DMV delays: Teen could lose bank account for lack of license

A local teen's journey into adulthood faces an unexpected hurdle as Josie Wheeler confronts bureaucratic delays at the DMV, threatening her new job's direct deposit requirements.
Posted 7/25/2025, 10:53:18 PM Updated 7/25/2025, 11:00:10 PM

THE ARREST WARRANT SAYS THAT

SHE HELPED HIM GET RID OF THE

GUN. I THANK YOU, BRIAN.

>> A NEW PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE WHO

CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT AT

THE DMV AS OF JULY. 1ST, YOU

CAN KEEP DRIVING ON AN EXPIRED

LICENSE, BUT YOU CAN'T USE IT

FOR ANYTHING GETTING A REAL

ID OR OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT.

SEAN GALLAGHER IS LIVE AT THE

DMV TO SHOW US HOW A LOCAL

FAMILY IS FEELING THE PINCH.

JOHN.

>> YEAH, GERALD, THOSE EXPIRED

ID'S WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO

FLY TO RENT A CAR. AND LIKE

YOU SAID, OPEN UP A BANK

ACCOUNT. THAT'S A PROBLEM AT

HARNETT COUNTY TEEN HAD WHEN

SHE AND HER DAD TRIED TO OPEN

UP AN ACCOUNT FOR HER WITH HER

COLLEGE ID. BUT NOW THE BANK

IS SAYING SHE'S GOING TO NEED

TO GET A REAL ID FROM THE DMV

OR ELSE THEY MIGHT CLOSE HER

ACCOUNT.

>> THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF

GROWING FOR JOSIE WHEELER.

SHE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN

MAY AND STARTED HER FIRST JOB

LAST MONTH. I LOVE MY

COWORKERS. OF COURSE,

CO-WORKERS ARE GREAT, BUT

THERE'S A BIGGER PAYOFF, MONEY.

STRENGTH. SHE STARTED ABOUT

A MONTH AGO IN HER JOB REQUIRES

ALL EMPLOYEES TO HAVE DIRECT

DEPOSIT REQUIRING A BANK

ACCOUNT FOR THE FIRST TIME AT

18, THEY ADDED HER TO IT WITH

US WITH A STUDENT ID THAT SHOWS

HE'S DAD, JODI. HE'S ALSO

LISTED ON THE ACCOUNT BUT GOT A

CALL FROM THE BANK YESTERDAY.

THEY'RE GIVEN IN PRESSURE THAT.

>> IF WE DON'T HAVE A STATE

ISSUED ID, THEY'RE PROBABLY

GONNA HAVE TO CLOSE IT. SO NOW

THEY NEED TO GET JOSIE AN ID BY

TUESDAY. IS THAT POSSIBLE IF WE

GET UP AND GET IN LINE AT 2

O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THERE

HURDLE IS THIS EXTENSIVE LINES

AT DMVS ACROSS THE AREA.

>> WINDS THEY'VE TRIED TO BEAT

SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST

YEAR, BUT DOCUMENT MIX-UPS IN

LINES FOR DID THEIR EFFORTS.

THIS THE STATED TO BE IN THE

RIGHT NOW. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE

GOTTEN IN THE SHAPE AS THEY

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT

AND IS YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES.

I THINK ANY OTHER STATE HAS

THIS PROBLEM

>> A GENUINELY NOW THE FATHER

AND DAUGHTER WILL SPEND THE

WEEKEND TRYING TO SECURE AN

ID BUT ANXIETY.

>> IT'S HIGH FOR JOSIE. IT'S

FRUSTRATING. I.

>> I'M KIND OF I'M PANICKING.

FELL ONE, LOSE THE MONEY.

>> JOSIE'S THAT HAS TOLD ME

THAT THE BANK HAS ASSURED THEM

THAT IF THE BANK ACCOUNT GETS

CLOSED, THAT MONEY WILL BE

RETURNED TO THEM. BUT JOSIE

IS DUE TO GET PAID NEXT WEEK.

SO IF HER ACCOUNT GETS CLOSED

ON TUESDAY, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW

THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT MONEY

IN RALEIGH. SHAUN GALLAGHER,

WRAL NEWS.

>> 5 ON YOUR SIDE IS

INVESTIGATED. DELAYS AT THE

DMV FOR YEARS FROM OUTDATED

TECHNOLOGY TO SEVERAL HOUR.

WAIT TIMES WE SAT DOWN WITH

THE NEW DMV COMMISSIONER TO

ASK HOW THOSE PROBLEMS CAME

ABOUT AND THE PLANS TO ADDRESS

THEM. YOU'LL FIND THAT