§ 20-52.  Application for registration and certificate of title.

(a) An owner of a vehicle subject to registration must apply to the Division for a certificate of title, a registration plate, and a registration card for the vehicle. To apply, an owner must complete an application provided by the Division. The application shall contain a preprinted option that co-owners may use to title the vehicle as a joint tenancy with right of survivorship. The co-owners' designation of a joint tenancy with right of survivorship on the application shall be valid notwithstanding whether this designation appears on the assignment of title. The application must request all of the following information and may request other information the Division considers necessary:

(1) The owner's name.

(1a) If the owner is an individual, the following information:

a. The owner's mailing address and residence address.

b. One of the following at the option of the applicant:

1. The owner's North Carolina drivers license number or North Carolina special identification card number.

2. The owner's home state drivers license number or home state special identification card number and valid active duty military identification card number or military dependent identification card number if the owner is a person or the spouse or dependent child of a person on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States who is stationed in this State or deployed outside this State from a home base in this State. The owner's inability to provide a photocopy or reproduction of a military or military dependent identification card pursuant to any prohibition of the United States government or any agency thereof against the making of such photocopy or reproduction shall not operate to prevent the owner from making an application for registration and certificate of title pursuant to this subdivision.

3. The owner's home state drivers license number or home state special identification card number and proof of enrollment in a school in this State if the owner is a permanent resident of another state but is currently enrolled in a school in this State.

4. The owner's home state drivers license number or home state special identification card number if the owner provides a signed affidavit certifying that the owner intends to principally garage the vehicle in this State and provides the address where the vehicle is or will be principally garaged. For purposes of this section, "principally garage" means the vehicle is garaged for six or more months of the year on property in this State which is owned, leased, or otherwise lawfully occupied by the owner of the vehicle.

5. The owner's home state drivers license number or home state special identification card number, provided that the application is made pursuant to a court authorized sale or a sale authorized by G.S. 44A-4 for the purpose of issuing a title to be registered in another state or country.

6. The co-owner's home state drivers license number or home state special identification card number if at least one co-owner provides a North Carolina drivers license number or North Carolina special identification number.

7. The owner's home state drivers license number or special identification card number if the application is for a motor home or house car, as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(27)k., or for a house trailer, as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(14).

(1b) If the owner is a firm, partnership, a corporation, or another entity, the address of the entity and a drivers license number or identification card number belonging to a responsible member of the entity.

(2) A description of the vehicle, including the following:

a. The make, model, type of body, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle.

b. Whether the vehicle is new or used and, if a new vehicle, the date the manufacturer or dealer sold the vehicle to the owner and the date the manufacturer or dealer delivered the vehicle to the owner.

(3) A statement of the owner's title and of all liens upon the vehicle, including the names and addresses of all lienholders in the order of their priority, and the date and nature of each lien.

(4) - (6) Repealed by Session Laws 2017-69, s. 2(a), effective July 1, 2017.

(7) A statement that the owner has proof of financial responsibility, as required by Article 9A or Article 13 of this Chapter.

(a1) An owner who would otherwise be capable of attaining a drivers license or special identification card from this State or any other state, except for a medical or physical condition that can be documented to, and verified by, the Division, shall be issued a registration plate and certificate of title if the owner provides a signed affidavit certifying that the owner intends to principally garage the vehicle in this State and provides the address where the vehicle is or will be principally garaged.

(b) When such application refers to a new vehicle purchased from a manufacturer or dealer, such application shall be accompanied with a manufacturer's certificate of origin that is properly assigned to the applicant. If the new vehicle is acquired from a dealer or person located in another jurisdiction other than a manufacturer, the application shall be accompanied with such evidence of ownership as is required by the laws of that jurisdiction duly assigned by the disposer to the purchaser, or, if no such evidence of ownership be required by the laws of such other jurisdiction, a notarized bill of sale from the disposer.

(c) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, an application for a certificate of title, salvage certificate of title, a registration plate, a registration card, and any other document required by the Division to be submitted with the application and requiring a signature may be submitted to the Division with an electronic signature in accordance with Article 40 of Chapter 66 of the General Statutes. The required notarization of any electronic signature on any application or document submitted to the Division pursuant to this subsection may be performed electronically in accordance with Article 2 of Chapter 10B of the General Statutes. The Division will not certify or approve a specific electronic process or vendor. Any entity offering an electronic signature process assumes all responsibility and liability for the accuracy of the signature. The Division shall be held harmless from any liability to a claim arising from applications submitted with an inaccurate electronic signature pursuant to this subsection. (1937, c. 407, s. 17; 1961, c. 835, ss. 2, 3; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1991, c. 183, s. 2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 750, s. 5; 2007-164, s. 4; 2007-209, ss. 1, 2; 2007-443, s. 6; 2007-481, ss. 4-7; 2008-124, s. 4.1; 2009-274, s. 4; 2015-270, s. 1; 2016-90, s. 10.5(a); 2017-69, s. 2(a), (b); 2017-102, s. 5.2(b); 2019-153, s. 1; 2022-68, s. 9(a).)