What You Need to Know About Trailer Title and Registration in NC

Aug. 11 2020 Trailer Related By North Carolina Trailers

NOTE: NC Trailers only provides North Carolina title, tag and registration services for customers who purchase a trailer from us. We will provide you your permanent tag at the store and NC DMV will mail you your title. Still have questions? Call us at (336) 276-0329, we are here to help.

Laws and regulations vary from state to state, this article is meant to inform you on what you need to know about titling and registering your trailer in the state of North Carolina. Please keep in mind, some topics may deserve professional advice or more research. If you have specific questions, or are looking for your title, please contact Raleigh DMV via phone or online at:

Do I need to title and register my trailer?

The short answer is yes. Trailers should be titled and registered in a similar manner as a car in the state of North Carolina. Not titling your trailer in North Carolina leaves you exposed to penalties. People moving to NC coming from a state that doesn't require trailer title and registration should still contact the NC DMV.

Are there any exemptions?

Yes, there are some exemptions in the state of North Carolina. The following are a list of trailers that don't need to be registered;

  • trailer used by a farmer or his employees to haul livestock, plants or vegetables or equipment
  • small farm trailers used to handle or transport tobacco;
  • trailers used to tow vehicles (tow dollies);
  • trailers pulled by vehicles from another state, like South Carolina where trailer registration and tags aren't required.

Anything else needs a North Carolina license plate. Be aware that not every state titles and registers trailers; however, not titling and registering a trailer in a state that does require it will result in a penalty, which grows more severe the longer the trailer goes untitled.

What documents do you need?

To start the process of titling and registering your trailer, you'll need the necessary documents listed below:

  • Driver's License
  • Proof of insurance on the tow vehicle
  • MCO or MSO ( manufacturer's certificate of origin,  manufacturer's statement of origin)
  • Bill of Sale

If we do the title, tag, and taxes for you, we charge a $249 doc fee that includes all the paperwork handling/filing as well as a NC 30-day temp tag. We will handle all the paperwork, go to the DMV for you and mail the title and tag to you. If you choose this option, all we will need is your Driver's License and proof of insurance on the tow vehicle.

What type of fee's should I expect to pay?

These vary state to state.  In addition to the 3% highway use tax that is applied to the bill of sale total, NC has the following fees:

Many dealerships require you to go to the DMV tag office to register your trailer and pay these fees.

At NC Trailers, we can handle title, tags, and registration for any trailer you buy from us. Give us a call at (336) 276-0329 to get our help.

Can I be denied a title?

In certain cases you're title and registration may be put on hold if you're experiencing issues in these areas(Note not a full list):

  • Bad debt
  • Bad credit warning
  • Child support
  • Correspondence stop - missing plate
  • County tax
  • DWI on your record
  • Felony speed to elude
  • Inspection
  • Insurance

As always please consult your DMV for any more questions you may have when titling and registering your trailers in North Carolina. Keep in mind this is not a full list of all the things you may need to know and information is continuously updating through our business and state.

If you have an existing trailer that you purchased elsewhere and you want to now register your trailer in North Carolina, or you are looking to find out where your title is, you will need to contact NC DMV (ncdot.gov) or call their head office in Raleigh at (919) 469-1444. When you call, your trailer's registration card will have your title number to reference in locating your title that is still in process.

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