New to NC, registering vehicles

bad_idea

Active Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Location
Pasquotank, NC
Hello All!

I am moving to Pasquotank next week, close on the house 10/11/17. I have lived in VA most of my life and decided to move south for many reasons, most importantly I bought this house at half what it would cost me in VA Beach.

Anyways, I now have to attend to my cars. I have 4 of them. Wife's daily - 2015 Escape, my daily - 2007 Civic, toy #1 - 79 Camaro, toy #2 - 90 Cherokee. Not concerned about the dailys, they are both in tip top shape. The toys concern me. The Camaro is missing a few key components and built to play on the drag strip with very limited street use. The Jeep is lifted 5" w/ 33s and is missing a few emissions controls. How much trouble am I going to have registering the Jeep and Camaro? Can anyone recommend a lenient inspection station in the Pasquotank area?
 
This ain't VA, but not sc either. The Camaro is over 35 so no inspection needed. No emissions testing anymore in the majority of NC and your Jeep is too old for it anyway so safety only, and that is pretty lenient too as long as it's somewhat roadworthy.
 
Since you're bringing vehicles in from out of state you won't need to have them inspected the first year. You can just go get a tag at the dmv and pay the tax and tag together. Like Braxton said the Camaro is over 35 years old and requires zero testing, the Cherokee is OBD I and only has safety inspection.
 
The inspection includes visual checks of the emissions equipment, though. If it doesn't look like its there and functional, it can be failed.
 
Thanks for the insight all. As far as a visual, my Jeep has passed a visual in VA for the last few years. The jeep is VERY sound mechanically. New suspension, new steering, new brakes. The only thing the Jeep is missing is the EGR valve and charcoal canister, both failed and I just capped them. I have dumped a lot of money into making it safe to haul my family on long trips.

As far as the Camaro, are you saying regular plates and it will never need an inspection? That makes life simple.
 
bad_idea said:
Thanks for the insight all. As far as a visual, my Jeep has passed a visual in VA for the last few years. The jeep is VERY sound mechanically. New suspension, new steering, new brakes. The only thing the Jeep is missing is the EGR valve and charcoal canister, both failed and I just capped them. I have dumped a lot of money into making it safe to haul my family on long trips.

As far as the Camaro, are you saying regular plates and it will never need an inspection? That makes life simple.
Click to expand...


Youre golden in that case with the jeep. MOST places dont do much on a visual, especially on these older ones. Sounds like you even still have the cat, which is the biggest visual cue.

The camaro doesnt need anything more than tags. Same with our ol 78 cheyenne. It does make life a little easier.
 
Outstanding. I had always heard NC was soon much easier to register cars than VA. I started to get nervous when I started reading the code though. Both of my vehicles still have the cats, those are a dead giveaway.

Can anyone recommend an inspection station in the Pasquotank area? I'm not looking for a shady shop that will slap a sticker on anything, just a fair shop. I have a couple inspection station stories from VA that I would prefer to avoid repeating in NC.
 
You get the first year here without an inspection, so you won't even need to worry until the 2nd year of living here. But you're worrying too much. The jeep will get a safety inspection. I doubt they'll even open the hood. Window tint, Tire tread, widnshield wipers, not straight piped, Lights, turn signal, horn and license plate lights is about all they'll check. super easy.

As for the camaro, no inspection ever again since it's over 35 years old. It's an antique. Get yourself a normal NC tag for it, place it in the trunk, and find an antique tag from 1979 and place it on the back of the car. Now you're even cooler driving a 1979 car with a 1979 license plate. NC general statute 20-63d if you don't believe me. "Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person."

I have avoided many parking tickets and red light cameras thanks to this :)
 
yodaman88 said:
You get the first year here without an inspection, so you won't even need to worry until the 2nd year of living here. But you're worrying too much. The jeep will get a safety inspection. I doubt they'll even open the hood. Window tint, Tire tread, widnshield wipers, not straight piped, Lights, turn signal, horn and license plate lights is about all they'll check. super easy.

As for the camaro, no inspection ever again since it's over 35 years old. It's an antique. Get yourself a normal NC tag for it, place it in the trunk, and find an antique tag from 1979 and place it on the back of the car. Now you're even cooler driving a 1979 car with a 1979 license plate. NC general statute 20-63d if you don't believe me. "Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person."

I have avoided many parking tickets and red light cameras thanks to this :)
Click to expand...
This here. I haven't had the state issued tag on my car in 5 years or so. It lives under the seat. If you ever do get pulled they may want to see the tag and registration so it stays in the car.
b8a277fdb62512362a1334fc085bb83d.jpg
4d39295a0afafc5ecf6f5da93e3b9305.jpg


Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
That is cool. Does anyone have a nice 1979 plate laying around?

I assume I will need to renew the registration every year on the Camaro still?
 
Last edited:
bad_idea said:
That is cool. Does anyone have a nice 1979 plate laying around?

I assume I will need to renew the registration every year on the Camaro still?
Click to expand...
Yea you still register it and pay the property tax, just no inspection. Put the new sticker on the state issued plate and hide it away again.

You can find plates at most swap meets. There will be one coming up at the state fairgrounds in Raleigh in Nov I believe. If not im sure you can find them on eBay.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
1979 will be a tough one to find since they had switched to stickers by then, and most people would keep putting on the new stickers. I hardly ever see newer than 1977 (the switchover year I believe...some are stamped some are stickers) so I would go with ebay.

Also, it does not have to be an antique NC plate, can be any state. My dad runs a PA plate on his 1956 Pontiac because that's where he grew up and initially bought the car.


but if anybody needs some 1973 NC plates, I have way too many
 
Also, don't waste your money on a restored plate. Has to be an original.

"Operating with False Numbers. - Any person who shall willfully operate a motor vehicle with a registration plate which has been repainted or altered or forged shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor."
 
yodaman88 said:
1979 will be a tough one to find since they had switched to stickers by then, and most people would keep putting on the new stickers. I hardly ever see newer than 1977 (the switchover year I believe...some are stamped some are stickers) so I would go with ebay.

Also, it does not have to be an antique NC plate, can be any state. My dad runs a PA plate on his 1956 Pontiac because that's where he grew up and initially bought the car.


but if anybody needs some 1973 NC plates, I have way too many
Click to expand...
I think trucks kept the plates going up uinto the 80s. Ive seen a 78 plate i was going to put on my wheeling rig. The only difference between car and truck plates was the letters and numbers were switched, it doesn't matter which you use car or truck.

For that matter commercial or weighted plates were switched yearly until 2005 or 06. When they went to the weighted tag with stickers. The first few years I owned my old 03 f250 I got a new plate each year.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
I wish that was an option on newer stuff. I bought a used car in SC and the dealer took care of the registration via mail. The 30 day tag expires Monday and I still don’t have plates. But the DMV managed to send me the property tax bill already. Glad to see they are on the ball for some things....
 
Back
Top