Red Wolf Special Registration Plate.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1157

Short Title: Red Wolf Special Registration Plate. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Ball, Ross, and Alston (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and
Operations of the House
May 4, 2026
*H1157-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION OF MOTO R VEHICLES TO ISSUE A RED 2
WOLF SPECIAL REGISTR ATION PLATE, TO PROV IDE FOR THE DISTRIBU TION 3
OF THE FEES FROM THE PLATE TO SUPPORT RE D WOLF CONSERVATION, TO 4
APPROPRIATE FUNDS FO R THE DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL ISSUANCE OF 5
THE PLATE AND FOR CA MPUS PROMOTION OF TH E PLATE, AND TO DIRE CT 6
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY TO PROMOTE THE PLATE ON CAMPUS. 7
Whereas, the red wolf is one of the rarest canids in the world and is native to North 8
Carolina and the southeastern United States; and 9
Whereas, North Carolina holds a unique place in the history and future of red wolf 10
conservation; and 11
Whereas, the preservation of native wildlife is important to the natural heritage, 12
environmental health, educational mission, and cultural identity of the State; and 13
Whereas, the creation of a Red Wolf special registration plate would allow residents 14
of the State to demonstrate support for the preservation of this iconic native species; and 15
Whereas, revenues generated from the i ssuance of the Red Wolf special registration 16
plate can provide a recurring source of support for red wolf conservation, management, research, 17
monitoring, and habitat preservation and restoration; and 18
Whereas, it is in the interest of the State to provide o ne-time funds to support the 19
initial design, development, and issuance of the plate so that the plate may be made available 20
without unnecessary delay; and 21
Whereas, North Carolina State University, as a leading public institution with the 22
Wolfpack identity and a broad statewide alumni and supporter network, is well positioned to help 23
promote awareness of the Red Wolf special registration plate and its conservation purpose; Now, 24
therefore, 25
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 26
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-63 reads as rewritten: 27
"§ 20-63. Registration plates furnished by Division; requirements; replacement of regular 28
plates with First in Flight plates, First in Freedom plates, or National/State 29
Mottos plates; surrender and reissuance; displaying; preservation and cleaning; 30
alteration or concealment of numbers; commission contracts for issuance. 31
… 32
(b1) The following special registration plates do not have to be a "First in Flight" plate, 33
"First in Freedom" plate, or "National/State Mottos" plate as provided in s ubsection (b) of this 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1157-First Edition
section. The design of the plates that are not "First in Flight" plates, "First in Freedom" plates, or 1
"National/State Mottos" plate must be developed in accordance with G.S. 20-79.4(a3). For 2
special plates authorized in G.S. 20-79.7 on or after July 1, 2013, the Division may not issue the 3
plate on a background under this subsection unless it receives the required number of applications 4
set forth in G.S. 20-79.3A(a). 5
… 6
() Red Wolf. 7
…." 8
SECTION 2. G.S. 20-79.4 reads as rewritten: 9
"§ 20-79.4. Special registration plates. 10
… 11
(b) Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates: 12
… 13
() Red Wolf. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance 14
with G.S. 20-81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Red Wolf" and an image 15
that depicts a red wolf. The plate authorized by this subdivision is not subject 16
to the provisions of G.S. 20-79.3A or G.S. 20-79.8. 17
…." 18
SECTION 3. G.S. 20-79.7 reads as rewritten: 19
"§ 20-79.7. Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees. 20
… 21
(a1) Fees. – All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle 22
registration fee in G.S. 20-87 or G.S. 20-88 plus an additional fee in the following amount: 23
24
Special Plate Additional Fee Amount 25
… 26
Red Drum Expired July 1, 2016 27
Red Wolf $30.00 28
Retired Legislator $30.00 29
… 30
(b) Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and 31
Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Divis ion must 32
credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a1) of this 33
section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural 34
Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) which 35
is established under G.S. 143B-135.234, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is 36
established under G.S. 143B-135.56, as follows: 37
38
Special Plate SRPA CCAPA NCLWF PRTF 39
… 40
Professional Engineer – Expired 41
July 1, 2016 42
Red Wolf $10 $20 0 0 43
Retired Legislator $10 $20 0 0 44
…." 45
SECTION 4. G.S. 20-81.12 is amended by adding the following new subsection to 46
read: 47
"() Red Wolf. – The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and 48
Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Red Wolf plates to the North Carolina 49
Wildlife Resources Commission to be used for red wolf conservation, management, research, 50
monitoring, and habitat preservation and restoration." 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 1157-First Edition Page 3
SECTION 5. The Revisor of Statutes is authorized to alphabetize, number, and 1
renumber the special registration plates listed in G.S. 20-63(b1), 20 -79.4(b) and 20 -81.12 to 2
ensure that all of the special registration plates are listed in alphabetical order and numbered 3
accordingly. 4
SECTION 6. North Carolina State University, through the College of Veterinary 5
Medicine, shall actively promote the Red Wolf special registration plate on campus and through 6
appropriate university communications channels by, at a minimum, doing all of the following: 7
(1) Include information about the availability and purpose of the plate on an 8
appropriate University webpage. 9
(2) Promote the plate through student, alumni, faculty, staff, and athletics 10
communications, as appropriate. 11
(3) Coordinate, as appropriate, with the Division of Motor Vehicles and the North 12
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on messaging regarding the plate 13
and the conservation purpose for which plate proceeds are used. 14
(4) Make reasonable efforts to market the plate at campus events and through 15
other outreach channels under the University's control. 16
SECTION 7. No later than September 1, 2027, North Carolina State University, in 17
consultation with the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Nort h Carolina Wildlife Resources 18
Commission, shall report to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee, the 19
Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Natural, and Economic Resources, the House 20
Appropriations Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources, and the Fiscal 21
Research Division on the University's efforts to promote the plate and the number of plates 22
issued. 23
SECTION 8. There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of 24
Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in 25
nonrecurring funds for the 2026 -2027 fiscal year to develop the Red Wolf special registration 26
plate authorized by this act, including plate design, programming, setup, production preparation, 27
and associated administrative costs for initial implementation. 28
SECTION 9. There is appropriated from the General Fund to The University of 29
North Carolina Board of Governors for allocation to North Carolina State University, College of 30
Veterinary Medicine, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 31
2026-2027 fiscal year to support the initial promotion and public awareness of the Red Wolf 32
special registration plate established by this act. 33
SECTION 10. Sections 8 and 9 of this ac t become effective July 1, 2026. The 34
remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law. 35