Vehicle registration plates of North Carolina


The U.S. state of North Carolina first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1913, when the state began to issue plates.
Plates are currently issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Only rear plates have been required since 1956.

Passenger baseplates

1913 to 1974

In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 issue was the first North Carolina license plate that complied with these standards.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes
1913White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-13" at bottomnone12346801 to approximately 8000Issued only to new registrants from April 1 through June 30, 1913, with serials following on from those on pre-state-issued plates.
Red serial on white porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-14" at bottomnone123451 to approximately 13000Issued to all registrants.
1914–15White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-15" at bottomnone123451 to approximately 17000
1915–16Black serial on gray porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-16" at bottomnone123451 to approximately 25000
1916–17Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1917" at rightnone123451 to approximately 40000First embossed plate. From the collection of Richard Watson.
1917–18Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1918" at rightnone12-3451 to approximately 65-000
1918–19Embossed white serial on black plate; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1919" at rightnone12-3451 to approximately 80-000
1919–20Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "N.C. 6-30 1920" at leftnone12-345
123456		1 to approximately 106000
1920–21Embossed white serial on brown plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1921" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 131-000
1921–22Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 22" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 213-000
1922–23Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "NC" at right and "6-30-23" centered at bottomnone1234561 to approximately 181000
1923–24Embossed maroon serial on light gray plate with border line; "N.C.-6-30-24" centered at topnone123-4561 to approximately 262-000
1924–25Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 25" at leftnone123.4561 to approximately 320.000
1925–26Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; diagonal "NC" and "6-30-26" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 348-000
1926–27Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NC" monogram and horsepower class at right; "6 30 27" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 421-000Horsepower classes were A, B, C and E ; a block of serials was assigned to each class, with E having the biggest block. This continued through 1928.
1927Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "NC" at left; horsepower class and "27" at rightnone123-456100-001 to approximately 496-000Issued only from July 1 through December 31, 1927.
1928Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "NC" at right; horsepower class and "28" at leftnone123-456100-001 to approximately 556-000
1929Embossed white serial on sky blue plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA-1929" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 580-000First use of the full state name. Horsepower classes same as 1926–28 but no letter used for the 25 hp and under class; for the other classes, the letter was carried at the right of the plate. This happened again in 1930.
1930Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA–1930" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 607-000
1931Embossed yellow serial on black plate; horsepower class number used as separator; "NORTH CAROLINA–31" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 483-000Last year of horsepower classes; same as 1926–30 but numbered 1–4 in decreasing order of power.
1932Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–32" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 415-000
1933Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–33" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 464-000
1934Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–34" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 493-000
1935Embossed silver serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–35" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 518-000
1936Embossed light green serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–36" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 545-000
1937Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–37" at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 651-000Serials 100-001 through 200-000 reserved for trucks; this practice continued through 1946.
1938Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–38" at topnone123-456200-001 to approximately 646-000
1939Embossed silver serial on maroon plate; "North Carolina 39" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 686-000
1940Embossed maroon serial on silver plate; "North Carolina 40" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 705-000
1941Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "North Carolina 41" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 775-000
1942–43Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 42" at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 762-000Revalidated for :File:1943 North Carolina Plate war.jpg|1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1944Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 44" at topnone123-456200-001 to approximately 707-000
1945Embossed black serial on tan plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 45" at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 703-000
1946Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 46" at topnone123-456200-001 to approximately 748-000
1947Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 47" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 682-000Serials 800-001 through 999-999 reserved for trucks and farm vehicles; this practice continued through 1949.
1948Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 48" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 760-000
1949Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 49" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to 800-000From the personal collection of Richard Watson.
1949Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 49" at bottomnoneA-12345W-1001 to approximately W-14000From the personal collection of Richard Watson.
1950Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 50" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to
760-000		Serials 760-001 through 999-999 reserved for trucks and farm vehicles; this practice continued through 1955.
1950Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 50" at bottomnoneA-12345W-1001 to
W-99999;
R-1001 to approximately R-74000		Serials 760-001 through 999-999 reserved for trucks and farm vehicles; this practice continued through 1955.
1951Embossed red serial on white plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 51" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to
760-000
1951Embossed red serial on white plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 51" at bottomnoneA-12345W and R series;
N-1001 to approximately N-39000
1952Embossed white serial on red plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 52" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to
760-000
1952Embossed white serial on red plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 52" at bottomnoneA-12345W and R series;
N-1001 to approximately N-76000
1953Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 53" or "N.C.", slogan and "53" at bottom none, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and year123-456100-001 to
760-000
1953Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 53" or "N.C.", slogan and "53" at bottom none, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and yearA-12345W, R and N series;
X-1001 to approximately X-46000
1954Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 54" or "N.C.", slogan and "54" at bottomnone, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and year123-456100-001 to
760-000
1954Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 54" or "N.C.", slogan and "54" at bottomnone, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and yearA-12345W, R and N series;
X-1001 to approximately X-96000
1955Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 55" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to 760-000
1955Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 55" at bottomnoneA-12345W, R, N, X and A series; V-1001 to approximately V-22000
1956Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at topA-1234
AB-1234		Serials progressed as follows: A-1 through A-9999, AA-1 through AZ-9999, B-1 through B-9999, BA-1 through BZ-9999, etc. This continued through 1972. Letters G, I, O and Q not used; this practice continued through 1968.
1957Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 57" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at topA-1234
AB-1234
1958As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 58" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234
AB-1234
1959As 1957 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 59" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 baseA-1234
AB-1234
1960As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 60" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234
AB-1234
1961As 1957 base, but with "61 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 baseA-1234
AB-1234
1962As 1956 base, but with "62 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234
AB-1234
1963Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 63" at top"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at bottomA-1234
AB-1234
1964Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "64" centered at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1965Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1965" centered at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1966Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "1966" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1967Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "1967" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1968Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1968" centered at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1969Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "69" at bottom rightnoneA-1234
AB-1234		Letters G, I, O, Q and U not used in serials; this practice continues today.
1970Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19" at top left and "70" at top right; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1971Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "71" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1972Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "72" at bottom rightnoneA-1234
AB-1234
1973Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19" at top left and "73" at top right; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneAAA-101 to approximately HVA-999
1974Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "1974" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneAAA-101 to approximately JBA-999

1975 to present

Non-passenger plates

Temporary plates