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North Carolina Vanity Plate Checker

North Carolina is home to one of the fiercest college rivalries in America - UNC vs Duke vs NC State - and the Tar Heel State's vanity plates are a battleground for that three-way sports war. From the Research Triangle to the Outer Banks beaches, North Carolinians proudly display their allegiances. The affordable $30 annual fee makes NC plates accessible to everyone.

5/8 characters

Popular North Carolina Plate Ideas

Click any idea above to check availability, or enter your own custom plate.

North Carolina Vanity Plate Rules

  • Up to 8 characters for passenger vehicles
  • Letters, numbers, and spaces allowed
  • $30 annual personalization fee
  • $3 transaction fee applies
  • Order through myNCDMV portal
  • Requires current NC vehicle registration
  • Subject to DMV approval
  • Specialty backgrounds have additional fees

Tips for Getting Your North Carolina Plate

  • 1Must have an NC-titled vehicle to check availability
  • 2No anonymous search available - login required
  • 3College sports combinations are extremely competitive
  • 4OBX and beach themes are popular but competitive
  • 5The 8-character limit gives more creative freedom
  • 6Consider less popular sports or regional terms for better availability
  • 7BBQ-related plates make great conversation starters

North Carolina Plate Info

Initial Fee$30
Annual Renewal$30/year
Max Characters8
AllowedLetters, numbers, and spaces
Processing Time2-4 weeks
Visit North Carolina DMV

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Did You Know?

  • •North Carolina allows up to 8 characters - more than most states
  • •The UNC vs Duke vs NC State rivalry drives massive plate sales
  • •North Carolina's "First in Flight" plate honors the Wright Brothers
  • •OBX (Outer Banks) themed plates are extremely popular
  • •The state has both Eastern and Western BBQ plate factions
  • •NASCAR culture inspires many racing-themed combinations
  • •NC requires only rear license plates
  • •The state processes over 50,000 vanity requests annually

Popular Specialty Plates

  • ✓UNC Chapel Hill Tar Heels
  • ✓Duke University Blue Devils
  • ✓NC State Wolfpack
  • ✓Wake Forest Demon Deacons
  • ✓East Carolina Pirates
  • ✓App State Mountaineers

+ 8 more specialty designs

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