NORTH CAROLINA

City ordinances providing for motor vehicle registration are known from at least four cities as early as 1907, all requiring either an owner-provided or city-issued plate, although no such plates are known to exist.  (We have one 1902 reference to a city license in Newbern, but details are unknown).  State laws of 1907, 1909 and 1913 made no mention of cities' authority or power to pass any ordinances regulating motor vehicles and therefore we assume that cities were free to continue to tax or license them and issue plates.  The 1909 state-wide law does specify that no other plate besides the state number is allowed to be displayed on the rear of the vehicle, which leaves the front available for city plates.  While many examples of city plates are known after 1913, so far none are verified before that date.

Asheville (18,762)

Articles in the Ashville Citizen-Times reported on the progress of the city's first automobile registration ordinance, which was to take effect 10 days afer passage.  On August 17, 1907, with the headline "ALL AUTOMOBILES MUST BE NUMBERED", action at the meeting of the board of aldermen the night before was described:  "An ordinance was drawn up...requiring all automobiles in the city to be registered with the city clerk and to carry conspicuous signs...on the rear of the machines."  It was announced on August 31, 1907, that the night before, "The automobile number law passed last reading and became a law."  A final report on September 28, 1907, stated that "Chief of Police Collins asked if the new numbers for automobiles had come yet, and it was found that they had not yet arrived, but were expected at any time.  A motion was read...moving that the time given the automobilists in which to get their machines numbered be extended for 15 days more..."

High Point (9,525)

The Weekly High Point Enterprise published an automobile ordinance on June 26, 1907, that may have been passed on June 21, 1907.  Among other regulations, the ordinance stated "Be it further ordained that each and every automobile owned by resident citizens shall have a registered number on said machine, and said number to be recorded with the city clerk."

(Newbern (9,961)

A survey in the November 5, 1902, issue of The Horseless Age states that a "City license required; annual license fee, $50."  If this wasn't a typographical error which might have read "$5", then this fee would have been extremely exorbitant for that era!  Further substantiation is needed, as well as whether this applied to private or for-hire vehicles.)

Raleigh (19,218)

The Raleigh Times stated on September 3, 1908, that "There is a city ordinance requiring the number and owner of all automobiles in the city of Raleigh to be registered with the city clerk."

Salisbury (7,153)

The Charlotte News reported on September 7, 1907, that "The board of aldermen have done their part...by passing an ordinance limiting the speed of autos...and requiring all owners of machines to register at city hall, where they will be furnished with a number plate, which must be attached to the machine."

In the Charlotte Observer on July 5, 1908, an article appeared regarding Salisbury's automobile ordinances.  "The board of aldermen has passed ordinances regulating automobiles.  The ordinances further provide that no one will be allowed to propel or drive locomobiles, automobiles, motor cycles or horseless carriages through the streets of the city unless the owner first registers same with the city tax collector and displays his license number in a conspicuous place on the machine."

Wilmington (25,748)

The Wilmington Messenger reported on January 8, 1907, that "...the regular monthly meeting of the board of aldermen was held last night...An ordinance was read by the clerk for the proper numbering of automobiles, which can be plainly visible in the day and at night.  Fine of $10 is named as penalty each day for failure to have the machine numbered after January 20th.  Ordinance was unanimously adopted."  On the same date, the Wilmington Morning Star added that the automobile numbers "are required to be in figures at least six inches in height."

(Winston Salem (22,700)

The Twin-City Sentinel reported on July 3, 1909, that an ordinance had been passed the night before.  "The owners must file their certificates from the secretary of state with the city tax collector and receive from him another certificate...Each person who drives a car must get a license for which he must pay $2..."  There was no mention of a city tag.  The ordinance was to take effect July 15, 1909.)