§ 20-79.3A. Requirements to establish a special registration plate.

(a) Minimum Number of Paid Applications. – An applicant under this section is a person, organization, or other legal entity seeking authorization to establish a special registration plate for a motor vehicle or a motorcycle. An applicant must obtain the minimum number of paid applications from potential purchasers before submitting a Special Registration Plate Development Application to the Division. A “paid application” means an application completed by a potential purchaser and submitted to the applicant requesting purchase of the special registration plate being proposed by the applicant plus payment of the proposed additional fee amount. The minimum number of paid applications is as follows:

(1) 300 for a special registration plate on a standard background described in G.S. 20-63(b).

(2) 500 for a special registration plate on a background authorized under G.S. 20-63(b1).

(b) Application. – An applicant must submit all of the items listed in this subsection to the Division by February 15 in order for a bill authorizing the special registration plate to be considered for approval during the legislative session being held that year. The Division shall consider an application received after February 15 for approval in the legislative session that begins in the year following the submission date. The application items must include:

(1) A completed Special Registration Plate Development Application.

(2) A fee equal to number of paid applications received by the applicant, which shall be no less than the minimum number of paid applications required under subsection (a) of this section, multiplied by the proposed additional fee amount stated on the Special Registration Plate Development Application submitted by the applicant.

(c) Report to General Assembly. – On or before March 15 of each year, the Division shall submit to the Chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committees, the Chairs of the House and Senate Finance Committees, and the Legislative Analysis Division of the General Assembly a report that identifies each applicant that has applied for a special registration plate to be authorized in the legislative session being held that year and indicates whether the applicant met the requirements of this section. If an applicant meets the requirements of this section, then a bill may be considered during the legislative session being held that year to authorize a special registration plate for the applicant that submitted the application.

(d) Legislative Approval. – If a special registration plate requested under this section is approved by law, the applicant must submit all of the following items to the Division no later than 60 days after the act approving the plate becomes law. If the applicant fails to timely submit the items required under this subsection, the authorization for the special registration plate shall expire in accordance with G.S. 20-79.8(a1). The items to be submitted are:

(1) The final artwork for the plate. The Division must review the artwork to ensure it complies with the standardized format established by G.S. 20-79.4(a3).

(2) A list of purchasers who submitted to the applicant a paid application for the special registration plate and any additional fees submitted by potential purchasers to the applicant after submission of the Special Registration Plate Development Application.

(e) Legislative Disapproval. – If the special registration plate is not authorized in the legislative session in which the authorization was sought, the Division shall refund to the applicant the fee submitted under subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section.

(f) Issuance. – Within 180 days after receipt of the requester’s design and the minimum number of paid applications, the Division shall issue the special registration plate. (2014-96, s. 3(a); 2018-142, s. 4(a).)

Official text of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.3A as published by the North Carolina General Assembly (Chapter 20 PDF, retrieved November 10, 2026). Verify the current version on ncleg.gov ↗.