§ 20-137.7. Definitions of words and phrases.
The following words and phrases when used in this Part shall for the purpose of this Part have the meaning respectively prescribed to them in this Part, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(1) “Abandoned vehicle” means a motor vehicle that has remained illegally on private or public property for a period of more than 10 days without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property.
(2) “Demolisher” means any person, firm or corporation whose business is to convert a motor vehicle into processed scrap or scrap metal or otherwise to wreck, or dismantle, such a vehicle.
(3) “Department” means the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
(4) “Derelict vehicle” means a motor vehicle: a. Whose certificate of registration has expired and the registered and legal owner no longer resides at the address listed on the last certificate of registration on record with the North Carolina Department of Transportation; or b. Whose major parts have been removed so as to render the vehicle inoperable and incapable of passing inspection as required under existing standards; or c. Whose manufacturer’s serial plates, vehicle identification numbers, license number plates and any other means of identification have been removed so as to nullify efforts to locate or identify the registered and legal owner; or d. Whose registered and legal owner of record disclaims ownership or releases his rights thereto; or e. Which is more than 12 years old and does not bear a current license as required by the Department.
(5) “Officer” means any law-enforcement officer of the State, of any county or of any municipality including county sanitation officers.
(6) “Salvage yard” means a business or a person who possesses five or more derelict vehicles, regularly engages in buying and selling used vehicle parts.
(7) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
(8) “Tag” means any type of notice affixed to an abandoned or derelict motor vehicle advising the owner or the person in possession that the same has been declared an abandoned or derelict vehicle and will be treated as such, which tag shall be of sufficient size as to be easily discernible and contain such information as the Secretary deems necessary to enforce this Part.
(9) “Vehicle” means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway by mechanical means.
(10) “Vehicle recycling” means the process whereby discarded vehicles (abandoned, derelict or wrecked) are collected and then processed by shredding, bailing or shearing to produce processed scrap iron and steel which is then remelted by steel mills and foundries to make raw materials which are subsequently used to manufacture new metal-based products for the consumer. (1973, c. 720, s. 1.)
Official text of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.7 as published by the North Carolina General Assembly (Chapter 20 PDF, retrieved November 10, 2026). Verify the current version on ncleg.gov ↗.