Verified N.C.G.S. §20-111(2) · Checked July 2026 · 2 sources
What an expired-registration ticket costs in North Carolina
Citation data · First offense N.C.G.S. §20-111(2)
Class 3 misdemeanor (willful display)
Willfully displaying an expired registration plate on a vehicle, knowing it to be expired, is a Class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina (N.C.G.S. §20-111(2)). Separately, the DMV charges escalating late fees when you renew after expiration.
Verified July 2026
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
Understand what the charge requires
The statute requires willfulness, displaying a plate you know is expired. It is a Class 3 misdemeanor, North Carolina’s lowest criminal class, but still criminal rather than a mere infraction.
Is driving on expired tags a crime in North Carolina?
Yes, a Class 3 misdemeanor, North Carolina’s lowest criminal class, and the statute requires willfulness: knowing the plate is expired and displaying it anyway.
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 (NCDMV fee schedule, as summarized by NC traffic-law practitioners).
Frequently asked questions
Is driving with expired tags a crime in North Carolina?
Willfully displaying a plate you know is expired is a Class 3 misdemeanor under N.C.G.S. §20-111(2), the lowest criminal class, but still criminal rather than a mere infraction.
What are the late fees for renewing an expired registration in NC?
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, 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.
- N.C.G.S. §20-111, official text (NC General Assembly)
- Hancock Law Firm, NC expired registration tickets (secondary, late-fee schedule)
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 July 2026.