For all those with unfiltered hatred for the DMV, it’s your lucky day. The lengthy trip to the despised institution can now be avoided. (Um, don’t have to tell us twice!)
The NC Division of Motor Vehicles now allows residents to renew state identification cards, and teen drivers with a Level 3 Full Provisional License to upgrade to a regular Class C license online up to a year after expiration.
“Allowing these services to be completed online should help shorten lines and wait times at our offices by getting folks that would previously have to come to the office out of the line altogether,” DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said in a press release.
Previously, these renewals and upgrades had to be done in person at a DMV office. But don’t get too excited—you may still be subject to the torment of an in-person visit if you use corrective lenses, need to renew a commercial license, have outstanding debt with NCDMV or used the online system for the previous renewal (online renewals can only be done once before a trip to the office is required). Regular Class C licenses can be renewed or replaced online as long as they’re not suspended, expired or canceled.
Additionally, in-person appointments to the DMV are now only available before noon. Afternoons are reserved for walk-ins only, served on a first-come, first-served basis (Pro tip: Set a reminder to make an appointment 90 days in advance to avoid having to drive to a distant DMV location). In hopes of thinning the crowds of teens hoping to score a license over the summer, select DMV locations will be open Saturday mornings from June 3 through Aug. 26.
And get excited for DMV’s first 24-hour public computer kiosks to debut later this summer in public places like grocery stores to further allow customers to renew their licenses without an excursion to the DMV. It’s shaping up to be a good summer already!
