Ballantyne drivers renewing their vehicle registration on or after Thursday, Oct. 1, will no longer receive a paper registration card or license plate sticker.

The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles is switching to an all-digital registration system under a provision in the state budget (Session Law 2026-4) approved this summer. The change affects every driver in Mecklenburg County and statewide.

The sticker is gone.

DMV spokesman Marty Homan told the News & Observer the move will save an estimated $4.8 million a year, split between about $2 million in printing costs and $2.8 million in mailing costs. Lawmakers cut the DMV's budget by the same amount, so the savings is not extra money for the agency.

DMV Commissioner Paul Tine said in a Sept. 1 interview on WUNC's Due South podcast that officers already pull up registration data through license plate readers and databases. "They already know, and so they don't need to ask for it," Tine said.

Drivers who renew on or before Wednesday, Sept. 30, will still get a sticker and card under the old system.

What replaces the paper card

After Oct. 1, drivers can access their registration several ways, according to the NCDMV website:

  • Download a free PDF from the NCDMV site
  • Request a copy emailed at the time of renewal, whether online, at a self-service kiosk or in person
  • Get a printed copy at a license plate agency for $5
  • Request a printed copy mailed for $5

Renewal receipts will include vehicle information and a QR code linking to the NCDMV site. Registration updates post to the state system within minutes of a renewal, and drivers can use the receipt as proof until the digital record appears.

What stays the same

All existing renewal methods remain available. Drivers must still renew annually, pay registration fees and vehicle property taxes on time, and complete a safety inspection within 90 days of renewal. Vehicles in 19 counties including Mecklenburg must also pass an emissions inspection.

The NCDMV will continue mailing renewal notices 90 days before a registration expires. Drivers with a myNCDMV account will also get an email reminder. Late or unpaid registrations can still result in fees, citations and collection actions, according to the NCDMV.

Traffic stops and out-of-state travel

Officers will verify registration through their own electronic systems. Drivers will not be asked to hand over a phone, according to the NCDMV. For out-of-state travel, the agency recommends downloading a copy to a device or printing one as a backup, since digital registration is accepted in most states.

Drivers do not have to peel off existing stickers, but the DMV says they may do so on or after Oct. 1.

What's next

North Carolina joins Pennsylvania, Idaho, Connecticut and New Jersey among states that have already gone digital, the Randolph Hub reported. Starting in 2027, drivers will be able to access their registration through the NC Wallet mobile app alongside a new digital ID.