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 issued by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. 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 (except those for motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first North Carolina license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1913White 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 170001915–16Black serial on gray porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-16" at bottomnone123451 to approximately 250001916–17Embossed 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 65-0001918–19Embossed white serial on black plate; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1919" at rightnone12-3451 to approximately 80-0001919–20Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "N.C. 6-30 1920" at leftnone12-3451234561 to approximately 1060001920–21Embossed white serial on brown plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1921" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 131-0001921–22Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 22" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 213-0001922–23Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "NC" at right and "6-30-23" centered at bottomnone1234561 to approximately 1810001923–24Embossed maroon serial on light gray plate with border line; "N.C.-6-30-24" centered at topnone123-4561 to approximately 262-0001924–25Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 25" at leftnone123.4561 to approximately 320.0001925–26Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; diagonal "NC" and "6-30-26" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 348-0001926–27Embossed 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 (over 35 hp), B (31-35 hp), C (26-30 hp) and E (25 hp and under); 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 556-0001929Embossed 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 607-0001931Embossed 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 415-0001933Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–33" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 464-0001934Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–34" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 493-0001935Embossed silver serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–35" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to approximately 518-0001936Embossed light green serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–36" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 545-0001937Embossed 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 646-0001939Embossed silver serial on maroon plate; "North Carolina 39" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 686-0001940Embossed maroon serial on silver plate; "North Carolina 40" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 705-0001941Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "North Carolina 41" centered at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 775-0001942–43Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 42" at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 762-000Revalidated for 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 707-0001945Embossed black serial on tan plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 45" at bottomnone123-456200-001 to approximately 703-0001946Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 46" at topnone123-456200-001 to approximately 748-0001947Embossed 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 760-0001949Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 49" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to 800-000From the personal collection of Richard Watson.A-12345W-1001 to approximately W-140001950Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 50" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to760-000Serials 760-001 through 999-999 reserved for trucks and farm vehicles; this practice continued through 1955.A-12345W-1001 toW-99999;R-1001 to approximately R-740001951Embossed red serial on white plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 51" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to760-000A-12345W and R series;N-1001 to approximately N-390001952Embossed white serial on red plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 52" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to760-000A-12345W and R series;N-1001 to approximately N-760001953Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 53" or "N.C.", slogan and "53" at bottom (see right)none, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and year123-456100-001 to760-000A-12345W, R and N series;X-1001 to approximately X-460001954Embossed 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 to760-000A-12345W, R and N series;X-1001 to approximately X-960001955Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 55" at bottomnone123-456100-001 to 760-000A-12345W, R, N, X and A series;V-1001 to approximately V-220001956Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at topA-1234AB-1234Serials progressed as follows: A-1 through A-9999, AA-1 through AZ-9999, B-1 through B-9999, BA-1 through BZ-9999, etc. Some series ran only to 1000 rather than 9999. 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-1234AB-12341958As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 58" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234AB-12341959As 1957 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 59" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 baseA-1234AB-12341960As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 60" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234AB-12341961As 1957 base, but with "61 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 baseA-1234AB-12341962As 1956 base, but with "62 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom"DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 baseA-1234AB-12341963Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 63" at top"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at bottomA-1234AB-12341964Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "64" centered at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341965Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1965" centered at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341966Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "1966" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341967Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "1967" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341968Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1968" centered at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341969Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "69" at bottom rightnoneA-1234AB-1234Letters 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-1234AB-12341971Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "71" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottomnoneA-1234AB-12341972Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "72" at bottom rightnoneA-1234AB-12341973Embossed 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-9991974Embossed 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