A version of the following article appeared in the July 13, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Drivers will still pay taxes, fees and inspections, but proof of registration is moving online starting Oct. 1
Say goodbye to the stickers on N.C. license plates, starting Oct. 1. (Photo: Shutterstock)
by Tony Mecia
License plate stickers and printed car registration cards are about to become historical relics in North Carolina: The state’s new budget calls for those to go all-electronic starting Oct. 1.
The Division of Motor Vehicles is still figuring out the details, but the plan is to shift the printed evidence of vehicle registration online as a money-saving measure.
You’ll still have to pay annual personal property taxes, registration fees and inspection costs, but proof that you’re up-to-date will be available on your phone or computer. If you want a printed record, you’ll have to print it out — or pay the DMV a fee to send you a printed card, a spokeswoman told a Greensboro TV station.
North Carolina first began requiring license plate stickers decades ago as a quick visual way for law enforcement to verify that a vehicle's registration was current. Today, officers can instantly check a vehicle's registration status electronically, making the stickers largely unnecessary.
The DMV has not yet said exactly how drivers will access their digital registration records or whether a dedicated app will be used. The agency said it's working through implementation details.