How to fill out the MVR-180 in North Carolina
A field-by-field walkthrough of the North Carolina MVR-180 (Odometer Disclosure Statement) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of October 2026.
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Filling out the NC MVR-180 after a sale:
- What it is
- North Carolina's written odometer mileage disclosure on a vehicle transfer (G.S. 20-347, 49 CFR Part 580)
- Who completes it
- The seller (your dealership) fills the vehicle, mileage, and seller sections and signs; the buyer signs the acknowledgment
- Where to file it
- With the title application to NCDMV on a dealer sale; dealers keep a copy of every statement they issue or receive for 5 years
- Processing time
- None of its own. It goes with the title paperwork
- Cost
- No fee
This guide is informational and does not replace the official North Carolina instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles before you file.
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What the MVR-180 is and why it matters
MVR-180 is North Carolina's Odometer Disclosure Statement. G.S. 20-347 requires the person transferring a vehicle to disclose the mileage to the buyer in writing, signed, with the odometer reading (no tenths), the date, both parties' names and addresses, the vehicle's identity, and a certification that the reading is actual, over the odometer's mechanical limit, or not the actual mileage. The federal rule, 49 CFR Part 580, sets the same disclosure nationwide.
On a retail sale your dealership is the seller and fills nearly every box. The buyer signs to acknowledge the reading. This guide walks the form box by box, covers which model years are exempt (NCDMV's own checklist is out of date on this), and the five-year copy rule that applies to every statement you give or receive, trade-ins included.
The current revision is MVR-180 (Rev. 04/26). NCDMV lists it among the documents for a title application on a vehicle purchased from a dealer, alongside the title, bill of sale, MVR-1, and MVR-181. It's one page: a vehicle section, the seller's mileage statement with two optional status boxes, then a seller block and a buyer block. The form prints "Alterations or erasures void this form," so a mistake means a clean form, not a correction.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the MVR-180. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles bounces a title application back.
- The title, and the car's current odometer reading — Read the odometer on the day of sale. Compare it to the mileage on the title and any reassignments; if the reading is lower or the history doesn't add up, stop and sort it out before you certify anything.
- The MVR-1 title application for the deal — NCDMV lists the MVR-180 with the MVR-1, title, bill of sale, and MVR-181 for a vehicle purchased from a dealer. See the MVR-1 guide.
- The MVR-181 Damage Disclosure Statement — The sister form. Same vehicle section, same seller and buyer. See the MVR-181 guide.
MVR-180, section by section
Vehicle section: year, make, body style, series/model, VIN
Five boxes across the top identify the vehicle: year, make, body style, series/model, and the 17-character VIN. Copy them from the title so they match the MVR-1 and MVR-181 for the same deal.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Year, make, body style, series model | You (dealer) |
Vehicle identification number All 17 characters, matching the title application. | You (dealer) |
Disclosure section: the mileage statement
The statement reads "I, (seller's printed name) state that the odometer now reads (miles, no tenths) miles" and that, to the best of the seller's knowledge, it reflects the actual mileage. On a dealer sale the seller's printed name is your dealership's legal name. Write the reading in whole miles. G.S. 20-347 and 49 CFR 580.5 both say the reading does not include tenths. Leave both boxes below blank when the reading is the actual mileage. That's the form's default statement.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Seller's printed name (in the statement) Your dealership's legal name. | You (dealer) |
Odometer now reads (miles, no tenths) Whole miles, read on the day of sale. | You (dealer) |
Box 1 and Box 2: exceeds mechanical limits, or not actual mileage
Check one box only if the default statement isn't true. Box 1 certifies the reading reflects mileage in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits, meaning the odometer has rolled over. Box 2 certifies the reading is not the actual mileage and prints "WARNING – ODOMETER DISCREPANCY." Under 49 CFR 580.5(e) you check Box 2 when you know the reading differs from the real mileage by more than a calibration error, or doesn't show a valid reading at all. If you check nothing, you're certifying the miles are actual. G.S. 20-347(c) makes it unlawful to knowingly give a false statement, so check the box that's true even when it costs you on the deal.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
(1) Mileage in excess of mechanical limits Odometer rolled over. | You (dealer) |
(2) Not the actual mileage (odometer discrepancy) Known discrepancy, replaced cluster without the original miles, or no valid reading. | You (dealer) |
Seller section: signature, printed name, address, date
Your authorized signer signs the line titled "Seller's signature certifying odometer reading," then the seller's printed name, the dealership's street address (including suite), city, state, ZIP, and the date of certification. Sign after you've read the odometer yourself, not off the window sticker or an old appraisal.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Seller's signature certifying odometer reading Sign by hand. | You (dealer) |
Seller's printed name | You (dealer) |
Seller's address, city, state, ZIP | You (dealer) |
Date of certification | You (dealer) |
Buyer section: acknowledgment
The buyer signs "Buyer's signature acknowledging odometer reading as certified," and the block carries the buyer's printed name, address, city, state, ZIP, and date. Under 49 CFR 580.5(f), once the seller signs, the buyer signs and the seller gets a copy. With a co-buyer, print both names on the buyer line.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Buyer's signature acknowledging odometer reading | Buyer |
Buyer's printed name Both names with a co-buyer. | You (dealer) |
Buyer's address, city, state, ZIP | You (dealer) |
Date of certification | You (dealer) |
Which vehicles are exempt (and why the form's own text is confusing)
G.S. 20-347(d) exempts a vehicle that is model year 2010 or older, and a model year 2011 or newer vehicle transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of its model year. That matches the federal rule in 49 CFR 580.17: in 2026 every model year 2011 and newer still needs a disclosure, and model year 2011 cars age out in 2031. Also exempt: vehicles over 16,000 lbs GVWR, vehicles that aren't self-propelled, and a new vehicle before its first transfer for purposes other than resale. Two NCDMV documents read older than the law. The documents-and-forms page footnotes the MVR-180 as "Required if vehicle is less than 10 years old," and the exemption list on the form itself mixes the old 10-year rule with the new 20-year rule. Go by the statute: a 2014 car sold in 2026 still needs an MVR-180.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Model year 2010 or older Exempt. | You (dealer) |
Model year 2011 or newer, under 20 years Disclosure required. | You (dealer) |
Trade-ins, powers of attorney, and the 5-year copy rule
G.S. 20-347.1 and 49 CFR 580.8 require dealers to keep a copy of every odometer statement they issue or receive for five years, at their primary place of business, filed so it can be pulled on request. NCDMV law enforcement officers can inspect and copy those records. That includes the statement your customer gives you on a trade-in, where they're the seller and you're the buyer. When a trade's title is held by a lienholder or lost, 49 CFR 580.13 lets the owner give you a power of attorney for mileage disclosure on the form the state issues. Keep that power of attorney for five years too.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Original with the title paperwork to NCDMV | You (dealer) |
Dealer copy of every statement issued or received, kept 5 years Trade-in statements included. | You (dealer) |
Power of attorney for mileage disclosure, kept 5 years Only when the title is held by a lienholder or lost. | You (dealer) |
Common MVR-180 mistakes that cause rejections
G.S. 20-347 and 49 CFR 580.5 both exclude tenths. Write whole miles only.
The old 10-year exemption now covers only model year 2010 and older. Model year 2011 and newer need a disclosure until they're 20 years old (G.S. 20-347(d)).
An unchecked form certifies actual mileage. If you know the miles are off, check Box 2. Knowingly giving a false statement is unlawful under G.S. 20-347(c).
The form says alterations or erasures void it. Start a clean MVR-180.
The 5-year rule covers statements you receive as well as the ones you give (G.S. 20-347.1). File the trade's disclosure with the deal.
Common questions
What is the NC MVR-180 form?+
MVR-180 is the North Carolina DMV's Odometer Disclosure Statement. The seller states the odometer reading in whole miles, certifies it's the actual mileage unless a box is checked (over mechanical limits, or not actual mileage), and signs; the buyer signs to acknowledge the reading. The current revision is MVR-180 (Rev. 04/26), and NCDMV lists it with the title application for a vehicle purchased from a dealer.
When is an odometer disclosure statement required in NC?+
On every transfer unless the vehicle is exempt. Under G.S. 20-347(d), model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt, and model year 2011 and newer vehicles are exempt once transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of their model year. Vehicles over 16,000 lbs GVWR, vehicles that aren't self-propelled, and new vehicles before their first retail transfer are exempt too.
Who fills out the MVR-180 on a dealer sale?+
The dealership, as seller, fills the vehicle section, the mileage statement and any status box, and the seller section, and signs. The buyer signs the acknowledgment. On a trade-in the roles flip: the customer is the seller and your dealership is the buyer.
Does the MVR-180 need to be notarized?+
The form has no notary block, and NCDMV's documents table doesn't mark the MVR-180 for notarization the way it marks the MVR-1. NCDMV does say that when co-owners are being recorded on a title, all signatures on the required documents must be notarized.
How long do NC dealers keep odometer statements?+
Five years. G.S. 20-347.1 and 49 CFR 580.8 require dealers to keep a copy of each odometer statement they issue or receive, at their primary place of business, in an order that allows systematic retrieval.
What's the penalty for a false odometer statement in North Carolina?+
Under G.S. 20-350, altering an odometer (G.S. 20-343) is a Class I felony, and other violations of the Vehicle Mileage Act are Class 1 misdemeanors. A buyer can also sue under G.S. 20-348 for the greater of three times actual damages or $1,500, plus costs and attorney fees, where the violation was made with intent to defraud. The action must be brought within four years.
Where do I download the MVR-180?+
NCDMV publishes the fillable PDF at ncdot.gov/dmv/downloads/Documents/MVR-180.pdf. The download link is at the top of this page.
Is there software that fills out the MVR-180 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO fills the official North Carolina MVR-180 from the deal you already entered: the vehicle and VIN, your dealership as seller, the buyer, the odometer reading, and its status box. Signatures stay blank for ink. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide) and your state title paperwork.
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