Some fixes underway at NCDMV, but leaders say more staff needed

Despite many changes at the NCDMV aimed at cutting down long lines. But at many offices, those lines are still as long as ever, and they're not likely to get much better until state lawmakers approve more staff for the agency.
Posted 7/9/2025, 11:07:53 PM Updated 7/10/2025, 12:02:16 AM

OF IT.

>> GRACE PERIOD FOR EXPIRED

DRIVER'S LICENSES IS THE LATEST

CHANGE. THE STATE DMV IS MAKING

TO SHORTEN THE LINES AT ITS

BRANCHES. IF YOU TRIED TO VISIT

ONE LATELY, YOU MAY HAVE

NOTICED THE LINES ARE STILL

LONG. CUSTOMERS ARE SO

FRUSTRATED. WRAL, CAPITOL

BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE TOOK

SOME OF THOSE FRUSTRATIONS TO

THE DMV TODAY TO FIND OUT WHAT

IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO FIX.

>> JULIE WILLIAMS JUST NEEDED

TO RENEW HER DRIVER'S LICENSE.

BUT THE TARBORO DMV DOESN'T

HAVE THE NEW CHECK-IN SYSTEM.

SO SHE HAD TO WAIT OUTSIDE.

SHE SENT US THIS PHOTO. I STOOD

OUT THERE ALL DAY. ALL MORNING.

>> AND THE HEAT INDEX, THEY

SAID WAS

109 YESTERDAY. WILLIAMS WAS

13TH IN LINE WITH THE OFFICE

OPENED BEHIND ME WAS AT LEAST

7. SO 20 AND THEN AFTER LUNCH

AT LEAST 10 MORE.

>> SHOW US WITH THEIR ANY

SHADE.

>> BEALE MORE JUST GOT MARRIED

AND WAS JUST TRYING TO UPDATE

HER LICENSE AT EVEN FERRY DMV

AND RALEIGH. SHE WAITED IN LINE

FOR 2 AND A HALF HOURS JUST TO

GET ON THE EXPEDITED CHECK-IN

LIST SO SHE COULD WAIT SEVERAL

MORE HOURS IN HER CAR. THEY

PUT A SIGN OUT AT 09:00AM.

THIS IF THEY WERE FINISHED

TAKING PEOPLE FOR THAT DAY?

>> AND 09:00AM AND IT'S TAKING

PEOPLE FOR THE DAY. SO I WISH I

HAD THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S JUST

SOMETHING JUST NEEDS TO BE

DONE. SEEMS LIKE A COMPLETE

OVERHAUL. WE SHOWED HER

COMMENTS TO DMV SPOKESMAN MARTY

HOMAN. IT TALKS ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, SO I DEFINITELY

SYMPATHIZE WITH ITS CUSTOMERS

TO. UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT

ALONE. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE

HEARING FROM PEOPLE. AND AGAIN,

IT GOES BACK TO THE DEMAND THAT

I WAS TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE

SEEING INCREDIBLE DEMAND RIGHT

NOW. HARMON SAYS THE DMV IS

ALREADY MAKING CHANGES LIKE

A FASTER CHECK-IN SYSTEM.

>> A GRACE PERIOD FOR EXPIRED

LICENSES, MORE WALK-IN CAPACITY

IN THE MORNINGS AND LONGER

OPENING HOURS AND SATURDAY

HOURS AT SOME BRANCHES.

>> BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF

PEOPLE MOVING TO NORTH CAROLINA

EVERY DAY AND STATE LAWMAKERS

HAVE NOT GIVEN THE DMV MORE

EMPLOYEES TO MEET

THAT DEMAND.

>> WE HEAR A LOT FOR PEOPLE.

WHY DON'T YOU JUST HIRE MORE

PEOPLE AND OPEN NEW OFFICES?

THAT'S THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE

CAN DO ON OUR OWN. THAT'S

SOMETHING WHERE THE LEGISLATURE

NEWS TO CREATE THOSE POSITIONS

AND WE NEED TO HAVE THE FUNDING

FOR THOSE. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S

UNDER CONSIDERATION NOW.

AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT

© WRAL