Registering in NC

nm123

New Member
This is great info. thank you so much everyone. I had no idea about the bond, adding that to my budget just incase. I am in Wake county, which is an emissions county. Do you need have an emissions inspection done when you title and reg, or just safety? Do you know if you need an emissions inspection when you renew?
 

baustin

Well-Known Member
This is great info. thank you so much everyone. I had no idea about the bond, adding that to my budget just incase. I am in Wake county, which is an emissions county. Do you need have an emissions inspection done when you title and reg, or just safety? Do you know if you need an emissions inspection when you renew?
I'm also in an emissions county (Franklin county) and I haven't had any emissions test/sniff during registration or renewal. My donor was just over 75k miles and I didn't reset it back to 0 for the goblin, if I had then emissions wouldn't even be a question in the first 3 years after registration or after 75k miles. Even still, I don't think remember any emissions testing during my renewal last year, I only recall that safety was inspected. I didn't have any issues during renewal and my car didn't have to be turned on for the license and theft initial inspection (they care about source of parts not how well it runs).
 

nm123

New Member
Thanks for the response. This makes me feel better about doin it. I am planning my build to be an autocross car that is street able. SS SC to turbo and I was concerned that I would end up with emissions issues. Thanks again.
 

ncgoblin

Goblin Guru
Thanks for the response. This makes me feel better about doin it. I am planning my build to be an autocross car that is street able. SS SC to turbo and I was concerned that I would end up with emissions issues. Thanks again.
Emissions was not required during inspection but make sure to not install windshield until after initial inspection and make sure the handbrake is installed and functional.
 

escapepilot

Goblin Guru
How much information did you guys put in your MVR-55 Affidavit for Custom Built Vehicle? It asks for "Describe in detail the type of construction, assembly of the vehicle, and source of the parts used."
 

baustin

Well-Known Member
How much information did you guys put in your MVR-55 Affidavit for Custom Built Vehicle? It asks for "Describe in detail the type of construction, assembly of the vehicle, and source of the parts used."
I'll send you a PM with the pdf of what I submitted on the MVR-55 form.

I tried to make it very clear what was and wasn't kept from the Cobalt, as well as what was included in the kit. Price info for Cobalt and Goblin parts that matched the other paperwork I was submitted since the big thing the state wants is a tax value so I included some of those details. I did call out that I have no evap system as part of the build so if there was a later inspection issue I could point back to what the state already accepted. I don't recall DMV having any issues with what I put on this form.
 

Wes

Well-Known Member
How much information did you guys put in your MVR-55 Affidavit for Custom Built Vehicle? It asks for "Describe in detail the type of construction, assembly of the vehicle, and source of the parts used."
I basically quoted the DF description of what they provide and the donor stuff right off their website. Lots of words to fill the void on their paperwork; Smoke and mirrors baby! Not sure if it helped or not, I really should have changed my address from Wake county before the build. DMV people out western NC are like whatever just pay us, even had some come out to take a pic last time I renewed my plates! The guy at the inspection place didn't even go out to look at my car...
 

escapepilot

Goblin Guru
Went to the DMV today and got the title issued. Haven’t found insurance yet so title only (haven’t tried head for insurance yet).

Some tips:
Keep the donor title
Make it as easy as possible to read the chassis, engine, and transmission serial numbers. My inspector needed pics of those.
DMV asked for bill of sale for value in addition to MCO but I didn’t have that and it was ok.
Titled it as Roadster.
DMV looked it up and said there were 5 others registered in NC and she used those as a guide.
 

CCascioli

Member
Just wanted to add to this since I just recently got my car legal in NC and its fresh in my mind.

I agree with everything Escape Pilot said. I strongly urge anyone to keep their donor title (and preferably transfer it into your name). Without the title they will try to make you get an Indemnity bond which will be a lot of extra money and time, as long as you have title and the VIN matches what is on your engine/trans, you should be able to avoid that process.

The state Theft bureau will need to take pictures of the engine/trans VIN stamp so good luck, (I tried giving them pictures I took since I knew it would be hard to get in there and they said no) I recommend having the driver side firewall off and the seat removed or folded forward since that's going to be your best access point.

The kit receipt from DF can be used as the Bill of Sale

DMV wanted to turn me away as soon as I walked up to the counter and said I was trying to title a Kit Car.. they insisted it was a lot of paperwork and I most likely did not have it... but I did. Just make sure you have the Theft report from the state, MVR-55 filled out, Donor Title, MCO and Receipt for Kit from DF... Also proof of insurance if you want to register it the same day. The DMV also insisted I needed an odometer disclosure... after much back and forth we were able to get around that.

Lastly, the biggest hurdle I had was actually finding insurance. I called around to almost 15 companies and was shot down by all but one, State Farm. It appears the list of companies that will insure Goblins, and in NC specifically, is shrinking. I would actually recommend trying to find insurance prior to getting your title done because if you cant... The Montana route may be your only shot at getting your car legally on the road.
 

Chris_WNC

Well-Known Member
I had to do the indemnity bond on mine. None of the engine casting marks jived with the VIN on the title. In my area the indemnity bond wasn't tough to get. I don't remember it being crazy expensive either. It was a set fee plus percentage of appraised value.

My appraisals were done by a couple of shops that pretty much had me tell them what to write on their letterhead. I slipped them $50 each for their donut funds.

DMV was their usual self. After playing 50 Questions with the "very nice" lady, she finally took my paperwork and said that they'd send it off to Raleigh...but to expect it to be kicked back in a few weeks. No issues in Raleigh and I was a first time go.

Insurance took about a month. The national collector's policies were a bust. My local Farm Bureau agent was initially turned down by everyone they use but did some work behind the scenes and got me coverage.

You'll need to find a Kit Car Friendly shop for your yearly safety inspections. One examiner (front desk lady) at our local speed shop was going to fail me for not having a windshield wiper on the windscreen. The owner and the lead mechanic came out and vetoed her. They told me to ask for them specifically next year.

Be safe and have fun out on the roads!
 

Choco

New Member
Long post. Apologies in advance. :D

Well, I'm finally legal (plate awarded, awaiting title) and wanted to add my experience to the post for anyone else looking to go through the process. I'm in Fuquay-Varina, a bit southwest of Raleigh.

First, thanks to @baustin for the documentation posted earlier in the thread (link). I had done some digging prior and found the same documentation but it was great to have my results pre-validated. Basically followed that guide and it was easy-peasy.

1. A report of inspection by an Inspector with the License and Theft Bureau. (link)
--> Services & Resources
--> Request a Service
--> Motor Vehicle Examination
+ I had some trouble requesting due to my adblocker (filled in the form completely and submission would fail--form data doesn't save so it has to be re-entered each time).
+ Submitted on a Monday, got a call 2 Mondays later to setup the appointment. 2 visits from them that same week--first, to see the vehicle and understand what it was; second, to get the engine serial to tie it vehicle, print the NCS paperwork, and apply the NCS sticker to my chassis.
+ The "inspection" was mostly telling them the process. They also mentioned the windscreen and wipers thing--I didn't even have the hood on for inspection so no biggie.
+ Helped to have the MCO and copies of the titles together to show the paper trail.

2. Application for title (Form MVR-1) completed in full and signed before a notary. (link)
+ Pretty straightforward. UPS does notary for $10/signature; the DMV, $7/signature but it's cash only I believe.
+ I left the top-left checkboxes on the form empty as I didn't know how far the request was going that day. Ended up being title and registration so you can probably just check that.
+ Insurance was the tougher part. Progressive said they could do kits/sandrails but only if the vehicle is 10+ years old. @Batlwagn made a post (link) about Bob Messig offering insurance via Liberty Mutual so I gave him a call and he was able to get me sorted the same way.

3. MVR-55-Notarized statement explaining how the vehicle was acquired... (link)
+ Supplied a direct copy/paste of the DFKitCar.com "Build Process" page (link) with a few extra lines in the bottom describing how I acquired my donor.
+ Notarized at the same time as #2 above.

4. Proof of ownership (Title, MCO, Bill of Sale) must be included.
+ Title: The NCS from the Fraud inspection was used here. Additionally, I kept photocopies of the donor titles and invoices from my auction and broker (IAA via RideSafely) as well as the shipping for each and got a receipt from the tow/scrap yard showing I surrendered the shell and original titles to them.
+ MCO: Email to DF requesting this--received a few days later.
Side note: Big thanks to the guys and gals at DF! Every single interaction with them has been nothing less than stellar.
+ Bill of Sale: Again, all invoices copied to show the trail from both DF and from the donor auction. This also came in handy for getting the value for taxes.

5. If customer has to title vehicle by Indemnity Bond...
+ Not required since I had all the above.

6. All custom built vehicles are branded RECONSTRUCTED.
+ Yep!

7. Title Fee and Highway Use Tax is due at time of titling vehicle.
+ To calculate my value, they ONLY used the kit parts. I told them it took a donor but they didn't include that. I'm fine with it since it made taxes and reg lower. They also said labor was included in the value but since we build them ourselves... All said and done, walked out with a plate and full year reg for ~$525 or so.

I spent maybe an hour at the DMV while they got all the documents together and copied, the data entered and verified, etc. Obviously they don't do this kind of stuff very often so even the boffins in the back had to make calls to double-check requirements.
 
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