North Carolina HB 747: 2026 Wildlife Resources Changes.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2026-43
HOUSE BILL 747

*H747-v-7*
AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE WILDLIFE LAWS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

CONFIDENTIALITY OF WILDLIFE RESOURCE INFORMATION
SECTION 1. G.S. 143-254.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-254.5. Disclosure of personal identifying and sensitive wildlife resource information.
(a) Social security numbers and identifying information obtained by the Commission
shall be treated as provided in G.S. 132-1.10. For purposes of this section, "identifying
information" also includes a person's mailing address, residence address, email address,
Commission-issued customer identification number, date of birth, information subject to
G.S. 106-24.1 transferred to the Commission from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services, and telephone number.
(b) Records that contain site-specific information regarding the occurrence of rare species
of plants or animals specified in the current North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan, or the location
of sensitive habitats, are confidential and exempt from disclosure under Chapter 132 of the
General Statutes when the Executive Director finds that disclosure will create a risk of harm,
theft, or destruction to the species or habitats or the area where the species or habitats are located.
This subsection does not apply to a request for release of records requested by the owner of record
of land where such species, habitats, or areas are located."

AUTHORIZE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO ISSUE LIFETIME
CONSERVATIONIST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES REGISTRATION PLATES
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 20-63(b1) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(61) Wildlife Resources."
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 20-79.4(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:
...
() Lifetime Conservationist. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle
in accordance with G.S. 20-81.12. The plate shall bear the "North Carolina
Lifetime Conservationist" logo of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission.
...
(267) Wildlife Resources. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in
accordance with G.S. 20-81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Wildlife
Resources Commission" with a picture in the background representing a
native wildlife species occurring in North Carolina. The plate authorized by
this subdivision is not subject to the provisions of G.S. 20-79.3A or
G.S. 20-79.8.
...."
SECTION 2.(c) G.S. 20-79.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-79.7. Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees.

Page 2 Session Law 2026-43 House Bill 747
...
(a1) Fees. – All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle
registration fee in G.S. 20-87 or G.S. 20-88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:

Special Plate Additional Fee Amount
...
Kick Cancer for Kids $30.00
Lifetime Conservationist $30.00
Maggie Valley Trout Festival Expired July 1, 2016
...
(b) Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and
Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Division must
credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a1) of this
section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural
Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) which
is established under G.S. 143B-135.234, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is
established under G.S. 143B-135.56, as follows:

Special Plate SRPA CCAPA NCLWF PRTF
...
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
– Expired July 1, 2016
Lifetime Conservationist $10 $20 0 0
Litter Prevention $10 $10 0 0
...
Native American $10 $10 0 0
Native Brook Trout $10 $20 0 0
NC Agribusiness – Expired July
1, 2016
...."
SECTION 2.(d) G.S. 20-81.12 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-81.12. Collegiate insignia plates and certain other special plates.
...
() Lifetime Conservationist. – The Division must transfer quarterly the money in the
Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Account derived from the sale of Lifetime Conservationist
plates to the Wildlife Resources Fund established in G.S. 143-250.
...
(b163) Wildlife Resources Plates. Resources. – The Division must receive 300 or more
applications for a wildlife resources plate with a picture representing a particular native wildlife
species occurring in North Carolina before the plate may be developed. The Division must
transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from
the sale of wildlife resources plates to the Wildlife Conservation Account established by
G.S. 143-247.2.
...."
SECTION 2.(e) The Revisor of Statutes is authorized to alphabetize, number, and
renumber the special registration plates listed in G.S. 20-63(b1), 20-79.4(b), 20-79.7(a1) and (b),
and 20-81.12 to ensure that all special registration plates are list