Verified N.C.G.S. §20-111(1), (2) · Checked October 2026 · 8 sources

What an expired-registration ticket costs in North Carolina

First offense N.C.G.S. §20-111(1), (2)

Class 3 misdemeanor, fine of up to $200

Verified October 2026 against the sources on this page

North Carolina reaches an expired plate through two Class 3 misdemeanors in N.C.G.S. §20-111: subdivision (1) makes it a crime to drive a vehicle on a highway when it does not display a current registration plate, and its text has no knowledge or willfulness element for the driver; subdivision (2) separately covers willfully displaying an expired plate while knowing it is expired. A Class 3 misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $200 (N.C.G.S. §15A-1340.23), and a judge who disposes of the case also sets court costs. The registration expires at midnight on the last day of its final month (the month on the sticker for older renewals, or the month shown on the electronic notice of registration for registrations and renewals applied for on or after October 1, 2026, when North Carolina stopped issuing stickers and registration cards), but you may lawfully keep driving until midnight on the 15th of the following month (N.C.G.S. §20-66(g), as amended by S.L. 2026-41). That grace period does not apply to the DMV late fee (N.C.G.S. §20-88.03(d)).

By Mario Bailey

What to do now

1

Renew now, before the late fees climb

DMV late fees stack on top of the ticket and grow with time: $15 if the registration has been expired less than a month, $20 between one and two months, and $25 at two months or longer.
2

Ask for an online dismissal once you have renewed

Expired registration card/tag is on the NC Judicial Branch’s list of offenses a district attorney may dismiss online after DMV records show you are in compliance. Check the online options for your citation at least seven business days before your court date; the district attorney can still say no.
3

Understand what the charge requires

Driving with a plate whose registration has lapsed is a Class 3 misdemeanor under N.C.G.S. §20-111(1) even if you did not know it had expired; the separate §20-111(2) charge requires willfully displaying a plate you know is expired. Class 3 is North Carolina’s lowest criminal class, but it is still criminal rather than a mere infraction.

North Carolina at a glance

Grace period: To the 15th of the next month
Misdemeanor?: Yes, Class 3 misdemeanor
Jail, first offense: Fine only unless 4+ prior convictions
Dismissed if you renew?: DA may dismiss once renewed
Late renewal fee: $15 to $25, by months late

First offense, ordinary passenger vehicle. Each label compares North Carolina with every verified state.

Same class Repeat offense

DMV late fees on renewal License / registration

Is driving on expired tags a crime in North Carolina?

Yes, a Class 3 misdemeanor, North Carolina’s lowest criminal class, under either subdivision of N.C.G.S. §20-111. Subdivision (1), driving on a highway when the vehicle does not display a current registration plate, does not require that you knew the registration had lapsed; subdivision (2), willfully displaying an expired plate knowing it is expired, does. Under N.C.G.S. §15A-1340.23, the maximum fine for a Class 3 misdemeanor is $200, the judgment must be a fine only for anyone with no more than three prior convictions, and a sentence of imprisonment becomes possible only with four or more prior convictions (up to 15 days, or up to 20 days with five or more).

Can it be dismissed?

It can be, at the district attorney’s discretion. The NC Judicial Branch says that for certain correctable traffic offenses the district attorney’s office may agree to an online dismissal once you show you have fixed the problem, and its online dismissal (ECAD) fact sheet lists expired registration card/tag among the eligible offenses. The system checks DMV records to confirm you are in compliance, every offense on the citation must be eligible, a request cannot be filed within seven business days of the court date, and the district attorney approves or denies each request; one still unanswered five business days before the court date is automatically denied, and you must then appear.

What happens beyond the fine

Renewal late fees stack on top of the ticket: $15 if expired under a month, $20 at one to two months, $25 at two months or longer (N.C.G.S. §20-88.03), and NCDMV also charges interest on late registration renewals.

Frequently asked questions

Is driving with expired tags a crime in North Carolina?

Yes, at the lowest criminal level. Driving a vehicle that does not display a current registration plate is a Class 3 misdemeanor under N.C.G.S. §20-111(1), and the statute’s text does not require that you knew it had expired; willfully displaying a plate you know is expired is a separate Class 3 misdemeanor under §20-111(2). With three or fewer prior convictions the sentence must be a fine only, capped at $200 (N.C.G.S. §15A-1340.23).

Is there a grace period for expired tags in North Carolina?

For driving, yes: N.C.G.S. §20-66(g) makes it lawful to drive until midnight on the 15th of the month after the registration expires. For the DMV late fee, no: §20-88.03(d) says that grace period does not apply, so renewing on the first day after expiration already costs the $15 late fee.

What are the late fees for renewing an expired registration in NC?

Under N.C.G.S. §20-88.03, the DMV charges $15 if the registration has been expired less than a month, $20 between one and two months, and $25 at two months or longer, plus interest on the late renewal, on top of whatever the court does with the ticket.

Sources

This summary was checked against the following sources on the date shown above. Fines and fees change, verify before relying on specifics.

Other tickets in North Carolina

Driving Without Insurance in North Carolina

Expired Registration: other states

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General legal information, not legal advice. Statutes and penalty schedules summarized from the sources above as of October 2026.