2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 20-52. Application for registration and certificate of title.

§ 20‑52.  Application for registration and certificate of title.

(a)       An owner of a vehicle subject to registration must apply to the Division for a certificate of title, a registration plate, and a registration card for the vehicle.  To apply, an owner must complete an application form provided by the Division.  The application form must request all of the following information and may request other information the Division considers necessary:

(1)       The owner's name.

(1a)     If the owner is an individual, the following information:

a.         The owner's mailing address and residence address.

b.         The owner's social security number.

(1b)     If the owner is a firm, a partnership, a corporation, or another entity, the address of the entity.

(2)       A description of the vehicle, including the following:

a.         The make, model, type of body, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle.

b.         Whether the vehicle is new or used and, if a new vehicle, the date the manufacturer or dealer sold the vehicle to the owner and the date the manufacturer or dealer delivered the vehicle to the owner.

(3)       A statement of the owner's title and of all liens upon the vehicle, including the names and addresses of all lienholders in the order of their priority, and the date and nature of each lien.

The application form must contain the disclosures concerning the request for an applicant's social security number required by section 7 of the federal Privacy Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93‑579.  In accordance with 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)(v), the Division may disclose a social security number obtained under this subsection only for the purpose of administering the motor vehicle registration laws and may not disclose the social security number for any other purpose. The social security number of a person who applies to register a vehicle or of a person in whose name a vehicle is registered is therefore not a public record. A violation of the disclosure restrictions is punishable as provided in 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)(vii).

(b)       When such application refers to a new vehicle purchased from a manufacturer or dealer, such application shall be accompanied with a manufacturer's certificate of origin that is properly assigned to the applicant.  If the new vehicle is acquired from a dealer or person located in another jurisdiction other than a manufacturer, the application shall be accompanied with such evidence of ownership as is required by the laws of that jurisdiction duly assigned by the disposer to the purchaser, or, if no such evidence of ownership be required by the laws of such other jurisdiction, a notarized bill of sale from the disposer. (1937, c. 407, s. 17; 1961, c. 835, ss. 2, 3; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1991, c. 183, s. 2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 750, s. 5.)