Chapter 20

(a) Requirements. - The Division may issue a waiver for a vehicle that meets all of the following requirements: (1) Fails a safety inspection because it does not have one or more emissions control devices. (2) Has documented repairs within the previous calendar year to replace mi…

(a) Division. - The Division is responsible for administering the safety inspection and the emissions inspection programs. In exercising this responsibility, the Division must: (1) Conduct performance audits, record audits, and equipment audits of those licensed to perform inspec…

(a) Fee Amount. - When a fee applies to an inspection of a vehicle or the issuance of an electronic inspection authorization, the fee must be collected. The following fees apply to an inspection of a vehicle and the issuance of an electronic inspection authorization: Type Inspect…

(a) Kinds of Violations. - The civil penalty schedule established in this section applies to safety self-inspectors, safety inspection stations, and safety inspection mechanics. The schedule categorizes safety violations into serious (Type I), minor (Type II), and technical (Type…

(a) Type I. - It is a Type I violation for a safety self-inspector, a safety inspection station, or a safety inspection mechanic to do any of the following: (1) Issue a safety electronic inspection authorization to a vehicle without performing a safety inspection of vehicle. (2) …

(a) Infractions. - A person who does any of the following commits an infraction and, if found responsible, is liable for a penalty of up to fifty dollars ($50.00): (1) Operates a motor vehicle that is subject to inspection under this Part on a highway or public vehicular area in …

(a) Civil Penalties. - The Division must assess a civil penalty against a person who owns or leases a vehicle that is subject to an inspection and who engages in any of the emissions violations set out in this subsection. As provided in G.S. 20-54, the registration of a vehicle m…

(a) Kinds of Violations. - The civil penalty schedule established in this section applies to emissions self-inspectors, emissions inspection stations, and emissions inspection mechanics. The schedule categorizes emissions violations into serious (Type I), minor (Type II), and tec…

(a) Type I. - It is a Type I violation for an emissions self-inspector, an emissions inspection station, or an emissions inspection mechanic to do any of the following: (1) Issue an emissions electronic inspection authorization on a vehicle without performing an emissions inspect…

(a) Safety. - The Division may suspend or revoke a safety self-inspector license, a safety inspection station license, and a safety inspection mechanic license issued under this Part if the license holder fails to comply with this Part or a rule adopted by the Commissioner to imp…

(a) Repealed by Session Laws 2011-145, s. 28.23B(a), effective July 1, 2011. (b) Notice of Charges. - When the Division decides to charge an inspection station, a self-inspector, or a mechanic with a violation that could result in the suspension or revocation of the person's lice…

(a) Right to Hearing. - A person who applies for a license or registration under this Part or who has a license or registration issued under this Part has the right to a hearing when any of the following occurs: (1) The Division denies the person's application for a license or re…

The State Highway Patrol is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to equip and operate permanent weigh stations equipped to weigh vehicles using the streets and highways of this State to determine whether such vehicles are being operated in accordance with legislative enactme…

(a) When a license is suspended under subdivision (8) or (9) of G.S. 20-16(a), the period of suspension shall be in the discretion of the Division and for such time as it deems best for public safety but shall not exceed six months. (b) When a license is suspended under subdivisi…

(a) Commissioner and Assistants. - The Division of Motor Vehicles shall be administered by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. The Commissioner shall be paid an annual salary…

(a) Definitions. - The following definitions apply in this section: (1) Limited driving privilege. - A judgment issued by a court authorizing a person with a revoked drivers license to drive under specified terms and conditions. (2) Nonstandard working hours. - Anytime other than…

Upon the issuance of a limited driving privilege by a court under this Chapter, the applicant or petitioner must pay, in addition to any other costs associated with obtaining the privilege, a processing fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). The applicant or petitioner shall pay t…

Any resident or nonresident whose driver's license or right or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this State has been suspended or revoked as provided in this Article shall not operate a motor vehicle in this State under a license, permit or registration issued by another ju…

The following definitions apply in this Article: (1) Migratory farm worker. - An individual who is employed in agriculture. (2) Motor carrier of migratory farm workers. - A person who for compensation transports at any one time in North Carolina five or more migratory farm worker…

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, hereinafter referred to as "Division," is hereby vested with the power and duty to make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations applicable to motor carriers of migratory farm …

The violation of any rule or regulation promulgated by the Division hereunder by any person, firm or corporation shall be a Class 3 misdemeanor. (1961, c. 505, s. 4; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1993, c. 539, s. 381; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

It shall be the duty of the law-enforcement officers of the State, and of each county, city or town, to enforce the rules promulgated hereunder in their respective jurisdictions; and such officers shall have the power to stop any motor vehicle upon the highways of this State for …

Any person operating a motor vehicle shall use reasonable care when approaching or passing a horse or other draft animal whether ridden or otherwise under control. (1917, c. 140, s. 15; C.S., s. 2616; 1969, c. 401.)

(a) When a school bus is displaying its mechanical stop signal or flashing red lights and the bus is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers, the driver of any other vehicle that approaches the school bus from any direction on the same street, highway, or p…

(a) Qualifications. - No person shall drive a school bus over the highways or public vehicular areas of North Carolina while it is occupied by one or more child passengers unless the person furnishes to the superintendent of the schools of the county in which the bus shall be ope…

It is unlawful to drive an activity bus that is owned by a nonprofit organization and is transporting persons in connection with nonprofit activities over the highways or public vehicular areas of North Carolina at a greater rate of speed than 55 miles per hour. A person who viol…

(a) This Article applies to each towing of a vehicle that is carried out pursuant to G.S. 115C-46(d) or G.S. 143-340(19), or pursuant to the direction of a law-enforcement officer except: (1) This Article applies to towings pursuant to G.S. 115D-21, 116-44.4, 116-229, 153A-132, 1…

(a) Whenever a vehicle with a valid registration plate or registration is towed as provided in G.S. 20-219.10, the authorizing person shall immediately notify the last known registered owner of the vehicle of the following: (1) A description of the vehicle; (2) The place where th…

At any stage in the proceedings, including before the probable cause hearing, the owner may obtain possession of his vehicle by: (1) Paying the towing fee, or (2) Posting a bond for double the amount of the towing fee. (1983, c. 420, s. 2.)

The tower may seek to enforce his lien or the owner may seek to contest the lien pursuant to Chapter 44A. (1983, c. 420, s. 2.)

Every agency whose law-enforcement officers act pursuant to this Article, G.S. 115D-21, 116-44.4, 116-229, 153A-132, or 160A-303 shall by contract or rules provide compensation to the tower if a court finds no probable cause existed for the towing. (1983, c. 420, s. 2.)

Notwithstanding G.S. 20-219.10(a) to the contrary, a tower of a nonconsensual tow or tow pursuant to the direction of a law enforcement officer shall promptly return any commercial cargo towed by the tower to the owner of the commercial cargo, or to a designee of the owner, upon …

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person other than the owner or lessee of a privately owned or leased parking space to park a motor or other vehicle in such private parking space without the express permission of the owner or lessee of such space if the private parking lot is cle…

(a) Whenever a vehicle is towed at the request of a person other than the owner or operator of the vehicle, the tower shall provide the following information to the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction through calling the 10-digit telephone number designated by the lo…

(a) No motor vehicle shall be left for more than 48 hours upon the premises of any gasoline service station without the consent of the owner or operator of the service station. (b) The registered owner of any motor vehicle left unattended upon the premises of a service station in…

A commercial motor vehicle shall not be immobilized using a device such as a boot or any other device for the purposes of parking enforcement. Using an immobilization device on a commercial vehicle in violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. (2025-71, s. 11.5(a).)

(a) Any area of private property used for vehicular traffic may be designated by the property owner as a public vehicular area by registering the area with the Department of Transportation and by erecting signs identifying the area as a public vehicular area in conformity with ru…

A motor vehicle dealer, as defined in G.S. 20-286(11), and the dealer's owners, shareholders, officers, employees, and agents who, in conjunction with the actual or potential sale or lease of a motor vehicle, arrange to provide, provide, or otherwise make available to a vehicle p…

As used in this Article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Tow" in any of its forms includes to remove a vehicle by any means including towing and to store the vehicle; (2) "Tower" means the person who towed the vehicle; (3) "Towing fee" means the fee charged fo…

(a) The privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the highways of this State given to a nonresident hereunder shall be subject to suspension or revocation by the Division in like manner and for like cause as a driver's license issued hereunder may be suspended or revoked. (b) The D…

The Division may revoke the license of any resident of this State upon receiving notice of the person's conviction in another state of an offense set forth in G.S. 20-26(a). (1935, c. 52, s. 17; 1971, c. 486, s. 2; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1979, c. 667, s. 22; 1993, c. 533, s. 6.)

In any case where the Division would be authorized to suspend or revoke the license of a person but such person does not hold a license, the Division is authorized to suspend or revoke the operating privilege of such a person in like manner as it could suspend or revoke his licen…

Upon receipt of notice of conviction in any court of the federal government of an offense involving impaired driving, the Division is authorized to revoke the driving privilege of the person convicted in the same manner as if the conviction had occurred in a court of this State. …

(a) License. - A court that convicts a person of an offense that requires revocation of the person's drivers license or revokes a person's drivers license pursuant to G.S. 50-13.12 shall require the person to give the court any regular or commercial drivers license issued to that…

(a) The Division must revoke the driver's license of a person upon receipt of notice from a court that the person was charged with a motor vehicle offense and he: (1) failed to appear, after being notified to do so, when the case was called for a trial or hearing; or (2) failed t…

(a) The court must report to the Division the name of any person charged with a motor vehicle offense under this Chapter who: (1) Fails to appear to answer the charge as scheduled, unless within 20 days after the scheduled appearance, he either appears in court to answer the char…

Any person denied a license or whose license has been canceled, suspended or revoked by the Division, except where such cancellation is mandatory under the provisions of this Article, shall have a right to file a petition within 30 days thereafter for a hearing in the matter in t…

(a) The Division shall keep a record of all applications for a drivers license, all tests given an applicant for a drivers license, all applications for a drivers license that are denied, all drivers licenses issued, renewed, cancelled, or revoked, all disqualifications, all conv…

(a) All records of the Division pertaining to application and to drivers' licenses, except the confidential medical report referred to in G.S. 20-7, of the current or previous five years shall be open to public inspection in accordance with G.S. 20-43.1, at any reasonable time du…

A person who drives a commercial passenger vehicle or a school bus and who does not have a valid commercial drivers license with a P or S endorsement because the person was convicted of a violation that requires registration under Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes…