ROCKY MOUNT – The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles is reminding customers of changes announced in February to appointment scheduling, walk-in availability, and office hours in order to improve service at its 115 driver license offices across the state.
Beginning Monday, May 1, all customer services statewide will be provided on a walk-in basis after noon. Appointments will only be available in the mornings through the 11 a.m. hour and can be booked at skiptheline.ncdot.gov.
“We're making adjustments to increase walk-in availability because that's what we've heard our customers want," said NCDMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, “and given that about 25% of appointments are no-shows, we will be better able to maximize efficiencies by shifting to more walk-in availability."
Even with this change, walk-in customers may still have the opportunity for morning-hour service if there is time between scheduled appointments or if a customer does not appear for a scheduled appointment.
Asheville Express Office to Reopen, 5 More Offices to Open at 7 a.m.
Also beginning May 1, the Asheville Express Office located at 600 Tunnel Road, which has been closed for more than a year due to staffing issues, will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As an express office, this location will serve walk-in customers only and provides services such as driver license renewals, duplicates, state-issued ID and REAL ID issuances. No tests will be administered at this office.
Furthermore, five additional offices will begin opening an hour earlier on May 1 to provide services starting at 7 a.m. Offices in Aberdeen, Graham, Kernersville, Mooresville and Washington will join 35 locations already providing an extra hour of service to customers.
“I'm so glad that we've been able to increase staffing levels to the point that we're able to reopen the Asheville Express Office and add five more offices opening an hour earlier," said Commissioner Goodwin. “We still have more work to do to fill vacancies, but this is a sign that things are moving in the right direction. If you know anyone looking for meaningful work that likes serving others in a team environment, please send them our way!" said Commissioner Goodwin.
In addition to nearly 100 new examiners being added across the state last year, 85 more have been hired, or are in the hiring process since January. Current openings can be found on the NCDMV careers webpage.
Walk-In Wait Time Tool Online
As appointment scheduling shifts toward more walk-ins, a new feature is available on the NCDMV office locations webpage to show the public the current estimated wait time at driver license offices. This allows customers to see the current estimated wait time at different locations so they can make the best decision on which office to go to, or whether they want to try again another day.
Saturday Hours Begin June 3
As in years past, NCDMV is preparing to offer Saturday hours at 16 locations this summer during its peak season. These offices will open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from June 3 to Aug. 26: Asheville, Charlotte-University City, Charlotte South, Fayetteville West, Greensboro East, Greensboro West, Greenville, Hudson, Huntersville, Jacksonville, Monroe, Morganton, Raleigh North, Raleigh West, Wilmington South, and Winston-Salem South.
DMV is exploring the potential for adding more Saturday locations as staffing levels permit.
Tips to Improve Your DMV Experience
DMV offers the following tips for an improved customer experience:
- Renew early – Don't wait until the last minute to renew your driver license. DMV sends a reminder card to the address on file six months before the expiration date. Customers can renew at any time during this six-month window.
- Renew online – In most cases, unless they renewed online last time, customers can renew their credential online.
- Be prepared – Check the DMV website to make sure you bring the required documentation for your desired service. One frequently forgotten item is a printed document proving liability insurance.
- REAL ID – Customers have more time to get their REAL ID as the federal implementation date requiring a REAL ID to fly commercially or to visit federal, military and nuclear facilities has been moved back two years to May 7, 2025.