§ 20-79.8. Expiration of special registration plate authorization.

(a) Expiration of Plates Authorized Prior to October 1, 2014. – A special registration plate authorized after July 1, 2011, and before October 1, 2014, pursuant to G.S. 20-79.4 shall expire, as a matter of law, on July 1 of the second calendar year following the year in which the special plate was authorized if the number of required applications for the authorized special plate has not been received by the Division. The Division shall not accept applications for nor advertise any special registration plate that has expired pursuant to this section.

(a1) Expiration of Plates Authorized On or After October 1, 2014. – A special registration plate authorized on or after October 1, 2014, pursuant to G.S. 20-79.4, shall expire as a matter of law upon an applicant’s failure to submit to the Division all of the items required under G.S. 20-79.3A(d) within 60 days of the act approving the special registration plate becoming law. The Division shall not accept applications for nor advertise any special registration plate that has expired pursuant to this section.

(b) Notification. – The Division shall notify the Revisor of Statutes in writing, not later than August 1 of each year, which special registration plate authorizations have expired as a matter of law pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. The Division shall publish a copy of the written notification sent to the Revisor of Statutes pursuant to this subsection on a website maintained by the Division or the Department of Transportation.

(c) Revisor of Statutes Responsibilities. – Upon notification of expiration of the authorization for any special registration plate by the Division pursuant to this section, the Revisor of Statutes shall verify that the authorization for each special registration plate listed has expired and shall notate the expiration in the applicable statutes. If an authorization for a special registration plate listed in G.S. 20-79.4 expires, the Revisor of Statutes shall revise the subdivision referring to the special registration plate to leave the name of the special registration plate authorized and the date the special registration plate’s authorization expired. If an authorization for a special registration plate listed in G.S. 20-79.4 expires, the Revisor of Statutes shall also make corresponding changes to reflect the expiration of the special registration plate’s authorization, if applicable, in G.S. 20-63(b), 20-79.7, and 20-81.12. (2011-392, s. 8; 2014-96, s. 6; 2025-25, s. 29(5).)

Official text of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-79.8 as published by the North Carolina General Assembly (Chapter 20 PDF, retrieved November 10, 2026). Verify the current version on ncleg.gov ↗.