License plates Coverage

'Abysmal in all caps': NC lawmakers grill state DMV commissioner

State DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin was questioned by a dissatisfied legislative oversight panel seeking details on customer service, modernization, and other issues at the agency.

Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief

Expired license plates: WRAL Investigates why you could pay for other drivers' procrastination

Statistics provided by the DMV show late registrations are a growing problem.

Randall Kerr, senior producer, WRAL Investigates

People in NC are paying for other drivers' expired tags: How it's getting worse every year.

WRAL Investigates dives into North Carolina expired tag dilemma. Why someone else's problem is yours as well, and why it keeps getting worse every year!

New license plate readers coming to NC roads cause privacy concerns

Despite privacy concerns, North Carolina has started putting license plate cameras on state roads to help crime solving.

License plate cameras coming to more NC roads and highways in 2024. Critics have privacy concerns

A new license plate camera program could help make North Carolina a safer place. Critics say it's an erosion of personal privacy.

Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief

Wake County judge blocks Flock safety from installing more license plate readers

A Wake County judge ordered Flock Safety to stop installing automated license plate cameras in North Carolina until the court hears additional arguments from both the North Carolina Alarm Systems Licensing Board and Flock.

WRAL Staff

'Ghost car' loophole makes criminals hard to track

WRAL 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur learned 'ghost cars' are such a dangerous problem, the state is trying to overhaul the entire temp tag system to stop it.

Keely Arthur, WRAL consumer reporter

Supreme Court declines to hear NC case to stop issuing license plates with confederate flag

The Supreme Court declined to hear the case challenging North Carolina's decision two years ago to stop issuing specialty license plates bearing the confederate flag.

NC House members back more license plate reader cameras

The added authority has been controversial in recent years, but it seems to have momentum as police departments struggle with staffing issues and rely more on surveillance.

Travis Fain, WRAL state government reporter

102 alerts, 56 recovered cars and 50 arrests: License plate cameras have helped Garner police solve crimes in first six months of use

Since implementing 15 Flock cameras in February, Garner police have made 50 arrests using the new technology.

Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

License plate readers help police make arrests, recover stolen cars

Garner police have made 50 arrests in the first six months of using their new Flock cameras.

License plate cameras help Garner police solve crimes

The Garner Police Department is among several law enforcement agencies in the Triangle using automated license plate reading (ALPR) cameras to help determine if cars are stolen or wanted in a crime.

Bryan Mims, WRAL reporter

Traffic-related bills race toward House floor

In a lightning-round hearing Tuesday morning, nine House transportation bills raced ahead, trying to beat a Thursday deadline at the General Assembly.

Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief

Aluminum shortage forces DMV to hit brakes on plate replacement program

A worldwide shortage of aluminum has forced the state Division of Motor Vehicles to indefinitely suspend its program to replace license plates that are older than six years.

Lawsuit filed over DMV's decision to halt Confederate flag license plates

The North Carolina chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is suing the state over the decision to stop issuing or renewing license plates bearing the Confederate battle flag.

Update: Lawmaker says highway license plate reader expansion will be dropped from NCDOT bill

Narrowly rejected almost two years ago by the N.C. House, language on license plate cameras on state highways is part of NCDOT's annual ask.

Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter

DMV: No more NC plates with Confederate flag

The state Division of Motor Vehicles says it won't issue or renew any more license plates depicting the Confederate flag.

Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter

DMV doesn't really want people to keep their license plate numbers

Although North Carolina vehicle owners can keep their license plate numbers under a new state program to automatically replace old plates, there's a catch.

Want to keep your license plate number? Don't renew your vehicle registration online

Although North Carolina vehicle owners can keep their license plate numbers under a new state program to automatically replace old plates, there's a catch.

Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief

Faded plates prompted automatic replacement program

Old license plates are on the way out in North Carolina.

DMV tagging older license plates for replacement

Old license plates are on the way out in North Carolina.

Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief

Driver's license or car registration out of date? Clock now ticking to get it renewed

The five-month extension on various state requirements for drivers and vehicles ends Friday, meaning people whose driver's license or car registration expired early in the pandemic have to get on the stick about renewing them.

License plate cameras upgrade community watch - and intensify privacy concerns

Triangle neighborhoods are installing private license plate readers to track visitors. And in Durham, they're sharing that data with police.

Tyler Dukes, WRAL investigative reporter

Flock in action

A screenshot provided by Flock Safety shows the potential identification of a vehicle captured with its automated license plate reader system (Courtesy of Flock Safety).

Durham Flock locations

Locations of three neighborhoods using Flock Safety cameras in Durham, N.C. (John Renigar/WRAL News).