North Carolina License Plate Lookup

North Carolina residents may access vehicle details through GoodCar's comprehensive and premium reports:

Comprehensive Data Reports

GoodCar's comprehensive reports generally supply users with information regarding a vehicle's background and condition. When available, these reports often include the following:

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

The VIN is a unique code assigned to each vehicle. This identifier is essential to examine a car's authenticity, maintenance records, and potential issues.

Vehicle Specifications

Cover the specific features and technical details of a vehicle, including dimensions, engine size, and equipment. This information is crucial to check compatibility with needs, legal compliance, and performance expectations.

Mileage Driven

This is the total distance the vehicle has traveled. Verifying this information helps assess the car's wear and tear, estimate its lifespan, and detect fraud or odometer tampering.

Title and Brand Records

This section thoroughly reviews a vehicle's title history and branding. It reveals the vehicle's status, such as salvage, rebuilt, and flood damage (typical in North Carolina due to its coastal location), along with over 60 possible title brands that may impact its reliability.

Accident Records

Accident records generally document a vehicle's involvement in collisions, providing details on the extent of damage and repairs needed. It may be analyzed to assess a car's safety and reliability, negotiate pricing, and make thoughtful decisions regarding maintenance priorities.

Recalls and Owner Complaints

This section highlights recalls issued by manufacturers to address vehicle safety or performance issues and the owners' feedback about the specific model's problems or concerns. North Carolina drivers may use this information to stay knowledgeable about potential risks and take proactive measures to effectively enhance the functionality of the said vehicle.

Crash Test Ratings

Consists of evaluations conducted by vehicle safety organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to assess the performance of North Carolina-registered vehicles in simulated crash scenarios.

Premium Data Reports

GoodCar premium reports typically provide buyers, sellers, and industry professionals with exclusive access to the following in-depth vehicle insights when available:

Market Values

This section empowers North Carolina residents to negotiate effectively and maximize the return on their automotive investments. It provides various value metrics, including the vehicle's trade-in, wholesale, retail, and projected residual values.

Sales History

This GoodCar premium data generally provides insights into a vehicle's past listings or transactions, encompassing sales dates, prices, and the platforms where the car model appeared. If available, links to original listings are included, which enable buyers to analyze market trends and pricing competitiveness.

By offering detailed historical and market-based information, our service helps assess a vehicle's condition, determine fair pricing, and understand market trends. This ultimately allows users to negotiate confidently and avoid costly mistakes in vehicle transactions.

For further understanding regarding the data available through GoodCar's license plate lookup service, check this Sample Report.

GoodCar is an approved National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) data provider. It sources data from official government agencies and industry partners to provide North Carolina individuals and businesses with available vehicle reports.

The process for conducting a license plate lookup through GoodCar is simple. Users must input the license plate number of the desired vehicle. They must then select North Carolina from the state dropdown menu. After entering these details, click the search button to receive comprehensive license plate information.

North Carolina License Plate Designs and Format

Understanding North Carolina's license plate design and format is essential for conducting a thorough license plate lookup on GoodCar.

The state typically issues standard license plates for all registered motor vehicles. This standard plate comes with three designs available for private hauler vehicles or private passenger cars:

• “First in Flight” design, which commemorates the Wright Brothers
• “First in Freedom” design, which honors the state's role in the American Revolution
• Design with national and state mottos "In God We Trust" and "To Be Rather Than to Seem"

All these designs feature a white background and an alphanumeric format. The state name is engraved at the bottom, while the design name and mottos are displayed at the top.

Beyond the standard license plates, specialty plates representing over 100 causes and interest groups are available in North Carolina. These specialty plates, along with standard plates, may be personalized, allowing drivers to add a personal touch to their vehicles.

Note that the design and characters on specialty plates and personalized plates vary. Those interested in conducting a license plate lookup with these plates must check the plate number carefully to obtain optimal results.

North Carolina Personalized Plate Availability

In North Carolina, where personal expression is part of the driving culture, vehicle owners may explore custom plate options using GoodCar's Vanity Plate Lookup tool. This fast, online tool is intended to help you check if your desired plate number or phrase is still available - no license plate agency visit is required. From sports fans to small business owners, it can be a smart way to lock in a unique plate that represents you.

Potential Limitations in Data Availability

GoodCar's license plate lookup service is intended to provide comprehensive vehicle history reports, but there are potential limitations in data availability that users should be aware of:

• Data Source Limitations: GoodCar aggregates information from various sources, including public records and national databases. If certain data is not reported or available from these sources, it will not appear in the vehicle history report.
• Reporting Delays: There may be a lag between when an event, such as an accident or title change, occurs and when it is updated in the source database. As a result, recent incidents may not be immediately reflected in the reports.
• Incomplete Historical Data: Older vehicles or those with limited documentation may have gaps in their history. If past events were not recorded or digitized, they will not be included in the report.
• Legal and Privacy Restrictions: Privacy laws and regulations may limit the availability of certain personal information and vehicle details. GoodCar adheres to these legal requirements, which may restrict the amount of data disclosed in reports.

Despite these limitations, GoodCar strives to deliver reliable vehicle reports. Our system consults multiple sources and cross-verifies this information to provide customers with the most current vehicle data.

GoodCar typically gathers vehicle data for North Carolina reports by combining multiple trusted sources into one easy-to-read format. This approach helps provide users with a broad view of a vehicle's background when data is available.

• Public and State Sources: GoodCar receives essential vehicle title and status information from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), which collects records from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), insurance companies, salvage yards, and more.
• Federal Safety Records: Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is included to provide available safety recall details, crash test results, and safety ratings.
• Industry and Market Data: Private providers like J.D. Power, Black Book, MarketCheck, and DataOne offer estimated vehicle values, equipment details, and ownership cost insights.
• Internal Processing: GoodCar uses internal tools to organize, compare, and structure the data, enhancing its usefulness without making guarantees about completeness or accuracy.

​GoodCar is committed to protecting personal information in compliance with the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and the North Carolina Statute Section 20-43.1. These mandates prohibit the release of personal data like name, address, Social Security Number, and other sensitive information.

Disclosure of sensitive data is permitted only under specific circumstances, including:

• Government agency use
• Matters of motor vehicle or driver safety
• Business verification
• Legal proceedings
• Insurance purposes
• Towing or impounding vehicle notification
• When the record holder gives explicit permission

The unauthorized disclosure or misuse of personal information from motor vehicle records in North Carolina may lead to federal and state penalties.

GoodCar understands that violators may face monetary penalties imposed by courts and a minimum of $2,500 in civil liabilities. North Carolina law may also impose further sanctions, including misdemeanor charges, for breaches of state-specific provisions regarding personal data protection.

The NCDMV generally maintains records of vehicles registered in the state. These records include the vehicle's make, model, year, registration status, owner information, etc., and are accessible using license plate information.

However, unlike other states, the NCDMV does not currently offer online services that provide vehicle details using only license plates. Those interested in revealing license information must visit any NCDMV location to inquire in person.

If visiting any NCDMV office is not feasible, an alternative method is to contact NCDMV Customer Service at (919) 715-7000. The representatives may be able to provide details on how to obtain license plate information.

North Carolina businesses and residents may access license information from alternative sources apart from GoodCar and the NCDMV:

• North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS): Holds vehicle records related to law enforcement and vehicle enforcement matters.
• North Carolina County Tax Offices: Maintain vehicle registration records for taxation purposes.
• NHTSA Database: Provides access to a Recall Lookup tool, which may reveal vehicle safety information, including recall status, manufacturer defect reports, and crash test ratings.
• North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association (NCADA): Works with dealerships that may retain vehicle history records through sales and service reports.
• Car Auction and Salvage Companies: These businesses in North Carolina often maintain records of vehicles previously sold through auctions.
• Local Insurance Companies: Insurers in North Carolina often give access to accident, damage, and claims records related to specific vehicles.

Motorists in North Carolina have several alternative methods for obtaining vehicle information beyond standard license plate lookup services.

The NCDMV allows individuals to request motor vehicle records (MVR), which typically include vehicle reports and crash reports.

To acquire these reports, residents must complete either the Request for Motor Vehicle Information (MVR-605A) form or the Crash Report Request (TR-67A) form by providing details such as their name, address, driver's license number, and the intended purpose of the request.

The completed forms may be submitted by mail to the address specified on the forms or in person at the following designated locations:

• Raleigh Central Services/License Plate Agency at 4121 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, NC 27616
• Huntersville License Plate Agency at 12101 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078

The fees for vehicle reports and crash reports are as follows:

• $1.25 for a vehicle report consisting only of the current owner registration data
• $16.75 for a certified true copy of the vehicle report, consisting of a complete history of the vehicle
• $6.50 for a certified copy of the crash report

If the VIN is available, interested parties may conduct a VIN lookup using the NHTSA VIN Decoder or the NICB VinCheck. These sources generally reveal information on theft records, salvage history, and manufacturer specifications, respectively.

Furthermore, North Carolina residents may use other tools that GoodCar offers, such as VIN Check, VIN Decoder, Car Depreciation Check, Vehicle History Search, Recall Lookup, Residual Value Lookup, and Car Title Check. Each tool provides unique vehicle information that may help consumers conduct thorough vehicle background checks in the state.