§ 20‑118.3.  Vehicle or combination of vehicles operated without registration plate subject to civil penalty.
Any vehicle or combination of vehicles being operated upon the highway of this State either by a resident or nonresident without  having been issued therefor a registration plate by the appropriate jurisdiction shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to the North Carolina annual fee for the gross weight of the vehicle and in addition thereto the license fee applicable for the remainder of the current registration year, provided a nonresident shall pay the North  Carolina license fee or furnish satisfactory proof of payment of required registration fee to its base jurisdiction. The civil penalties provided for in this section shall not be enforceable through criminal sanctions and the provisions of G.S. 20‑176 shall not apply to this section. (1981 Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1259, s. 1.)