North Carolina General Statutes 20-79.7. Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees
(a) Free of Charge. – Upon request, and except for the special registration plate listed in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the Division shall annually provide and issue free of charge a single special registration plate listed in this subsection to a person qualified to receive the plate in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.4(a2). For the special registration plate listed in subdivision (2) of this subsection, and upon request, the Division shall annually provide and issue free of charge a single registration plate for both a motor vehicle and a motorcycle to a person qualified to receive each plate in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.4(a2). This subsection does not apply to a special registration plate issued for a vehicle that has a registered weight greater than 6,000 pounds. The regular motor vehicle registration fees in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88 apply if the registered weight of the vehicle is greater than 6,000 pounds:
(1) A Legion of Valor registration plate to a recipient of the Legion of Valor award.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 20-79.7
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(2) A 100% Disabled Veteran registration plate to a 100% disabled veteran.
(3) An Ex-Prisoner of War registration plate to an ex-prisoner of war.
(4) A Bronze Star Valor registration plate to a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for valor in combat award.
(5) A Silver Star registration plate to a recipient of the Silver Star award.
(a1) Fees. – All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-87 or N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:
Special Plate Additional Fee Amount
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity $30.00
ALS Research $30.00
American Red Cross Expired July 1, 2016
Animal Lovers $30.00
Arthritis Foundation Expired July 1, 2016
ARTS NC $30.00
Back Country Horsemen of NC Expired July 1, 2016
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament $30.00
Boy Scouts of America Expired July 1, 2016
Brenner Children’s Hospital Expired July 1, 2016
Carolina Panthers $30.00
Carolina Raptor Center Expired July 1, 2016
Carolinas Credit Union Foundation Expired July 1, 2016
Carolinas Golf Association $30.00
Coastal Conservation Association Expired July 1, 2016
Coastal Land Trust $30.00
Colorectal Cancer Awareness $30.00
Crystal Coast Expired July 1, 2016
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Expired July 1, 2016
El Pueblo Expired July 1, 2016
Farmland Preservation Expired July 1, 2016
First in Forestry $30.00
First Tee Expired July 1, 2016
Girl Scouts Expired July 1, 2016
Greensboro Symphony Guild Expired July 1, 2016
Historical Attraction $30.00
Home Care and Hospice $30.00
Home of American Golf Expired July 1, 2016
HOMES4NC $30.00
Hospice Care Expired July 1, 2016
In God We Trust $30.00
Keeping the Lights On $30.00
Kick Cancer for Kids $30.00
Maggie Valley Trout Festival Expired July 1, 2016
Morehead Planetarium Expired July 1, 2016
Morgan Horse Club Expired July 1, 2016
Mountains-to-Sea Trail $30.00
Municipality Plate Expired July 1, 2016
NC Civil War Expired July 1, 2016
NC Coastal Federation $30.00
NC FIRST Robotics Expired July 1, 2016
NCSC Expired July 1, 2016
NC Veterinary Medical Association Expired July 1, 2016
National Kidney Foundation Expired July 1, 2016
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Expired July 1, 2016
Native Brook Trout $30.00
North Carolina 4-H Development Fund Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs $30.00
North Carolina Bluegrass Association Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Emergency Management Association Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Green Industry Council Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Libraries Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Paddle Festival Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association $30.00
Operation Coming Home Expired July 1, 2016
Outer Banks Preservation Association Expired July 1, 2016
Pamlico-Tar River Foundation Expired July 1, 2016
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Expired July 1, 2016
P.E.O. Sisterhood Expired July 1, 2016
Personalized $30.00
Pilot Mountain State Park $30.00
Pisgah Conservancy $30.00
Red Drum Expired July 1, 2016
Retired Legislator $30.00
RiverLink Expired July 1, 2016
Ronald McDonald House $30.00
Share the Road $30.00
S.T.A.R. Expired July 1, 2016
State Attraction $30.00
Stock Car Racing Theme $30.00
Support NC Education Expired July 1, 2016
Support Our Troops $30.00
Sustainable Fisheries Expired July 1, 2016
Toastmasters Club Expired July 1, 2016
Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Expired July 1, 2016
Travel and Tourism Expired July 1, 2016
Turtle Rescue Team Expired July 1, 2016
United States Service Academy $30.00
Wildlife Resources $30.00
Volunteers in Law Enforcement Expired July 1, 2016
YMCA Expired July 1, 2016
AIDS Awareness Expired July 1, 2016
Buffalo Soldiers Expired July 1, 2016
Charlotte Checkers Expired July 1, 2016
Choose Life $25.00
Collegiate Insignia $25.00
First in Turf Expired July 1, 2016
Goodness Grows Expired July 1, 2016
High School Insignia $25.00
I.B.P.O.E.W. Expired July 1, 2016
Kids First $25.00
National Multiple Sclerosis Society $25.00
National Wild Turkey Federation $25.00
NC Agribusiness Expired July 1, 2016
NC Children’s Promise Expired July 1, 2016
NC Surveyors $25.00
Nurses $25.00
Olympic Games $25.00
Professional Engineer Expired July 1, 2016
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation $25.00
Special Olympics Expired July 1, 2016
Support Soccer $25.00
Surveyor Plate $25.00
The V Foundation for Cancer Research Division $25.00
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina Expired July 1, 2016
ALS Association, Jim ”Catfish” Hunter Chapter Expired July 1, 2016
ARC of North Carolina Expired July 1, 2016
Audubon North Carolina Expired July 1, 2016
Autism Society of North Carolina $20.00
Battle of Kings Mountain $20.00
Be Active NC Expired July 1, 2016
Brain Injury Awareness Expired July 1, 2016
Breast Cancer Earlier Detection Expired July 1, 2016
Buddy Pelletier Surfing Foundation $20.00
Concerned Bikers Association/ABATE of North Expired July 1, 2016
Carolina
Daughters of the American Revolution Expired July 1, 2016
Donate Life $20.00
Ducks Unlimited $20.00
Fraternal Order of Police $20.00
Greyhound Friends of North Carolina Expired July 1, 2016
Guilford Battleground Company $20.00
Harley Owners’ Group $20.00
International Association of Fire Fighters $20.00
I Support Teachers Expired July 1, 2016
Jaycees Expired July 1, 2016
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation $20.00
Kappa Alpha Order Expired July 1, 2016
Litter Prevention $20.00
March of Dimes Expired July 1, 2016
Mission Foundation Expired July 1, 2016
Native American $20.00
NC Fisheries Association Expired July 1, 2016
NC Horse Council $20.00
NC Mining Expired July 1, 2016
NC Tennis Foundation $20.00
NC Trout Unlimited $20.00
NC Victim Assistance Expired July 1, 2016
NC Wildlife Federation Expired July 1, 2016
NC Wildlife Habitat Foundation $20.00
NC Youth Soccer Association Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Master Gardener $20.00
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity $20.00
Order of the Eastern Star Prince Hall Affiliated $20.00
Order of the Long Leaf Pine $20.00
Piedmont Airlines $20.00
POW/MIA Bring Them Home $20.00
Prince Hall Mason $20.00
Save the Sea Turtles $20.00
Scenic Rivers Expired July 1, 2016
School Technology Expired July 1, 2016
SCUBA $20.00
Soil and Water Conservation Expired July 1, 2016
Special Forces Association Expired July 1, 2016
US Equine Rescue League Expired July 1, 2016
USO of NC Expired July 1, 2016
Wrightsville Beach $20.00
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority $20.00
Carolina Regional Volleyball Association Expired July 1, 2016
Carolina’s Aviation Museum Expired July 1, 2016
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Expired July 1, 2016
Lung Cancer Research Expired July 1, 2016
NC Beekeepers Expired July 1, 2016
Save the Honey Bee (HB) $15.00
Save the Honey Bee (SB) $15.00
Shag Dancing $15.00
Active Member of the National Guard None
Bronze Star Combat Recipient None
Bronze Star Recipient None
Combat Veteran Expired July 1, 2016
100% Disabled Veteran None
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians None
Ex-Prisoner of War None
Gold Star Lapel Button None
Legion of Merit None
Legion of Valor None
Military Veteran None
Military Wartime Veteran None
Partially Disabled Veteran None
Pearl Harbor Survivor None
Purple Heart Recipient None
Silver Star Recipient None
All Other Special Plates $10.00.
(b) Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Division must credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a1) of this section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) which is established under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-135.234, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is established under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-135.56, as follows:
Special Plate SRPA CCAPA NCLWF PRTF
AIDS Awareness – Expired
July 1, 2016
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity $10 $20 0 0
ALS Association, Jim
“Catfish” Hunter Chapter –
Expired July 1, 2016
ALS Research $10 $20 0 0
American Red Cross –
Expired July 1, 2016
Animal Lovers $10 $20 0 0
ARC of North Carolina –
Expired July 1, 2016
Arthritis Foundation –
Expired July 1, 2016
ARTS NC $10 $20 0 0
Audubon North Carolina –
Expired July 1, 2016
Autism Society of North
Carolina $10 $10 0 0
Back Country Horsemen of
NC – Expired July 1, 2016
Battle of Kings Mountain $10 $10 0 0
Be Active NC – Expired July
1, 2016
Big Rock Blue Marlin
Tournament $10 $20 0 0
Boy Scouts of America –
Expired July 1, 2016
Brain Injury Awareness –
Expired July 1, 2016
Breast Cancer Earlier Detection
– Expired July 1, 2016
Brenner Children’s Hospital –
Expired July 1, 2016
Buddy Pelletier Surfing
Foundation $10 $10 0 0
Buffalo Soldiers – Expired
July 1, 2016
Carolina Panthers $10 $20 0 0
Carolina Raptor Center –
Expired July 1, 2016
Carolina Regional
Volleyball Association –
Expired July 1, 2016
Carolina’s Aviation Museum
– Expired July 1, 2016
Carolinas Credit Union
Foundation – Expired July
1, 2016
Carolinas Golf Association $10 $20 0 0
Charlotte Checkers –
Expired July 1, 2016
Choose Life $10 $15 0 0
Coastal Conservation
Association – Expired July
1, 2016
Coastal Land Trust $10 $20 0 0
Colorectal Cancer Awareness $10 $20 0 0
Concerned Bikers Association/ABATE of North
Carolina – Expired July 1, 2016
Crystal Coast – Expired July 1,
2016
Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens
– Expired July 1, 2016
Daughters of the American
Revolution – Expired July 1,
2016
Donate Life $10 $10 0 0
Ducks Unlimited $10 $10 0 0
El Pueblo – Expired July 1,
2016
Farmland Preservation –
Expired July 1, 2016
First in Forestry $10 $10 $10 0
First in Turf – Expired July 1,
2016
First Tee – Expired July 1,
2016
Fraternal Order of Police $10 $10 0 0
Girl Scouts – Expired July 1,
2016
Goodness Grows – Expired
July 1, 2016
Greensboro Symphony Guild
– Expired July 1, 2016
Greyhound Friends of North
Carolina – Expired July 1, 2016
Guilford Battleground Company $10 $10 0 0
Harley Owners’ Group $10 $10 0 0
High School Insignia $10 $15 0 0
Historical Attraction $10 $20 0 0
Home Care and Hospice $10 $20 0 0
Home of American Golf –
Expired July 1, 2016
HOMES4NC $10 $20 0 0
Hospice Care – Expired July 1,
2016
I.B.P.O.E.W. – Expired July 1,
2016
In God We Trust $10 $20 0 0
In-State Collegiate Insignia $10 $15 0 0
International Association of
Fire Fighters $10 $10 0 0
I Support Teachers – Expired
July 1, 2016
Jaycees – Expired July 1, 2016
Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation $10 $10 0 0
Kappa Alpha Order – Expired
July 1, 2016
Keeping The Lights On $10 $20 0 0
Kick Cancer for Kids $10 $20 0 0
Kids First $10 $15 0 0
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
– Expired July 1, 2016
Litter Prevention $10 $10 0 0
Lung Cancer Research – Expired
July 1, 2016
Maggie Valley Trout Festival –
Expired July 1, 2016
March of Dimes – Expired July
1, 2016
Mission Foundation – Expired
July 1, 2016
Morgan Horse Club – Expired
July 1, 2016
Morehead Planetarium –
Expired July 1, 2016
Mountains-to-Sea Trail $10 $20 0 0
Municipality Plate – Expired
July 1, 2016
National Kidney Foundation
– Expired July 1, 2016
National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial – Expired
July 1, 2016
National Multiple Sclerosis
Society $10 $15 0 0
National Wild Turkey
Federation $10 $15 0 0
Native American $10 $10 0 0
NC Agribusiness – Expired July
1, 2016
NC Beekeepers – Expired July 1,
2016
NC Children’s Promise –
Expired July 1, 2016
NC Civil War – Expired July 1,
2016
NC Coastal Federation $10 $20 0 0
NC 4-H Development Fund –
Expired July 1, 2016
NC FIRST Robotics – Expired
July 1, 2016
NC Fisheries Association –
Expired July 1, 2016
NC Horse Council $10 $10 0 0
NC Mining – Expired July 1,
2016
NCSC – Expired July 1, 2016
NC Surveyors $10 $15 0 0
NC Tennis Foundation $10 $10 0 0
NC Trout Unlimited $10 $10 0 0
NC Veterinary Medical
Association – Expired July 1,
2016
NC Victim Assistance – Expired
July 1, 2016
NC Wildlife Federation –
Expired July 1, 2016
NC Wildlife Habitat Foundation $10 $10 0 0
NC Youth Soccer Association –
Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Association of
Fire Chiefs $10 $20 0 0
North Carolina Bluegrass
Association – Expired July 1,
2016
North Carolina Cattlemen’s
Association – Expired July 1,
2016
North Carolina Emergency
Management Association –
Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Green Industry
Council – Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Libraries –
Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Master Gardener $10 $10 0 0
North Carolina Paddle Festival
– Expired July 1, 2016
North Carolina Sheriffs’
Association $10 $20 0 0
Nurses $10 $15 0 0
Olympic Games $10 $15 0 0
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity $10 $10 0 0
Operation Coming Home –
Expired July 1, 2016
Order of the Eastern Star Prince
Hall Affiliated $10 $10 0 0
Order of the Long Leaf Pine $10 $10 0 0
Out-of-state Collegiate Insignia $10 0 $15 0
Outer Banks Preservation
Association – Expired July 1,
2016
Pamlico-Tar River Foundation
– Expired July 1, 2016
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness
– Expired July 1, 2016
P.E.O. Sisterhood – Expired
July 1, 2016
Personalized $10 0 $15 $5
Piedmont Airlines $10 $10 0 0
Pilot Mountain State Park $10 $20 0 0
Pisgah Conservancy $10 $20 0 0
POW/MIA Bring Them Home $10 $10 0 0
Prince Hall Mason $10 $10 0 0
Professional Engineer – Expired
July 1, 2016
Retired Legislator $10 $20 0 0
RiverLink – Expired July 1,
2016
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation $10 $15 0 0
Ronald McDonald House $10 $20 0 0
Save the Honey Bee (HB) $10 $5 0 0
Save the Honey Bee (SB) $10 $5 0 0
Save the Sea Turtles $10 $10 0 0
Scenic Rivers – Expired July 1,
2016
School Technology – Expired
July 1, 2016
SCUBA $10 $10 0 0
Shag Dancing $10 $5 0 0
Share the Road $10 $20 0 0
Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival –
Expired July 1, 2016
Soil and Water Conservation –
Expired July 1, 2016
Special Forces Association –
Expired July 1, 2016
Special Olympics – Expired July
1, 2016
S.T.A.R. – Expired July 1, 2016
State Attraction $10 $20 0 0
Stock Car Racing Theme $10 $20 0 0
Support NC Education – Expired
July 1, 2016
Support Our Troops $10 $20 0 0
Support Soccer $10 $15 0 0
Surveyor Plate $10 $15 0 0
Sustainable Fisheries – Expired
July 1, 2016
The V Foundation for Cancer
Research $10 $15 0 0
Toastmasters Club – Expired
July 1, 2016
Topsail Island Shoreline
Protection – Expired July 1,
2016
Travel and Tourism – Expired
July 1, 2016
Turtle Rescue Team – Expired
July 1, 2016
University Health Systems of
Eastern Carolina – Expired July
1, 2016
United States Service Academy $10 $20 0 0
US Equine Rescue League –
Expired July 1, 2016
USO of NC – Expired July 1,
2016
Volunteers in Law Enforcement
– Expired July 1, 2016
Wildlife Resources $10 $20 0 0
Wrightsville Beach $10 $10 0 0
YMCA – Expired July 1, 2016
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority $10 $10 0 0
All other Special Plates $10 0 0 0.
(c) Use of Funds in Special Registration Plate Account. –
(1) The Division shall deduct the costs of special registration plates, including the costs of issuing, handling, and advertising the availability of the special plates, from the Special Registration Plate Account.
(2) From the funds remaining in the Special Registration Plate Account after the deductions in accordance with subdivision (1) of this subsection, there is annually appropriated from the Special Registration Plate Account the sum of one million three hundred thousand dollars ($1,300,000) to provide operating assistance for the Visitor Centers:
a. on U.S. Highway 17 in Camden County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
b. on U.S. Highway 17 in Brunswick County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
c. on U.S. Highway 441 in Macon County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
d. in Watauga County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
e. on U.S. Highway 29 in Caswell County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
f. on U.S. Highway 70 in Carteret County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
g. on U.S. Highway 64 in Tyrrell County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
h. at the intersection of U.S. Highway 701 and N.C. 904 in Columbus County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
i. on U.S. Highway 221 in McDowell County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
j. on Staton Road in Transylvania County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
k. in the Town of Fair Bluff, Columbus County, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 76 and N.C. 904, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857);
l. on U.S. Highway 421 in Wilkes County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-seven dollars ($92,857); and
m. at the intersection of Interstate 73 and Interstate 74 in Randolph County, ninety-two thousand eight hundred fifty-eight dollars ($92,858) each, for two centers.
(3) The Division shall transfer fifty percent (50%) of the remaining revenue in the Special Registration Plate Account quarterly, and funds are hereby appropriated to the Department of Transportation to be used solely for the purpose of beautification of highways. These funds shall be administered by the Department of Transportation for beautification purposes not inconsistent with good landscaping and engineering principles. The Division shall transfer the remaining revenue in the Special Registration Plate Account quarterly to the Highway Fund to be used for the Roadside Vegetation Management Program. (1967, c. 413; 1971, c. 42; 1973, c. 507, s. 5; c. 1262, s. 86; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1977, c. 464, s. 3; c. 771, s. 4; 1979, c. 126, ss. 1, 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1258, s. 6; 1983, c. 848; 1985, c. 766; 1987, c. 252; c. 738, s. 140; c. 830, ss. 113(a), 116(a)-(c); 1989, c. 751, s. 7(1); c. 774, s. 1; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 814, s. 31; 1991, c. 672, s. 3; c. 726, s. 23; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 959, s. 2; c. 1042, s. 2; c. 1044, ss. 33, 34; 1993, c. 321, s. 169.3(a); c. 543, s. 3; 1995, c. 163, s. 2; c. 324, s. 18.7(a); c. 433, ss. 2, 3; c. 507, s. 18.17(a); 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 19.11(e); 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1997-477, ss. 2, 3; 1997-484, ss. 4, 5; 1998-163, s. 1; 1999-277, ss. 2, 3; 1999-403, ss. 2, 3; 1999-450, ss. 2, 3; 2000-159, ss. 3, 4; 2001-414, s. 32; 2001-498, ss. 3(a), 3(b), 4(a), 4(b); 2002-134, ss. 5, 6; 2003-11, ss. 2, 3; 2003-68, ss. 2, 3; 2003-424, ss. 3, 4; 2004-124, s. 30.3A; 2004-131, ss. 3, 4; 2004-185, ss. 3, 4; 2004-200, ss. 2, 3; 2005-216, ss. 4, 5; 2005-276, s. 28.16; 2006-209, ss. 3, 4, 7; 2007-323, s. 27.20(b); 2007-345, s. 10.1; 2007-400, ss. 3, 4; 2007-483, ss. 4, 5, 8(a), (b); 2009-228, s. 1; 2010-31, ss. 11.4(i), (j), 28.11; 2010-132, s. 7; 2011-145, s. 28.30(b); 2011-392, ss. 4, 5, 5.1; 2012-79, s. 1.12(b); 2013-360, ss. 14.3(c), 34.22; 2013-376, ss. 3, 4, 9(c), (d); 2013-414, s. 57(b), (c); 2014-100, s. 8.11(d); 2015-241, ss. 14.30(dd), 29.30B(a), 29.36A, 29.40(c), (h), (j), (n); 2017-100, s. 2; 2017-107, s. 3; 2017-114, s. 3; 2018-7, s. 1(b); 2018-74, ss. 11(b), (e), 12(c)-(e), 13, 14(b); 2018-77, ss. 1(b), 2(c)-(e), 3.5(b); 2019-32, s. 1(c); 2019-213, s. 2(c); 2022-68, ss. 18(b), 19(c); 2023-70, s. 9(a).)