who is convicted of violating any State law or local ordinance relating to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.19. Employer responsibilities
(a) Each employer shall require the applicant to provide the information specified in G.S. 20‑37.18(c). (b) No employer shall knowingly allow, permit, or authorize a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.20. Notification of traffic convictions
(a) Out‑of‑state Resident. Within 10 days after receiving a report of the conviction of any nonresident holder of a commercial driver license for any violation...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.20A. Driving record notation for testing positive in a drug or alcohol test
Upon receipt of notice pursuant to G.S. 20‑37.19(c) of positive result in an alcohol or drug test of a person holding a commercial drivers license,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.20B. Appeal of disqualification for testing positive in a drug or alcohol test
Following receipt of notice pursuant to G.S. 20‑37.19(c) of a positive test in an alcohol or drug test, the Division shall notify the driver of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.21. Penalties
(a) Any person who drives a commercial motor vehicle in violation of G.S. 20‑37.12 shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and, upon conviction,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.22. Rule making authority
The Division may adopt any rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article. (1989, c. 771, s. 2.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-37.23. Authority to enter agreements
The Commissioner shall have the authority to execute or make agreements, arrangements, or declarations to carry out the provisions of this Article. (1989, c. 771,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39

Article 2D - Implied-Consent Offense Procedures.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.1. Applicability
The procedures set forth in this Article shall be followed for the investigation and processing of an implied‑consent offense as defined in G.S. 20‑16.2. The...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.2. Investigation
A law enforcement officer who is investigating an implied‑consent offense or a vehicle crash that occurred in the officer's territorial jurisdiction is authorized to investigate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.3. Police processing duties
Upon the arrest of a person, with or without a warrant, but not necessarily in the order listed, a law enforcement officer: (1) Shall inform...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.4. Initial appearance
(a) Appearance Before a Magistrate. Except as modified in this Article, a magistrate shall follow the procedures set forth in Article 24 of Chapter 15A...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.5. Facilities
(a) The Chief District Court Judge, the Department of Health and Human Services, the district attorney, and the sheriff shall: (1) Establish a written procedure...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.6. Motions and district court procedure
(a) The defendant may move to suppress evidence or dismiss charges only prior to trial, except the defendant may move to dismiss the charges for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.7. Appeal to superior court
(a) The State may appeal to superior court any district court preliminary determination granting a motion to suppress or dismiss. If there is a dispute...

Article 3 - Motor Vehicle Act of 1937.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-38.100. Reserved for future codification purposes
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-39. Administering and enforcing laws; rules and regulations; agents, etc.; seal; fees
(a) The Commissioner is hereby vested with the power and is charged with the duty of administering and enforcing the provisions of this Article and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-39.1. Publicly owned vehicles to be marked; private license plates on publicly owned vehicles
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the executive head of every department of State government and every county, institution, or agency of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-40. Offices of Division
The Commissioner shall maintain an office in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in such places in the State as he shall deem necessary to properly carry...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-41. Commissioner to provide forms required
The Commissioner shall provide suitable forms for applications, certificates of title and registration cards, registration number plates and all other forms requisite for the purpose...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-42. Authority to administer oaths and certify copies of records
(a) Officers and employees of the Division designated by the Commissioner are, for the purpose of administering the motor vehicle laws, authorized to administer oaths...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-43. Records of Division
(a) All records of the Division, other than those declared by law to be confidential for the use of the Division, shall be open to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-43.1. Disclosure of personal information in motor vehicle records
(a) The Division shall disclose personal information contained in motor vehicle records in accordance with the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994, as amended,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-43.2. Internet access to organ donation records by organ procurement organizations
(a) The Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, shall establish and maintain a statewide, online Organ Donor Registry Internet site (hereafter "Donor Registry"). The...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-43.3. Reserved for future codification purposes
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-43.4. Current list of licensed drivers to be provided to jury commissions
The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall provide to each county jury commission an alphabetical list of all persons that the Commissioner has determined are residents...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-44. Authority to grant or refuse applications
The Division shall examine and determine the genuineness, regularity and legality of every application for registration of a vehicle and for a certificate of title...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-45. Seizure of documents and plates
(a) The Division is hereby authorized to take possession of any certificate of title, registration card, permit, license, or registration plate issued by it upon...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-46. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 99
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-47. Division may summon witnesses and take testimony
(a) The Commissioner and officers of the Division designated by him shall have authority to summon witnesses to give testimony under oath or to give...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-48. Giving of notice
(a) Whenever the Division is authorized or required to give any notice under this Chapter or other law regulating the operation of vehicles, unless a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-49. Police authority of Division
The Commissioner and such officers and inspectors of the Division as he shall designate and all members of the Highway Patrol and law enforcement officers...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-49.1. Supplemental police authority of Division officers
(a) In addition to the law enforcement authority granted in G.S. 20‑49 or elsewhere, the Commissioner and the officers and inspectors of the Division whom...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-49.2. Supplemental authority of State Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement officers
In addition to law enforcement authority granted in G.S. 20‑49 or elsewhere, all sworn Motor Carrier Enforcement officers of the State Highway Patrol shall have...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-50. Owner to secure registration and certificate of title; temporary registration markers
(a) A vehicle intended to be operated upon any highway of this State must be registered with the Division in accordance with G.S. 20‑52, and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-50.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 574, s. 5
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-50.2. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 624, s. 4
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-50.3. (For contingent repeal, see note) Division to furnish county assessors registration lists
On the tenth day of each month the Division shall send to each county assessor a list of vehicles registered under the staggered system for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-50.4. (For expiration date, see note) Division to refuse to register vehicles on which taxes are delinquent and when there is a failure to meet court-ordered child support obligations
(a) Property Taxes Paid with Registration. The Division shall refuse to register a vehicle on which county and municipal taxes and fees have not been...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-51. Exempt from registration
The following shall be exempt from the requirement of registration and certificate of title: (1) Any such vehicle driven or moved upon a highway in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-52. Application for registration and certificate of title
(a) An owner of a vehicle subject to registration must apply to the Division for a certificate of title, a registration plate, and a registration...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-52.1. Manufacturer's certificate of transfer of new motor vehicle
(a) Any manufacturer transferring a new motor vehicle to another shall, at the time of the transfer, supply the transferee with a manufacturer's certificate of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-53. Application for specially constructed, reconstructed, or foreign vehicle
(a) In the event the vehicle to be registered is a specially constructed, reconstructed, or foreign vehicle, such fact shall be stated in the application,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-54. Authority for refusing registration or certificate of title
The Division shall refuse registration or issuance of a certificate of title or any transfer of registration upon any of the following grounds: (1) The...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-54.1. Forfeiture of right of registration
(a) Upon receipt of notice of conviction of a violation of an offense involving impaired driving while the person's license is revoked as a result...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-55. Examination of registration records and index of seized, stolen, and recovered vehicles
The Division, upon receiving application for any transfer of registration or for original registration of a vehicle, other than a new vehicle sold by a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-56. Registration indexes
(a) The Division shall file each application received, and when satisfied as to the genuineness and regularity thereof, and that the applicant is entitled to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-57. Division to issue certificate of title and registration card
(a) The Division upon registering a vehicle shall issue a registration card and a certificate of title as separate documents. (b) The registration card shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58. Perfection by indication of security interest on certificate of title
(a) Except as provided in G.S. 20‑58.8, a security interest in a vehicle of a type for which a certificate of title is required shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.1. Duty of the Division upon receipt of application for notation of security interest
(a) Upon receipt of an application for notation of security interest, the required fee and accompanying documents required by G.S. 20‑58, the Division, if it...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.2. Date of perfection
If the application for notation of security interest with the required fee is delivered to the Division within 20 days after the date of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.3. Notation of assignment of security interest on certificate of title
An assignee of a security interest may have the certificate of title endorsed or issued with the assignee named as the secured party, upon delivering...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.4. Release of security interest
(a) Upon the satisfaction or other discharge of a security interest in a vehicle for which the certificate of title is in the possession of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.5. Duration of security interest in favor of corporations which dissolve or become inactive
Any security interest recorded in favor of a corporation which, since the recording of such security interest, has dissolved or become inactive for any reason,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.6. Duty of secured party to disclose information
A secured party named in a certificate of title shall, upon written request of the Division, the owner or another secured party named on the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.7. Cancellation of certificate
The cancellation of a certificate of title shall not, in and of itself, affect the validity of a security interest noted on it. (1961, c....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.8. Applicability of �� 20-58 to 20-58.8; use of term "lien"
(a) Repealed by Session Laws 2000, c. 169, s. 30. (b) The provisions of G.S. 20‑58 through 20‑58.8 inclusive shall not apply to or affect:...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.9. Repealed by Session Laws 1969, c. 838, s. 3
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-58.10. Effective date of �� 20-58 to 20-58.9
The provisions of G.S. 20‑58 through 20‑58.9 inclusive shall be effective and relate to the perfecting and giving notice of security interests entered into on...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-59. Unlawful for lienor who holds certificate of title not to surrender same when lien satisfied
It shall be unlawful and constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor for a lienor who holds a certificate of title as provided in this Article to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-60. Owner after transfer not liable for negligent operation
The owner of a motor vehicle who has made a bona fide sale or transfer of his title or interest, and who has delivered possession...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-61. Owner dismantling or wrecking vehicle to return evidence of registration
Except as permitted under G.S. 20‑62.1, any owner dismantling or wrecking any vehicle shall forward to the Division the certificate of title, registration card and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-62. Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 533, s. 9
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-62.1. Purchase of vehicles for purposes of scrap or parts only
(a) Records for Scrap or Parts. A secondary metals recycler, as defined in G.S. 66‑11(a)(3), and a salvage yard, as defined in G.S. 20‑137.7(6), purchasing...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-63.01. Bonds required for commission contractors
(a) A guaranty bond is required for each commission contractor that is not a governmental subdivision of this State that is granted a contract to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-63.1. Division may cause plates to be reflectorized
The Division of Motor Vehicles is hereby authorized to cause vehicle license plates for 1968 and future years to be completely treated with reflectorized materials...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-64. Transfer of registration plates to another vehicle
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, registration plates shall be retained by the owner thereof upon disposition of the vehicle to which assigned,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-64.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 6
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-64.2. Permit for emergency use of registration plate
The Commissioner may, if in his opinion it is equitable, grant to the licensee a special permit for the use of a registration plate on...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-65. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, 2nd Session, c. 1280, s. 1
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-66. Renewal of vehicle registration
(a) Annual Renewal. The registration of a vehicle must be renewed annually. To renew the registration of a vehicle, the owner of the vehicle must...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-66.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1389, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-67. Notice of change of address or name
(a) Address. A person whose address changes from the address stated on a certificate of title or registration card must notify the Division of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-68. Replacement of lost or damaged certificates, cards and plates
(a) In the event any registration card or registration plate is lost, mutilated, or becomes illegible, the owner or legal representative of the owner of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-69. Division authorized to assign new engine number
The owner of a motor vehicle upon which the engine number or serial number has become illegible or has been removed or obliterated shall immediately...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-70. Division to be notified when another engine is installed or body changed
(a) Whenever a motor vehicle registered hereunder is altered by the installation of another engine in place of an engine, the number of which is...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-71. Altering or forging certificate of title, registration card or application, a felony; reproducing or possessing blank certificate of title
(a) Any person who, with fraudulent intent, shall alter any certificate of title, registration card issued by the Division, or any application for a certificate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-71.1. Registration evidence of ownership; ownership evidence of defendant's responsibility for conduct of operation
(a) In all actions to recover damages for injury to the person or to property or for the death of a person, arising out of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-71.2. Declaration of purpose
The titling of salvage motor vehicles constitutes a problem in North Carolina because members of the public are sometimes misled into believing a motor vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-71.3. Salvage and other vehicles � titles and registration cards to be branded
(a) Motor vehicle certificates of title and registration cards issued pursuant to G.S. 20‑57 shall be branded in accordance with this section. As used in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-71.4. Failure to disclose damage to a vehicle shall be a misdemeanor
(a) It shall be unlawful for any transferor of a motor vehicle to do any of the following: (1) Transfer a motor vehicle up to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-72. Transfer by owner
(a) Whenever the owner of a registered vehicle transfers or assigns his title or interests thereto, he shall remove the license plates. The registration card...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-73. New owner must get new certificate of title
(a) Time Limit. A person to whom a vehicle is transferred, whether by purchase or otherwise, must apply to the Division for a new certificate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-74. Penalty for making false statement about transfer of vehicle
A dealer or another person who, in an application required by this Division, knowingly makes a false statement about the date a vehicle was sold...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-75. When transferee is dealer or insurance company
When the transferee of a vehicle registered under this Article is: (1) A dealer who is licensed under Article 12 of this Chapter and who...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-75.1. Conditional delivery of motor vehicles
Notwithstanding G.S. 20‑52.1, 20‑72, and 20‑75, nothing contained in those sections prohibits a dealer from entering into a contract with any purchaser for the sale...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-76. Title lost or unlawfully detained; bond as condition to issuance of new certificate
(a) Whenever the applicant for the registration of a vehicle or a new certificate of title thereto is unable to present a certificate of title...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-77. Transfer by operation of law; sale under mechanic's or storage lien; unclaimed vehicles
(a) Whenever the title or interest of an owner in or to a vehicle shall pass to another by operation of law, as upon order...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-78. When Division to transfer registration and issue new certificate; recordation
(a) The Division, upon receipt of a properly endorsed certificate of title, application for transfer thereof and payment of all proper fees, shall issue a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79. Dealer license plates
(a) How to Get a Dealer Plate. The Division may issue a person licensed under Article 12 of this Chapter the appropriate classification of dealer...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.01. Special sports event temporary license plates
(a) Application. A dealer who is licensed under Article 12 of this Chapter and who agrees to loan to another for use at a special...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.1. (For effective date, see note) Use of temporary registration plates or markers by purchasers of motor vehicles in lieu of dealers' plates
(a) The Division may, subject to the limitations and conditions hereinafter set forth, deliver temporary registration plates or markers designed by said Division to a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.1A. (For effective date, see note) Use of limited registration plates on motor vehicles
(a) The Division or its authorized agent shall issue a limited registration plate upon receipt of an application for title and registration fees from a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.2. Transporter plates
(a) Who Can Get a Plate. A person engaged in a business requiring the limited operation of a motor vehicle for any of the following...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.3. Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 440, s. 5
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.4. Special registration plates
(a) General. Upon application and payment of the required registration fees, a person may obtain from the Division a special registration plate for a motor...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.5. Special registration plates for elected and appointed State government officials
(a) Plates. The State government officials listed in this section are eligible for a special registration plate under G.S. 20‑79.4. The plate shall bear the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.6. Special registration plates for members of the judiciary
(a) Supreme Court. A special plate issued to a Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court shall bear the words "Supreme Court" and the Great...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.7. Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees
(a) Fees. Upon request, the Division shall provide and issue free of charge one registration plate to a recipient of a Legion of Valor award,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-80 through 20-81.2. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 672, s. 1, as amended by Session Laws 1991, c. 726, s. 23
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-81.3. Recodified as � 20-79.7 by Session Laws 1991, c. 672, s. 3, as amended by Session Laws 1991, c. 726, s. 23
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-81.4 through 20-81.11. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 672, s. 1, as amended by Session Laws 1991, c. 726, s. 23
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-81.12. Collegiate insignia plates and certain other special plates
(a) Collegiate Insignia Plates. The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a collegiate insignia license plate for a college or university before a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-82. Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 163, s. 3
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-83. Registration by nonresidents
(a) When a resident carrier of this State interchanges a properly licensed trailer or semitrailer with another carrier who is a resident of another state,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-84. Permanent registration plates; State Highway Patrol
(a) General. The Division may issue a permanent registration plate for a motor vehicle owned by one of the persons authorized to have a permanent...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-84.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1999-220, s. 4
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-84.2. Definition; reciprocity; Commissioner's powers
(a) The term rental vehicle when used herein shall mean and include any motor vehicle which is rented or leased to another by its owner...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-85. (See Editor's Note) Schedule of fees
(a) The following fees are imposed concerning a certificate of title, a registration card, or a registration plate for a motor vehicle. These fees are...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-85.1. Registration by mail; one-day title service; fees
(a) The owner of a vehicle registered in North Carolina may renew that vehicle registration by mail. A postage and handling fee of one dollar...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-86. Penalty for engaging in a "for-hire" business without proper license plates
Any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of transporting persons or property for compensation, except as otherwise provided in this Article, shall, before...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-86.1. International Registration Plan
(a) The registration fees required under this Article may be proportioned for vehicles which qualify and are licensed under the provisions of the International Registration...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-87. Passenger vehicle registration fees
These fees shall be paid to the Division annually for the registration and licensing of passenger vehicles, according to the following classifications and schedules: (1)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-87.1. Interchange of passenger buses with nonresident common carriers of passengers
When a resident common carrier of passengers of this State interchanges a properly licensed bus with another common carrier of passengers who is a resident...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88. Property-hauling vehicles
(a) Determination of Weight. For the purpose of licensing, the weight of self‑propelled property‑carrying vehicles shall be the empty weight and heaviest load to be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88.01. Revocation of registration for failure to register for or comply with road tax or pay civil penalty for buying or selling non-tax-paid fuel
(a) Road Tax. The Secretary of Revenue may notify the Commissioner of those motor vehicles that are registered or are required to be registered under...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88.02. Registration of logging vehicles
Upon receipt of an application on a form prescribed by it, the Division shall register trucks, tractor trucks, trailers, and semitrailers used exclusively in connection...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88.1. Driver education
(a) In accordance with criteria and standards approved by the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall organize and administer a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-89. Repealed by Sessions Laws 1981, c. 976, s. 7
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-90. Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 976, s. 8
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-91. Audit of vehicle registrations under the International Registration Plan
(a) Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 9. (b) The Department of Revenue may audit a person who registers or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-91.1. Repealed by Session Laws 2007-491, s. 2, effective January 1, 2008
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-91.2. Repealed by Session Laws 2007-491, s. 2, effective January 1, 2008
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-92. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 10
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-93. Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 976, s. 10
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-94. Partial payments
In the purchase of licenses, where the gross amount of the license fee to any one owner amounts to more than four hundred dollars ($400.00),...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-95. Prorated fee for license plate issued for other than a year
(a) Calendar‑Year Plate. The fee for a calendar‑year license plate issued on or after April 1 of a year is a percentage of the annual...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-96. Detaining property-hauling vehicles or vehicles regulated by the Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Unit until fines or penalties and taxes are collected
(a) Authority to Detain Vehicles. A law enforcement officer may seize and detain the following property‑hauling vehicles operating on the highways of the State: (1)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-97. Taxes credited to Highway Fund; municipal vehicle taxes
(a) State Taxes to Highway Fund. All taxes levied under this Article are compensatory taxes for the use and privileges of the public highways of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-98. Repealed by Session Laws 2007-491, s. 2, effective January 1, 2008
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-99. Repealed by Session Laws 2007-491, s. 2, effective January 1, 2008
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-100. Vehicles junked or destroyed by fire or collision
Upon satisfactory proof to the Commissioner that any motor vehicle, duly licensed, has been completely destroyed by fire or collision, or has been junked and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-101. Certain business vehicles to be marked
(a) A motor vehicle that is subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 390, the federal motor carrier safety regulations, shall be marked as required by that...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-101.1. Conspicuous disclosure of dealer administrative fees
(a) A motor vehicle dealer shall not charge an administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee related to the sale or lease of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-101.2. Conspicuous disclosure of dealer finance yield charges
(a) A motor vehicle dealer shall not charge a fee or receive a commission or other compensation for providing, procuring, or arranging financing for the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-102. Report of stolen and recovered motor vehicles
Every sheriff, chief of police, or peace officer upon receiving reliable information that any vehicle registered hereunder has been stolen shall report such theft to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-102.1. False report of theft or conversion a misdemeanor
A person who knowingly makes to a peace officer or to the Division a false report of the theft or conversion of a motor vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-102.2. Report of failure to return hired motor vehicles
Every sheriff, chief of police, or peace officer, upon receiving a vehicle theft report, warrant, or other reliable information that any rental, for‑hire, or leased...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-103. Reports by owners of stolen and recovered vehicles
The owner, or person having a lien or encumbrance upon a registered vehicle which has been stolen or embezzled, may notify the Division of such...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-104. Action by Division on report of stolen or embezzled vehicles
(a) The Division, upon receiving a report of a stolen or embezzled vehicle as hereinbefore provided, shall file and appropriately index the same and shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-105. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-106. Receiving or transferring stolen vehicles
Any person who, with intent to procure or pass title to a vehicle which he knows or has reason to believe has been stolen or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-106.1. Fraud in connection with rental of motor vehicles
Any person with the intent to defraud the owner of any motor vehicle or a person in lawful possession thereof, who obtains possession of said...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-106.2. Sublease and loan assumption arranging regulated
(a) As used in this section: (1) "Buyer" means a purchaser of a motor vehicle under the terms of a retail installment contract. "Buyer" shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-107. Injuring or tampering with vehicle
(a) Any person who either individually or in association with one or more other persons willfully injures or tampers with any vehicles or breaks or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-108. Vehicles or component parts of vehicles without manufacturer's numbers
(a) Any person who knowingly buys, receives, disposes of, sells, offers for sale, conceals, or has in his possession any motor vehicle, or engine or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-109. Altering or changing engine or other numbers
(a) It shall be unlawful and constitute a felony for: (1) Any person to willfully deface, destroy, remove, cover, or alter the manufacturer's serial number,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-109.1. Surrender of titles to salvage vehicles
(a) Option to Keep Title. When a vehicle is damaged to the extent that it becomes a salvage vehicle and the owner submits a claim...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-109.2. Surrender of title to manufactured home
(a) Surrender of Title. If a title has been issued for a manufactured home and the manufactured home qualifies as real property as defined in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-110. When registration shall be rescinded
(a) The Division shall rescind and cancel the registration of any vehicle which the Division shall determine is unsafe or unfit to be operated or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-111. Violation of registration provisions
It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any of the following acts: (1) To drive a vehicle on a highway, or knowingly permit...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-112. Making false affidavit perjury
Any person who shall knowingly make any false affidavit or shall knowingly swear or affirm falsely to any matter or thing required by the terms...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-113. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 13
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-114. Duty of officers; manner of enforcement
(a) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Article, it is hereby made the duty of every police officer of any incorporated city...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-114.1. Willful failure to obey law-enforcement or traffic-control officer; firemen as traffic-control officers; appointment, etc., of traffic-control officers
(a) No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of any law‑enforcement officer or traffic‑control officer invested by...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-114.3. Repealed by Session Laws 2007-433, s. 3(a), (b), effective October 1, 2007
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-115. Scope and effect of regulations in this title
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or move or for the owner to cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-115.1. Limitations on tandem trailers and semitrailers on certain North Carolina highways
(a) Motor vehicle combinations consisting of a truck tractor and two trailing units may be operated in North Carolina only on highways of the interstate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-116. Size of vehicles and loads
(a) The total outside width of any vehicle or the load thereon shall not exceed 102 inches, except as otherwise provided in this section. When...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-117. Flag or light at end of load
Whenever the load on any vehicle shall extend more than four feet beyond the rear of the bed or body thereof, there shall be displayed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-117.1. Requirements for mirrors and fuel container
(a) Rear‑Vision Mirrors. Every bus, truck, and truck tractor with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more shall be equipped with two rear‑vision mirrors, one...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-118. Weight of vehicles and load
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) Single‑axle weight. The gross weight transmitted by all wheels whose centers may...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-118.1. Officers may weigh vehicles and require overloads to be removed
A law enforcement officer may stop and weigh a vehicle to determine if the vehicle's weight is in compliance with the vehicle's declared gross weight...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-118.2. Authority to fix higher weight limitations at reduced speeds for certain vehicles
The Department of Transportation is hereby authorized and empowered to fix higher weight limitations at reduced speeds for vehicles used in transporting property when the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-118.3. Vehicle or combination of vehicles operated without registration plate subject to civil penalty
Any vehicle or combination of vehicles being operated upon the highway of this State either by a resident or nonresident without having been issued therefor...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-118.4. Firefighting equipment exempt from size and weight restrictions while transporting or moving heavy equipment in an emergency; permits
(a) Exemption From Weight and Size Restrictions During Emergency Response. Any overweight or oversize vehicle owned and operated by a State or local government or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-119. Special permits for vehicles of excessive size or weight; fees
(a) The Department of Transportation may, in its discretion, upon application, for good cause being shown therefor, issue a special permit in writing authorizing the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-119.1. Use of excess overweight and oversize fees
Funds generated by overweight and oversize permit fees in excess of the cost of administering the program, as determined pursuant to G.S. 20‑119(e), shall be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-120. Operation of flat trucks on State highways regulated; trucks hauling leaf tobacco in barrels or hogsheads
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate, or have operated on any public highway in the State any open, flat...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-121. When authorities may restrict right to use highways
The Department of Transportation or local authorities may prohibit the operation of vehicles upon or impose restrictions as to the weight thereof, for a total...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-121.1. Operation of a low-speed vehicle on certain roadways
The operation of a low‑speed vehicle is authorized with the following restrictions: (1) A low‑speed vehicle may be operated only on streets and highways where...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-122. Restrictions as to tire equipment
(a) No vehicle will be allowed to move on any public highway unless equipped with tires of rubber or other resilient material which depend upon...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-122.1. Motor vehicles to be equipped with safe tires
(a) Every motor vehicle subject to safety equipment inspection in this State and operated on the streets and highways of this State shall be equipped...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-123. Trailers and towed vehicles
(a) The limitations in G.S. 20‑116 on combination vehicles do not prohibit the towing of farm trailers not exceeding three in number nor exceeding a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-123.1. Steering mechanism
The steering mechanism of every self‑propelled motor vehicle operated on the highway shall be maintained in good working order, sufficient to enable the operator to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-124. Brakes
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop such vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-125. Horns and warning devices
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order capable of emitting sound audible under...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-125.1. Directional signals
(a) It shall be unlawful for the owner of any motor vehicle of a changed model or series designation indicating that it was manufactured or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-126. Mirrors
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on the streets or highways of this State unless equipped with an inside rearview mirror of a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-127. Windows and windshield wipers
(a) Windshield Wipers. A vehicle that is operated on a highway and has a windshield shall have a windshield wiper to clear rain or other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-128. Exhaust system and emissions control devices
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler, or other exhaust system of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-128.1. Control of visible emissions
(a) It shall be a violation of this Article: (1) For any gasoline‑powered motor vehicle registered and operated in this State to emit visible air...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-128.2. Motor vehicle emission standards
(a) The rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.107(a)(6) shall be implemented when the Environmental Management Commission certifies to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-129. Required lighting equipment of vehicles
(a) When Vehicles Must Be Equipped. Every vehicle upon a highway within this State shall be equipped with lighted headlamps and rear lamps as required...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-129.1. Additional lighting equipment required on certain vehicles
In addition to other equipment required by this Chapter, the following vehicles shall be equipped as follows: (1) On every bus or truck, whatever its...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-129.2. Lighting equipment for mobile homes
Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 20‑129 and 20‑ 129.1, the lighting equipment required to be provided and equipped on a house trailer, mobile home, modular...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-130. Additional permissible light on vehicle
(a) Spot Lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two spot lamps, except that a motorcycle shall not be equipped with...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-130.1. Use of red or blue lights on vehicles prohibited; exceptions
(a) It is unlawful for any person to install or activate or operate a red light in or on any vehicle in this State. As...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-130.2. Use of amber lights on certain vehicles
All wreckers operated on the highways of the State shall be equipped with an amber‑colored flashing light which shall be so mounted and located as...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-130.3. Use of white or clear lights on rear of vehicles prohibited; exceptions
It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully drive a motor vehicle in forward motion upon the highways of this State displaying white or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-131. Requirements as to headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps
(a) The headlamps of motor vehicles shall be so constructed, arranged, and adjusted that, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, they will...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-132. Acetylene lights
Motor vehicles eligible for a Historic Vehicle Owner special registration plate under G.S. 20‑79.4 may be equipped with two acetylene headlamps of approximately equal candlepower...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-133. Enforcement of provisions
(a) The Commissioner is authorized to designate, furnish instructions to and to supervise official stations for adjusting headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps to conform with...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-134. Lights on parked vehicles
(a) Whenever a vehicle is parked or stopped upon a highway, whether attended or unattended during the times mentioned in G.S. 20‑129, there shall be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135. Safety glass
(a) It shall be unlawful to operate knowingly, on any public highway or street in this State, any motor vehicle which is registered in the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1995 (Regular Session, 1996), c. 756, s. 30
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.2. Safety belts and anchorages
(a) Every new motor vehicle registered in this State and manufactured, assembled, or sold after January 1, 1964, shall, at the time of registration, be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.2A. (See Editor's note) Seat belt use mandatory
(a) Except as otherwise provided in G.S. 20‑137.1, each occupant of a motor vehicle manufactured with seat belts shall have a seatbelt properly fastened about...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.2B. Transporting children under 12 years of age in open bed or open cargo area of a vehicle prohibited; exceptions
(a) The operator of a vehicle having an open bed or open cargo area shall insure that no child under 12 years of age is...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.3. Seat belt anchorages for rear seats of motor vehicles
Every new motor vehicle registered in this State and manufactured, assembled or sold after July 1, 1966, shall be equipped with sufficient anchorage units at...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-135.4. Certain automobile safety standards
(a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the term "private passenger automobile" shall mean a four‑wheeled motor vehicle designed principally for carrying passengers, for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-136. Smoke screens
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to drive, operate, equip or be in the possession of any automobile or other motor...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-136.1. Location of television viewers
No person shall drive any motor vehicle equipped with any television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast which is located...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-136.2. Air bag installation
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to knowingly install or reinstall any object in lieu of an air bag, other than...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137. Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 379, s. 18.2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.1. Child restraint systems required
(a) Every driver who is transporting one or more passengers of less than 16 years of age shall have all such passengers properly secured in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.2. Operation of vehicles resembling law-enforcement vehicles unlawful; punishment
(a) It is unlawful for any person other than a law‑enforcement officer of the State or of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision thereof,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.3. Unlawful use of a mobile phone by persons under 18 years of age
(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Additional technology. Any technology that provides access to digital media such as a camera, electronic...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.4. Unlawful use of a mobile phone
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall mean: (1) Additional technology. As defined in G.S. 20‑137.3(a)(1). (2) Emergency situation. Circumstances such...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.5. Reserved for future codification purposes
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.6. Declaration of purpose
Abandoned and derelict motor vehicles constitute a hazard to the health and welfare of the people of the State in that such vehicles can harbor...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.7. Definitions of words and phrases
The following words and phrases when used in this Part shall for the purpose of this Part have the meaning respectively prescribed to them in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.8. Secretary may adopt rules and regulations
The Secretary is hereby vested with the power and is charged with the duties of administering the provisions of this Part and is authorized to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.9. Removal from private property
Any abandoned or any derelict vehicle in this State shall be subject to be removed from public or private property provided not objected to by...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.10. Abandoned and derelict vehicles to be tagged; determination of value
(a) When any vehicle is derelict or abandoned in this State, the Secretary shall cause a tag to be placed on the vehicle which shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.11. Title to vest in State
Title to all vehicles sold or disposed of in accordance with this Part shall vest in the State. All manufacturers' serial number plates and any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.12. Secretary may contract for disposal
The Secretary is hereby authorized to contract with any federal, other state, county or municipal authority or private enterprise for tagging, collection, storage, transportation or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.13. No liability for removal
No agent or employee of any federal, State, county or municipal government, no person or occupant of the premises from which any derelict or abandoned...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.14. Enclosed, antique, registered and certain other vehicles exempt
The provisions of this Part shall not apply to vehicles located on used car lots, in private garages, enclosed parking lots, or on any other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138. Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 435, s. 23
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.1. Impaired driving
(a) Offense. A person commits the offense of impaired driving if he drives any vehicle upon any highway, any street, or any public vehicular area...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.2. Impaired driving in commercial vehicle
(a) Offense. A person commits the offense of impaired driving in a commercial motor vehicle if he drives a commercial motor vehicle upon any highway,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.2A. Operating a commercial vehicle after consuming alcohol
(a) Offense. A person commits the offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle after consuming alcohol if the person drives a commercial motor vehicle, as...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.2B. Operating a school bus, school activity bus, or child care vehicle after consuming alcohol
(a) Offense. A person commits the offense of operating a school bus, school activity bus, or child care vehicle after consuming alcohol if the person...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.2C. Possession of alcoholic beverages while operating a commercial motor vehicle
A person commits the offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle while possessing alcoholic beverages if the person drives a commercial motor vehicle, as defined...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.3. Driving by person less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs
(a) Offense. It is unlawful for a person less than 21 years old to drive a motor vehicle on a highway or public vehicular area...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.4. Requirement that prosecutor explain reduction or dismissal of charge in implied-consent case
(a) Any prosecutor shall enter detailed facts in the record of any case subject to the implied‑consent law or involving driving while license revoked for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.5. Habitual impaired driving
(a) A person commits the offense of habitual impaired driving if he drives while impaired as defined in G.S. 20‑138.1 and has been convicted of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.6. Reserved for future codification purposes
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-138.7. Transporting an open container of alcoholic beverage
(a) Offense. No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway or the right‑of‑way of a highway: (1) While there is an alcoholic beverage...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-139. Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 435, s. 23
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-139.1. Procedures governing chemical analyses; admissibility; evidentiary provisions; controlled-drinking programs
(a) Chemical Analysis Admissible. In any implied‑consent offense under G.S. 20‑16.2, a person's alcohol concentration or the presence of any other impairing substance in the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140. Reckless driving
(a) Any person who drives any vehicle upon a highway or any public vehicular area carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140.2. Overloaded or overcrowded vehicle
No person shall operate upon a highway or public vehicular area a motor vehicle which is so loaded or crowded with passengers or property, or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140.3. Unlawful use of National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and other controlled-access highways
On those sections of highways which are or become a part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and other controlled‑access highways, it...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140.4. Special provisions for motorcycles and mopeds
(a) No person shall operate a motorcycle or moped upon a highway or public vehicular area: (1) When the number of persons upon such motorcycle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-140.5. Special mobile equipment may tow certain vehicles
Special mobile equipment may not tow any vehicle other than the following: (1) A single passenger vehicle that can carry no more than nine passengers...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141. Speed restrictions
(a) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway or in a public vehicular area at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.1. Speed limits in school zones
The Board of Transportation or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions may, by ordinance, set speed limits lower than those designated in G.S. 20‑141 for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.2. Prima facie rule of evidence as to operation of motor vehicle altered so as to increase potential speed
Proof of the operation upon any street or highway of North Carolina at a speed in excess of the limits provided by law of any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.3. Unlawful racing on streets and highways
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on a street or highway willfully in prearranged speed competition with another...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.4. Felony and misdemeanor death by vehicle; felony serious injury by vehicle; aggravated offenses; repeat felony death by vehicle
(a) Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 435, s. 27. (a1) Felony Death by Vehicle. A person commits the offense of felony death by vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.5. Speeding to elude arrest
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on a street, highway, or public vehicular area while fleeing or attempting...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-141.6. Aggressive Driving
(a) Any person who operates a motor vehicle on a street, highway, or public vehicular area is guilty of aggressive driving if the person: (1)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 368, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142.1. Obedience to railroad signal
(a) Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142.2. Vehicles stop at certain grade crossing
The Department of Transportation may designate particularly dangerous highway crossings of railroads and erect stop signs at those crossings. When a stop sign is erected...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142.3. Certain vehicles must stop at railroad grade crossing
(a) Before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, the driver of any school bus, any activity bus, any motor vehicle carrying...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142.4. Moving heavy equipment at railroad grade crossing
(a) No person shall operate or move any crawler‑type tractor, crane, or roller or any equipment or structure having a normal operating speed of five...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-142.5. Stop when traffic obstructed
No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-143 through 20-143.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 368, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-144. Special speed limitation on bridges
It shall be unlawful to drive any vehicle upon any public bridge, causeway or viaduct at a speed which is greater than the maximum speed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-145. When speed limit not applicable
The speed limitations set forth in this Article shall not apply to vehicles when operated with due regard for safety under the direction of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146. Drive on right side of highway; exceptions
(a) Upon all highways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the highway except as follows: (1) When overtaking...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146.1. Operation of motorcycles
(a) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146.2. Rush hour traffic lanes authorized
(a) HOV Lanes. The Department of Transportation may designate one or more travel lanes as high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on streets and highways on...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-147. Keep to the right in crossing intersections or railroads
In crossing an intersection of highways or the intersection of a highway by a railroad right‑of‑way, the driver of a vehicle shall at all times...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-147.1. Passenger vehicle towing other vehicles to keep right
Whenever a noncommercial passenger vehicle as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(27)g. is towing another vehicle as defined in G.S. 20‑4.01(49), the driver of the towing vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-148. Meeting of vehicles
Drivers of vehicles proceeding in opposite directions shall pass each other to the right, each giving to the other at least one half of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-149. Overtaking a vehicle
(a) The driver of any such vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at least two feet to the left thereof,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-150. Limitations on privilege of overtaking and passing
(a) The driver of a vehicle shall not drive to the left side of the center of a highway, in overtaking and passing another vehicle...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-150.1. When passing on the right is permitted
The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (1) When the vehicle overtaken...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-151. Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 283, s. 2
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-152. Following too closely
(a) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-153. Turning at intersections
(a) Right Turns. Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right‑hand curb...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-154. Signals on starting, stopping or turning
(a) The driver of any vehicle upon a highway or public vehicular area before starting, stopping or turning from a direct line shall first see...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-155. Right-of-way
(a) When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-156. Exceptions to the right-of-way rule
(a) The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from an alley, building entrance, private road, or driveway shall yield the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-157. Approach of law enforcement, fire department or rescue squad vehicles or ambulances; driving over fire hose or blocking fire-fighting equipment; parking, etc., near law enforcement, fire department, or rescue squad vehicle or ambulance
(a) Upon the approach of any law enforcement or fire department vehicle or public or private ambulance or rescue squad emergency service vehicle giving warning...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-157.1. Funeral processions
(a) As used in this section, a "funeral procession" means two or more vehicles accompanying the remains of a deceased person, or traveling to the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-158. Vehicle control signs and signals
(a) The Department of Transportation, with reference to State highways, and local authorities, with reference to highways under their jurisdiction, are hereby authorized to control...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-158.1. Erection of "yield right-of-way" signs
The Department of Transportation, with reference to State highways, and cities and towns with reference to highways and streets under their jurisdiction, are authorized to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-158.2. Control of vehicles on Turnpike System
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority may control vehicles at appropriate places by erecting traffic control devices to collect tolls. (2002‑133, s. 2.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-158.3. Emergency entry to controlled access roads
Any person, association, or other legal entity having responsibility for a controlled access system on a road that is a public vehicular area shall provide...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-159. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-160. Driving through safety zone or on sidewalks prohibited
(a) The driver of a vehicle shall not at any time drive through or over a safety zone. (b) No person shall drive any motor...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-160.1. Failure to yield causing serious bodily injury; penalties
(a) Unless the conduct is covered under some other law providing greater punishment, a person who commits the offense of failure to yield while approaching...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-161. Stopping on highway prohibited; warning signals; removal of vehicles from public highway
(a) No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the paved or main‑traveled portion of any highway or highway...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-161.1. Regulation of night parking on highways
No person parking or leaving standing a vehicle at night on a highway or on a side road entering into a highway shall permit the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-161.2. Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 420, s. 1
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-162. Parking in front of private driveway, fire hydrant, fire station, intersection of curb lines or fire lane
(a) No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon a highway in front of a private driveway...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-162.1. Prima facie rule of evidence for enforcement of parking regulations
(a) Whenever evidence shall be presented in any court of the fact that any automobile, truck, or other vehicle was found upon any street, alley...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-162.2 through 20-162.3. Transferred to �� 20-219.2, 20-219.3 by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 36
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-163. Unattended motor vehicles
No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended on a public highway or public vehicular area without...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-164. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-165. Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 379, s. 6
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-165.1. One-way traffic
In all cases where the Department of Transportation has heretofore, or may hereafter lawfully designate any highway or other separate roadway, under its jurisdiction for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166. Duty to stop in event of accident or collision; furnishing information or assistance to injured person, etc.; persons assisting exempt from civil liability
(a) The driver of any vehicle who knows or reasonably should know: (1) That the vehicle which he or she is operating is involved in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166.1. Reports and investigations required in event of accident
(a) Notice of Accident. The driver of a vehicle involved in a reportable accident must immediately, by the quickest means of communication, notify the appropriate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166.2. Duty of passenger to remain at the scene of an accident
(a) The passenger of any vehicle who knows or reasonably should know that the vehicle in which he or she is a passenger is involved...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-167. Vehicles transporting explosives
Any person operating any vehicle transporting any explosive as a cargo or part of a cargo upon a highway shall at all times comply with...

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North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 20 Motor Vehicles

Article 1 - Division of Motor Vehicles.

Article 1A - Reciprocity Agreements as to Registration and Licensing.

Article 1B - Reciprocal Provisions as to Arrest of Nonresidents.

Article 1C - Drivers License Compact.

Article 2 - Uniform Driver's License Act.

Article 2A - Afflicted, Disabled or Handicapped Persons.

Article 2B - Special Identification Cards for Nonoperators.

Article 2C - Commercial Driver License.

Article 2D - Implied-Consent Offense Procedures.

Article 3 - Motor Vehicle Act of 1937.