License plate agency in Manteo closing Tuesday; at least one person confirms interest in Dare contract

December 31, 2024 | Local News | By: Sam Walker | 1

It’s been a busy last few days at the license plate agency in Manteo ahead of its closure on New Year’s Eve.

And while there has been some progress on a new contractor locating on the Outer Banks sooner than later, it could still be several months before they are able to open.

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles announced earlier this month that Rebecca Luton had decided not to renew her contract with the state after 27 years, and the plate office located inside Island Pharmacy at Chesley Mall will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

In North Carolina, the DMV oversees license plate agencies, but the agencies are managed by private businesses or local governments.

LPAs offer vehicle registration services and title transactions, as well as vehicle license plate renewals, replacement tags and duplicate registrations. Currently, 125 license plate agencies operate across North Carolina.

With the closing of the Manteo tag office, that means the closest LPAs to the Outer Banks will be in Columbia, Engelhard, Moyock and Elizabeth City.

There are also license plate agencies in Hertford, Edenton and Washington, while a number of vehicle services that can be completed online, including property tax payments and registration renewals, at MyNCDMV.gov.

Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard issued a statement on December 20, saying the county was committed to assisting with the search for a new contractor, and that at least one has expressed interest.

Allison Nekervis, the contractor who operates the plate agency in Moyock, confirmed last week her interest in taking on the Dare County contract.

Nekervis, who also owns Sur-Pak shipping center where the plate agency is located, declined to comment further when contacted.

Applications for a new contractor are being accepted through end of business on December 31 by NCDMV.

But they will have to be reviewed, interviews conducted and training that takes place before a new contractor can open, and that process could take several months, according to NCDMV spokesperson John Brockwell.

The contractor applications, Form MVR-93I, Form MVR-93B, or Form MVR-93M, can be found on the Connect NCDOT website. Interested applicants may call 919-615-8521 with questions. All applications must be submitted via email to ApplicationLPA@ncdot.gov. No mail-in applications will be accepted.

Along with the inconvenience created by the closure of the Manteo office, there is also the question of access to the exclusive, standard issue plates that start with “OBX” that has been available since 1999.

Brockwell said earlier this month they will likely not be available until the new Dare County plate office opens.

In the meantime, vehicle owners will have to get “OBX” as a personalized option, for an extra fee, at any other office or online.

The four closest license plate agencies to Dare County offering service Monday through Friday, except on state holidays, are located at:

Columbia, 106 S. Waters St. (Tyrrell Co. Office Building), from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Engelhard, 34910 U.S. Hwy. 264 (Spencer’s Furniture Store), from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Elizabeth City, 1545 N. Road St., Suite E (Country Club Plaza), from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Moyock, 257 Caratoke Hwy. (N.C. Hwy. 168), from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.