NC license plates

drypowder

drypowder

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When you get plates from NC DMV, do they only give you one plate? Guessing this is the case, since NC only requires plate on the rear.

I'm wondering if I have a second plate laying around somewhere. I wouldn't have bothered putting a plate on the front if they did give me two plates, so if they did, then I know it's gotta be around here somewhere. But if they only give one plate, no need for me to look.
 
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Just the rear plate, no front. You can put whatever vanity plate you want on the front, except by law... if you're a Marine/Retired Marine that plate has to be some kind of USMC. :p

InvisibleOne said:
Just wondering... why would you need more than one?
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Got family in Ohio. They make you run a front plate, always have. Still don't know why except mostly as some kind of revenue enhancement.
I will admit that here in tourist country if you're driving the other way you can see 'em coming and take the necessary evasive maneuvers.
 
Was up in MA for my mother-in-law funeral. Went to Logan to pick up my wife.
Got the evil eye from a state trooper as I rolled by in my lifted Rubicon on 37's, and no front plate, and no inspection stickah. 3 things that get their attention. He changed his neck around to look at the back license plate. He looked a little disappointed. Thought he had an arrest. Ha!
In MA having only one MA plate is the same as driving unregistered because they assume the other plate is beginning used in a second vehicle illegally.

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fieldgrade said:
Plates are registered to the specific vehicle.
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Sure. It's only a problem if you're caught. And I figure driving a car with no plates will be a lot more obvious than a car with incorrect plates. Not that I've done this or advocate anyone else do it.

How do people test drive used cars that no longer have plates?
 
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drypowder said:
Sure. It's only a problem if you're caught. And I figure driving a car with no plates will be a lot more obvious than a car with incorrect plates. Not that I've done this or advocate anyone else do it.

How do people test drive used cars that no longer have plates?
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If you've got insurance coverage I don't think it's a problem. I bought an older Mustang in SC 260 miles away and drove it home a few years ago with no plates.
 
My coworker got a car when he was in the Marines, he and his new bride drove it back to Raleigh
w/o any tags but he did have the insurance policy and cards with him, Trooper gave him a break.
 
fieldgrade said:
If you've got insurance coverage I don't think it's a problem. I bought an older Mustang in SC 260 miles away and drove it home a few years ago with no plates.
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Did you get pulled over?

Button Pusher said:
My coworker got a car when he was in the Marines, he and his new bride drove it back to Raleigh
w/o any tags but he did have the insurance policy and cards with him, Trooper gave him a break.
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That makes it sound like it is indeed a traffic infraction to drive w/o plates even if you have already arranged for insurance on the vehicle.
 
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drypowder said:
Did you get pulled over?
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No.

People have to be able to transport vehicles after a transaction. The government doesn't expect you to use a tag intended for another vehicle. If you have proper insurance coverage you aren't going to have a problem, because there isn't an alternative way to do it.

* and I didn't mean to sound testy. :)
 
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As a point of reference, I sold a travel trailer to someone who lived out of state. I inquired with the DMV about tags to get it home. They said they’d issue a 3 (three) day tag for that purpose for something like $20. There is usually a way to keep within the system.
 
fieldgrade said:
People have to be able to transport vehicles after a transaction. The government doesn't expect you to use a tag intended for another vehicle. If you have proper insurance coverage you aren't going to have a problem, because there isn't an alternative way to do it.
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Sounds reasonable. But per @noway2's post re: 3-day tags, it sounds like insurance alone is not sufficient, and that you might be at the mercy of the officer who pulls you over.

fieldgrade said:
* and I didn't mean to sound testy. :)
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Heh. We've spoken enough that it didn't come across as testy to me.

So how about the scenario where you wish to test drive a used vehicle that doesn't have plates? I can't imagine that people are calling their insurance company for coverage or the DMV to get temp tags for a test drive.
 
drypowder said:
Sounds reasonable. But per @noway2's post re: 3-day tags, it sounds like insurance alone is not sufficient, and that you might be at the mercy of the officer who pulls you over.

Heh. We've spoken enough that it didn't come across as testy to me.

So how about the scenario where you wish to test drive a used vehicle that doesn't have plates? I can't imagine that people are calling their insurance company for coverage or the DMV to get temp tags for a test drive.
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With typical insurance coverage in NC, you are covered on your next vehicle purchase for 30 days as I recall, provided you have sufficient coverage on your current policy to cover the vehicle you are purchasing.

As for vehicles without plates or coverage, I can't recall a time ever test driving one.
 
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fishgutzy said:
Was up in MA for my mother-in-law funeral. Went to Logan to pick up my wife.
Got the evil eye from a state trooper as I rolled by in my lifted Rubicon on 37's, and no front plate, and no inspection stickah. 3 things that get their attention. He changed his neck around to look at the back license plate. He looked a little disappointed. Thought he had an arrest. Ha!
In MA having only one MA plate is the same as driving unregistered because they assume the other plate is beginning used in a second vehicle illegally.
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Consider yourself lucky he didn't run your back plate, discover you had a concealed carry permit, pull you over, and then tear your truck apart looking for a firearm you may or may not have had in your vehicle in perfect compliance with federal law, confiscated it if it was there, charged you, and then required you to spend your hard earned time and money coming BACK to MA to fight the court battle to get back what they had no right to take in the first place.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
Consider yourself lucky he didn't run your back plate, discover you had a concealed carry permit, pull you over, and then tear your truck apart looking for a firearm you may or may not have had in your vehicle in perfect compliance with federal law, confiscated it if it was there, charged you, and then required you to spend your hard earned time and money coming BACK to MA to fight the court battle to get back what they had no right to take in the first place.
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Or just stay in MA as a guest of their “Justice” system.
 
I remember seeing ones around here that said “tag applied for”.

One time I rented a uhaul that had a hand written on cardboard temp tag from AZ and drove it to Taccoa, Ga and back.
 
Bailey Boat said:
When I was at GSP I always loved those "LOST TAG" cardboard replacements. I'd see one and say to myself, "Found it for ya"...... and then pull them over....
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For years I never understood this...until I actually had one stolen/lost.
I was surprised by how involved the police were in it, I made my little sign, had it in for about two days before I got back to the DMV for the new tag

Following this thread, it's a good one @drypowder as I am looking around daily at a new(to me) vehicle.
 
Sneakymedic said:
Anyone have a 1972 farm truck plate they would get rid of? In good shape...
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I picked up my 1977 farm truck plate at the Auto Fair. I think the guy wanted 15 bucks and I gave him 10. They can usually be found on EBay as well, price according to condition.
20180421_192234.jpg
 
HMP said:
For years I never understood this...until I actually had one stolen/lost.
I was surprised by how involved the police were in it, I made my little sign, had it in for about two days before I got back to the DMV for the new tag

Following this thread, it's a good one @drypowder as I am looking around daily at a new(to me) vehicle.
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Nice until you get a phone call at 12:30am from an officer telling me that they found the tag off the company car I had replaced a week earlier.

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Grits said:
Nice until you get a phone call at 12:30am from an officer telling me that they found the tag off the company car I had replaced a week earlier.

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Oh geez, I can only imagine the headache that would cause, now having two tags for the same car
 
LizardKing said:
I picked up my 1977 farm truck plate at the Auto Fair. I think the guy wanted 15 bucks and I gave him 10. They can usually be found on EBay as well, price according to condition.
View attachment 94508
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Yes, I have been looking for one on eBay and all the little antique shops for quite a while I've been un able to find one
 
Fun Fact!

If you have a "antique car" (in NC, I think it's + 35 yrs) you can put ANY old plate from the year of the vehicle and run it even though it's not registered to the car . You are required to carry the "registered" plate in the car with you. Whenever I get my 74 Corvette on the road it'll sport a 1972 plate I got at an antique store in Smithfield.

(At least until I get a BIGCARBN prestige plate, since it currently has a 468 CI big block)
 
JohnFreeman said:
Fun Fact!

If you have a "antique car" (in NC, I think it's + 35 yrs) you can put ANY old plate from the year of the vehicle and run it even though it's not registered to the car . You are required to carry the "registered" plate in the car with you. Whenever I get my 74 Corvette on the road it'll sport a 1972 plate I got at an antique store in Smithfield.

(At least until I get a BIGCARBN prestige plate, since it currently has a 468 CI big block)
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So your statement is correct, you can run any plate from that year, but how you going to run a 72 plate on a 74?
 
HMP said:
Oh geez, I can only imagine the headache that would cause, now having two tags for the same car
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First tag was South Carolina. Second tag North Carolina. I told the SC trooper to keep it as the tag had been replaced.

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Hell, I gotta a BIL that lives across the field that drives Every day with an expired tag and NO insurance. Last week he ran into a CFF Forum member's truck and drove off! He's in his mid 50s, I'm sure he'll grow outta this behavior. NOT!!!
 
HMP said:
So your statement is correct, you can run any plate from that year, but how you going to run a 72 plate on a 74?
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Note to self: DONT POST BEFORE CONSUMING 2nd CUP OF COFFEE!

:)
 
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Another fun fact. One is SUPPOSED to mail in the tag for the plates of a car you sold if you don't transfer it to another car or if you decide not to re-register an existing car.

In theory one of the HP folks will come give you the knock if you don't. Experience would indicate that must be pretty far down their priority list.
 
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On the back of the title on the bottom says you have 28 days to register the vehicle as long as you have the title notorized and you have insurance.

I got tags for both my cars when I moved here at the same time. Installed the plates and a month later cop was stopped behind me at the light. 1/2 block later I was blue lighted.
He ran my tag and it showed it was to a different vehicle. But after seeing license and registration he told me I put the wrong plate on the wrong car. He was nice and told me to correct it when I got home.

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Anyone need a mint NC 1971 tag? Blue lettering? nice plate, never mounted. 20.00 shipped. found a farm tag for the truck.
 
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