North Carolina drivers are turning online to renew their licenses at record levels, as expanded digital access through the Division of Motor Vehicles takes effect. More than 18,000 renewals have been completed online in just two weeks since Senate Bill 245, the “Expand Remote Drivers License Services” took effect.
The bill passed the NC Senate unanimously September 22 after it passed the in July House 109-7; all seven “nos” on the bill were Democrats. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signed the bill into law in September 30.
The law lets both REAL ID and non–REAL ID license holders renew online for a second consecutive time, reducing the need for in-person visits. In a press conference Monday Gov. Josh Stein and NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine said the state’s DMV offices typically serve about 8,000 people daily, indicating that online renewals have already eased office traffic by more than two full business days. REAL ID drivers licenses can also be renewed online now for a second time if a person has visited a DMV office for a transaction since their last renewal.
In addition, 95% of the 632 examiners positions have been filled, including the additional 64 slots that were funded through the General Assembly in August.
DMV Commissioner Paul Tine said the NCDMV’s short term goal is to reduce demand by allowing more online transactions, increasing capacity by hiring frontline staff, and driving process improvements, touching on the remaining provision of SB 245, which allows teen drivers to upgrade from their Level 2 Limited Provisional License (“before 9s”) to the Level 3 Full Provisional License (“after 9s”) online, which he said will be available in the next two weeks. Teens can already upgrade from a Level 3 Full Provisional License to a regular Class C license online on their 18th birthday.
NCDMV estimates the new online services will move up to 400,000 customers each year out of the office.
Tine said they have also revamped their training program to shorten the time at the home office and maximize the effect of the new examiners in the field, on their way to clearing a six-month training backlog that will get all new hires contributing in the field within two weeks.
NCDMV has also developed a program that certifies drivers education schools to provide the tests and encouraged parents and teens to check with their local drivers education school to see if they’ve joined the program. Currently, NCDMV run about 90,000 tests a year.
New scanners are also being piloted that will save up to 90 seconds per transaction, or about 100,000 more transactions each year.
Tine acknowledged that wait times remain a problem and started working on improving the process this summer with taking walk-ins all day and a new queuing system.
“We developed a streamlined process to get you in the queue quickly and allow you to wait from anywhere,” he said. “We then text you a link where you can watch your place online from your phone. When it’s almost your turn, we send you a message to invite you back into the office where you’ll have a short wait before you get service. This is a much better experience than waiting in line outside the office for an extended period of time exposed to the elements.”
Tine said the public doesn’t have to have an appointment to come into the DMV, noting that they serve 87% of customers as walk-ins, and they don’t have to come early in the morning as their offices don’t hit capacity before 9, and many long after that, and with the new queuing system in place.
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