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Bill Summary · SB 1048

Summary of SB 1048 (Session 2025) — North Carolina

Title

Certificate of Title/Off-Road Motorcycle

Purpose

To authorize certificates of title for off-road motorcycles and to amend registration/eligibility rules accordingly. The bill directs the Division of Motor Vehicles (or its equivalent in North Carolina) to issue certificate(s) of title for off-road motorcycles, aligning them with current titling practices for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility-type vehicles.

Key Provisions

1) Titling of Off-Road Motorcycles

  • Adds off-road motorcycles to the class of vehicles eligible for a certificate of title.
  • Defines “off-road motorcycle” as a motorcycle designed exclusively for off-road use by a rider, with no more than two wheels in contact with the ground (consistent with the definition in G.S. 20-53.6(a)).
  • Allows owners of off-road motorcycles (as well as ATVs and certain utility vehicles) to apply for a title using a standardized form provided by the Division.
  • Required information on the title application includes:
    • Owner’s name and mailing/residence address
    • Driver’s license number (as authorized by existing statute)
    • Description of the vehicle (make and model)
    • A statement of ownership of the title and all liens, including names/addresses of lienholders and lien details (priority, date, and nature)
  • Important administrative note: The securitized-perfection requirements tied to standard security interests (perfection of security interests) do not apply to vehicles issued a certificate of title under this new section. In short, lien perfection provisions that normally apply to other titled vehicles would not apply to these certificates.

2) Registration/Title Refusal Consistency

  • Amends G.S. 20-54 to clarify that the Division shall refuse registration or issuance of a certificate of title or any transfer of registration for certain vehicle categories (specifically golf carts, ATVs, off-road motorcycles, and utility vehicles) but shall issue a certificate of title if applicable under the lens of G.S. 20-53.6.
  • This section ensures that even in cases where standard registration may be refused, a title can still be issued for off-road motorcycles (and similar vehicles) when applicable.

3) Effective Date

  • The act becomes effective October 1, 2026.

Who Is Affected

  • Off-road motorcycle owners and prospective titles applicants in North Carolina.
  • Vehicle record-keeping and registration staff within the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.
  • lienholders and lenders who may finance off-road motorcycles, though the lien-perfection provisions for these titles are specified as not applying to the new title type.

Procedural and Timeline Notes

  • Effective date: October 1, 2026.
  • After enactment, individuals seeking ownership documentation for off-road motorcycles can apply for a title using the updated form and requirements.
  • The bill does not modify other vehicle titling processes outside the scope of off-road motorcycles, ATVs, and certain utility vehicles, nor does it alter general registration procedures beyond the stated exceptions for the listed vehicle classes.

Observations

  • The bill clarifies titling pathways for off-road motorcycles, aligning them with other titled off-road vehicles.
  • It introduces a specific exemption: lien-perfection requirements under standard security-interest rules do not apply to titles issued under this section, which may affect lenders and financing arrangements.
  • The overall impact is to formalize ownership documentation for off-road motorcycles, improving transfer, ownership clarity, and record-keeping.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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