Moving to NC: DMV License and Registration Within 60 Days

Which DMV tests do you take when moving to NC?

NCDMV’s licensing rule has you take the road signs and vision tests if your out-of-state license is valid or expired less than two years, and the full exam if it expired longer ago. The handbook adds that the examiner may also test your knowledge, or your driving if needed, so read the handbook before you go.

The NC DMV sign test →The NC DMV eye exam →The NC DMV manual →

What to bring to the license office

Your out-of-state license, or one document proving your identity and date of birth
Your Social Security card or other proof of your Social Security number
One document showing your North Carolina address, or two for a REAL ID
If you weren’t born in the U.S., one document proving legal presence or lawful status
Proof of liability insurance from a company licensed in North Carolina, printed or uploaded from your phone

Your name must match across your documents, or bring proof of the change. Book with the Driver License First Time appointment type, or walk in.

North Carolina DMV REAL ID →Booking a DMV NC appointment →

Teens moving to North Carolina

If you’re 15 to 17 and hold a learner permit or license from another state, the handbook says to contact your local driver license office to find out which NC permit or license you can apply for.

The NC driving age and teen levels →

Registering your car

Register after you get your NC license, when you take a job here, or when your old state’s reciprocity period ends, usually 30 days, whichever comes first. Go to a license plate agency, not a driver license office, with:

The vehicle title, or the registration card if a lender holds the title
Form MVR-1, the title application
Form MVR-180, the odometer disclosure, if the vehicle is less than 10 years old
Your NC license, or your out-of-state license with an NC Temporary Driving Certificate
North Carolina insurance. Out-of-state policies aren’t accepted

You can register without an inspection the first time, but the vehicle needs one before you renew.

Your old license

Once North Carolina issues your license, your out-of-state license is no longer valid, and you can throw it away or mail it to NCDMV’s Driver License Section. North Carolina police don’t recognize international driver licenses, so you need a valid U.S. state or foreign government license to drive here.

How to get an NC driver’s license →

Sources: NCDMV · NCDOT and 3 more. Checked October 2026.