Wheel ScoutWhat a North Dakota plate lookup shows
A license plate points to one car. We turn the North Dakota plate into the car's 17-character VIN, show you the year, make and model, then read its history: salvage, flood and rebuilt brands, title history by state, odometer readings and theft records. You also see the factory specs and the safety recalls for that model year before you pay. What it never shows is the owner: the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps names and addresses in DMV records private, and we don't sell them.
What a North Dakota plate looks like
The standard North Dakota plate came out in November 2016. It shows the Badlands under a sky that fades from light blue to orange and yellow, with a bison in front, three wheat stalks beside the state name, "Legendary" above it and "Peace Garden State" at the bottom left. Numbers follow the 123 ABC pattern on reflective aluminum. Type the plate without the space; we find the car.
Two plates. State law requires a passenger car to show two plates, one on the front and one on the rear, at least 12 inches off the ground and kept clear of mud, ice and snow.
Plates go with the owner. When a car is sold or traded, the seller must take the plates off, and the car is considered unlicensed. The buyer then pays a full year's license fee when titling it, less any credit available. A seller moving plates to another vehicle can't put them on until that vehicle is registered and the new registration card arrives.
Driving it home. The buyer may drive the car for up to five days from the purchase with no plate, as long as they carry dated proof of ownership: a dated bill of sale or a dated copy of the title. For longer, NDDOT has a self-issued temporary registration permit, online, good for 75 days from the date you got the car. It must be shown in the rear window, the rearmost driver's side window, or where the rear plate goes, clearly visible.
North Dakota title brands: what the lookup can show
Our $5 report reads the NMVTIS record, the federal title database North Dakota and every other state report to. NDDOT itself points buyers to NMVTIS reports to guard against fraud, unsafe cars and stolen vehicles. The report shows any state's brands with odometer readings and total-loss records. A North Dakota title for a damaged car carries one of these three brands:
| Previously damaged | "This vehicle has been previously damaged. If you require further information, please contact the DOT." Used when a damage disclosure was made on a newer car. |
|---|---|
| Salvage | "Salvage vehicle - vehicle inspection required prior to registration." When a car is damaged beyond 75% of its retail value in the N.A.D.A. used car guide, the owner must send the title to NDDOT within 10 days and gets a salvage certificate of title. Glass and hail damage don't count toward the 75%. |
| Previously salvaged | "Previously salvaged - this vehicle has been previously damaged." Printed on the regular title of a rebuilt salvage car and on every title after it, with a note that damage disclosure information is available from NDDOT. |
| Not accepted | NDDOT won't title a car from another state or country branded Certificate of Destruction, Dismantled, Junk, Non-Rebuildable, Parts Only, Unrepairable or anything similar. |
The rebuild process. To get a regular title back, the owner applies with the salvage title, a $5 fee and a Certificate of Vehicle Inspection (SFN 2486). The inspection must be done by a repair business registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State, and it can't be the business that rebuilt the car. It must state the car meets the state's equipment rules. NDDOT also checks the VIN. Repair shops don't have to offer this inspection; the law only allows it.
Hail is left out. Both the salvage rule and the damage disclosure rule leave out hail and glass damage. A hail-beaten car can have a clean North Dakota title, so check the roof and hood in good light.
What a North Dakota title transfer costs
The buyer pays at an NDDOT Motor Vehicle office or a contracted Motor Vehicle Service Office. Amounts as published by NDDOT and in the North Dakota Century Code.
| Certificate of title | $5. A $1.50 abandoned motor vehicle disposal fee also applies on a car's first North Dakota title. |
|---|---|
| Motor vehicle excise tax | 5% of the full purchase price, less any trade-in allowance. It applies to a North Dakota car bought from an individual just as it does to a dealer sale, and it's paid when you apply for the title. If your old car was totaled, the insurance settlement can count as a trade-in, with a notarized affidavit from the insurer stating the amount. |
| Gifts and family | No excise tax on a gift between husband and wife, parent and child, brother and sister, or grandparent and grandchild, or on an inheritance. A gift outside those relationships is taxed on the car's value in the N.A.D.A. used car guide. Buying from an estate is a purchase and is taxed. |
| Tax paid elsewhere | Credit is allowed for tax already paid to another state that gives North Dakota the same credit, with proof of payment. NDDOT lists Alaska, Delaware, Georgia, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon as states where no credit applies. |
| Registration | A full year's fee is due at transfer, because the plates left with the seller. It depends on weight and how many years the car has been registered, not its model year. Under 3,200 lbs: $73 a year for the first six years, $65 for years 7 to 9, $57 for years 10 to 12, and $49 after. 3,200 to 4,499 lbs: $93, $81, $69 and $57. 4,500 to 4,999 lbs: $111, $94, $79 and $63. A car that first needs registration partway through the year pays a monthly prorated fee. |
| Electric cars | An extra annual road use fee: $120 for an electric vehicle and $50 for a plug-in hybrid (2026 schedule). |
NDDOT publishes the full schedule and an online fee and credit calculator, which is the quickest way to price a specific car.
North Dakota forms and deadlines
| The title | Must be properly completed for the transfer, with no write-overs, cross-outs, damage or white-out. If any part of a title was altered, NDDOT needs a notarized Statement of Error, Correction, or Alteration (SFN 2964) explaining why. |
|---|---|
| Odometer | For 2011 and newer vehicles, the seller completes the mileage disclosure, usually on the title. |
| Damage Disclosure Statement (SFN 18609) | The seller completes it for cars less than nine model years old, which NDDOT counts as the current model year plus the previous eight. Damage must be disclosed when it equals or exceeds $10,000 or 25% of the pre-damage retail value, whichever is greater, including fire, vandalism, weather or water. Breaking the law is a Class A misdemeanor. |
| Liens | Every lien on the front of the title must be released before the transfer. |
| Seller's deadline | Deliver the signed title to the buyer within 30 days of the sale. |
| Buyer's deadline | Submit the title to NDDOT within 30 days of receiving it. |
| Seller's Certificate and Vehicle Bill of Sale (SFN 2888) | Used as proof of ownership in some cases where no title exists, together with a Certificate of Vehicle Inspection. |
| At the appointment | The completed title, the damage disclosure if needed, a valid photo ID and payment. NDDOT takes cash, check and major cards. |
NDDOT offers an online title status check, so after you file you can see where the new title is.
Inspections in North Dakota
NDDOT's title and registration steps include no safety inspection and no emissions test for a passenger car. No one official looks at a used car's brakes, tires or exhaust before or after you buy it.
The only inspection in the title process is the Certificate of Vehicle Inspection (SFN 2486). It's required to put a rebuilt salvage car back on a regular title, and in some cases for a vehicle without a title. It's done by a qualifying repair shop, not the state.
So the checks are up to you:
- Pay for a pre-purchase inspection at an independent shop, one the seller didn't choose.
- Run the $5 report for brands from any state, total-loss records and odometer readings. Hail damage won't be on a North Dakota title.
- Read the damage disclosure on a car less than nine years old, and ask about any "previously damaged" brand.
- Check open recalls with the VIN at NHTSA, as NDDOT recommends, and have any recall fixed.
Before you meet a North Dakota seller
- Run the plate or the VIN here first, while the plates are still on the car. The seller takes them off at the sale.
- Match the VIN on the dashboard, the driver door sticker and the title. A VIN plate that looks tampered with is a walk-away.
- Match the name on the title to the seller's ID, and check that the title has no cross-outs or white-out. NDDOT will send back a damaged title.
- Look for a lender. Any lien on the front of the title needs a release.
- Get the damage disclosure (SFN 18609) on a car less than nine model years old, and the mileage on a 2011 or newer one.
- Date the bill of sale. It's your proof for the five-day drive home; get the 75-day permit if you need more time.
- Check the roof and hood for hail; North Dakota titles don't record it.
- Budget a full year of registration plus the 5% excise tax on the price.
Where these North Dakota facts come from
Read on the state's own pages on October 31, 2026. Fees and rules change; the county tax office has the final word on the day you file.
- NDDOT: What to bring to your motor vehicle appointment
- NDDOT: Motor Vehicle Registration Manual
- NDDOT: 2026 passenger fee schedule
- NDDOT: License plates
- NDDOT: Vehicle recalls and history reports
- NDDOT: Inspections FAQ (Certificate of Vehicle Inspection)
- North Dakota Century Code 39-05: titles, damage disclosure, salvage
- North Dakota Century Code 57-40.3: motor vehicle excise tax
- North Dakota Century Code 39-04: plate display and the five-day and 75-day rules
Look up a plate from another state
The reports
Works for North Dakota plates and every other state. You see the car before you pay.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
North Dakota license plate lookup questions
How do I look up a North Dakota license plate?
Type the plate above with North Dakota selected. We turn it into the car's VIN and show the year, make and model at no charge, then the $5 report shows its title brands, odometer readings, total-loss records and theft check. Do it before the sale, because the seller removes the plates.
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in North Dakota?
The title fee is $5, plus a $1.50 disposal fee on a car's first North Dakota title, the 5% motor vehicle excise tax on the purchase price, and a full year's registration, which for a car under 3,200 lbs runs $49 to $73 depending on how long it has been registered.
Is there sales tax on a used car in North Dakota?
North Dakota charges a 5% motor vehicle excise tax instead, on the full purchase price less any trade-in, paid when you apply for the title. Gifts between spouses, parent and child, siblings, or grandparent and grandchild are exempt.
Does North Dakota require a vehicle inspection?
No. NDDOT's title and registration steps include no safety inspection or emissions test. The only inspection in the title process is the Certificate of Vehicle Inspection (SFN 2486) needed to retitle a rebuilt salvage car, so get your own mechanic to check any used car.
Can a salvage car be titled again in North Dakota?
Yes. The owner applies with the salvage title, a $5 fee and a Certificate of Vehicle Inspection from a registered repair business that didn't do the rebuild. The new title says "previously salvaged" for good. NDDOT won't title cars branded junk, parts only or non-rebuildable by another state.
Can I drive a car home right after buying it in North Dakota?
Yes, for up to five days from the purchase, with no plate, if you carry a dated bill of sale or a dated copy of the title. For longer, use NDDOT's self-issued 75-day temporary registration permit.
Can I find the owner of a North Dakota plate?
No. The federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps owners' names and addresses in NDDOT records private, and no proper plate lookup shows them. You see the car, not the person.
Who runs vehicle titles in North Dakota?
The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) Motor Vehicle Division issues titles, plates and registrations, at its offices and at contracted Motor Vehicle Service Offices around the state.
More ways to check a car
Find the deal, then check it.
Wheel Scout alerts you the moment an underpriced car posts on Marketplace, OfferUp or Craigslist near you, and runs the history right in the app.
The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency. Wheel Scout is not affiliated with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Motor Vehicle Division.