New NC bill aims for more efficient driver's license renewal process

According to state lawmakers, the bill would save the DMV hundreds of thousands of in-person visits and would get new and experienced drivers on the road without the extra hassle.
Posted 7/30/2025, 9:14:27 PM Updated 7/30/2025, 10:00:06 PM

DOZENS OF DMV EMPLOYEES AND

BUILD FOR MORE DMV OFFICES.

LAWMAKERS IN THE STATE HOUSE

ALSO PASSED A BILL THAT COULD

KEEP MORE PEOPLE OUT OF THAT

DMV LINE. IT WOULD ALLOW YOU

TO RENEW YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE

ONLINE. MORE FREQUENTLY AND IT

ELIMINATES A REQUIREMENT THAT

NEW DRIVERS HAVE TO LOG THEIR

PRACTICE HOURS. THE BUREAU'S

JUSTIN CLARK IS LIVE IN

RALEIGH. KIRSTEN, THIS BILL IS

TO REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE DMV.

>> GERALD, IT IS NO SECRET THAT

THE NBA IS STRUGGLING WITH LONG

WAIT TIMES AND APPOINTMENT

AVAILABILITY. BUT STATE

LAWMAKERS SAY THIS BILL WITH

SAVE THE DMV. HUNDREDS OF

THOUSANDS OF IN-PERSON

APPOINTMENTS AND NEW

INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS ALIKE CAN

TAKE TO THE ROAD WITHOUT THE

EXTRA HASSLE.

>> WE CAN BEAT THIS. THIS IS

NOT HARD. WE JUST KNEW PUT OUR

MINDS TO IT.

>> AND DO IT. HOUSE MAJORITY

DID JUST THAT TODAY IN PASSING

HOUSE BILL 245. UNDER THE BILL?

MOST DRIVERS NEEDING TO RENEW A

LICENSE WOULD SAVE THEMSELVES A

TRIP TO THE DMV HAS FOR NEW

DRIVERS BETWEEN AGES 16 18.

THEY'RE SIMPLE CHOIR MONTHS TO

GET A FULL PROVISIONAL LICENSE

ONLINE. YOU MUST HAVE A LIMITED

PROVISIONAL LICENSE FOR AT

LEAST 6 MONTHS. NO TRAFFIC

VIOLATIONS AND A DRIVING

ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE HIGH

SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR ITS

EQUIVALENT. THE 60 HOURS OF

DRIVING PRACTICE REQUIRED BY

THE STATE MUST BE LOGGED AND

SUBMITTED. BUT THE 12 HOURS

REQUIRED AFTER THAT WOULD BE

ELIMINATED. THE AS JOE STEWART

ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE BILL AS

IT ELIMINATES SOME PRACTICE

LOGGING. HE IS THE VICE

PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENTAL

AFFAIRS WITH THE INDEPENDENT

INSURANCE AGENTS OF NORTH

CAROLINA AND BOARD CHAIR OF THE

NORTH CAROLINA ALLIANCE FOR

SAFE TRANSPORTATION HAVING IT

CHRONICLED IN THAT WAY PROBABLY

ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS MAKING

SURE THAT PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

OF YOUNG MOTORISTS.

>> ARE JUST DELIBERATELY

HELPING THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE

LEARN TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE

DRIVERS BY GETTING THEM

EXPERIENCE. AS FOR INSURANCE,

STEWART EXPLAINS, THAT RATES

CANNOT BE DIRECTLY BASED OFF OF

DRIVERS AGE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

AND HE SAYS RATES ARE LESS

LIKELY TO GO UP. IF YOUNG

DRIVERS ARE GETTING THE

EXPERIENCE THEY NEED TO AVOID

CAR ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC

VIOLATIONS.

>> HOWEVER, SAVANNAH, GREGORY,

OWNER OF DRIVERS OF THE FUTURE

DRIVING SCHOOL, SAYS DRIVING

LOT SHOULD BE MORE THOROUGH

AND MAINTAINED AS A

REQUIREMENT. WE HAVE AN

EPIDEMIC OF UNPREPARED DRIVERS

IN 2025.

>> ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO

MAKE THE PROCESS MORE THOROUGH

AND HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE

AND RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH PART

OF A SYSTEM IS OUR BEST METHOD

FOR ADOPTING TO THE ROADS AND

THE STAND AGE.

>> THE BILL COMES LESS THAN A

MONTH AFTER GOVERNOR STEIN

SIGNED A LAW ALLOWING SOME

DRIVERS TO KEEP THEIR EXPIRED

LICENSE FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS.

THIS BILL IS NOW HEADED TO THE

SENATE FOR CONSIDERATION LIVE