NC Drops 7-Year Plate Replacement | Durham News

Durham News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 9, 2026 · 1m

North Carolina is officially scrapping its controversial seven-year license plate replacement rule — a plan that never got off the ground and was quietly abandoned by the DMV, which says it was never funded and would’ve cost millions annually. Instead, plates will only be replaced when damaged or faded — free of charge — since national reflectivity standards already ensure visibility without state-mandated turnover. The initiative faced pandemic delays and material shortages, and aluminum remains the only durable option, despite the cost. Governor Josh Stein signed the repeal, ending a policy…