Yes, a notary is required.
Yes. When the title being signed over is a state title, the assignment is notarized.
In the official wording
"If the original title is a North Carolina title, it must also be notarized."
From the official pages listed below, checked November 2026.
What else the signing needs
- Odometer
- The odometer reading goes on the back of the title when required.
"Odometer reading (if required)"
- Buyer's deadline
- The new owner applies for a title within 28 days of the transfer; late filing carries a $20 civil penalty (G.S. 20-73).
"An application for a certificate of title must be submitted within 28 days after the vehicle is transferred."
Not confirmed on the pages we read: the title fee. Check with North Carolina DMV (NCDMV).
Next step
The seller signs the paper title in front of a notary, usually with the buyer there too, so a local notary near both of you is simplest. We don't notarize titles by video.
Request a mobile notary in North Carolina
In person, we look for a notary commissioned in the state near you; you approve the price first.
If a local notary in the state does it: Acknowledgment, jurat, verification or proof, per notarized principal signature, $10; Electronic acknowledgment or jurat, per electronically notarized principal signature, $15, under the state's fee rules (North Carolina notary fees).
Official sources
- NCDMV: Vehicle Titles (checked November 2026)
- N.C.G.S. 20-73: New owner must get new certificate of title (checked November 2026)
- N.C.G.S. 20-72: Transfer by owner (checked November 2026)
We are not lawyers, and this is general information, not legal advice. Checked November 2026. Rules change, and whoever receives the document decides what it accepts; we can't guarantee acceptance.
Common questions
Is notarization required to sign over a North Carolina car title?
Yes, a notary is required. When the title being signed over is a state title, the assignment is notarized.
How long does the buyer have to title the car in North Carolina?
The new owner applies for a title within 28 days of the transfer; late filing carries a $20 civil penalty (G.S. 20-73).
Can a North Carolina car title be notarized online?
We don't offer that for titles. The seller usually signs the paper title with a local notary, often with the buyer there. Outside New Jersey, our mobile notary request page can look for a notary commissioned in the state.
What does a notary charge in North Carolina?
$10 per notarized principal signature, under the state's fee rules. A mobile notary may add a travel fee; ask for the total first.
Keep going
- Seller's checklist
- Car title rules in every state
- A power of attorney in North Carolina
- A will in North Carolina
- A small estate affidavit in North Carolina
A car title in another state: Montana · Ohio · every state