NCDMV leaders are pushing for more funding to improve staffing, which they say will help reduce wait times.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Extended early-morning hours at 90 driver’s license offices across North Carolina will end this week after federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act ran out, the state Department of Motor Vehicles announced.
Starting Monday, Feb. 9, DMV offices will open at 8 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., eliminating an extra hour that officials said helped reduce wait times.
The change comes as the agency works to address persistent delays at license offices. In August, the state auditor found 13.8% of DMV visits lasted more than 2 1/2 hours — an 80% increase from 2019.
Average wait times have dropped to 45 minutes, but DMV officials said they need support from state lawmakers to reach their goal of 15-minute waits.
“We’re not taking a victory lap. We know that we still have a long ways to go,” said Marty Homan, the DMV’s communications director.
The North Carolina General Assembly passed a mini budget with funding for 64 new DMV positions, which the agency filled within 30 days. The department also introduced text notifications allowing customers to wait in their vehicles and plans to add more appointments available within seven days of booking.
Officials said they will prioritize staffing larger offices in cities like Charlotte to serve residents closer to home.
“Someone that’s in one of those farther out communities is complaining about all of the people in line are from Raleigh or Charlotte, coming out to their office — our intent is to serve people at the office closest to them,” Homan said.
The loss of pandemic-era funding presents new challenges. Homan said the agency will ask the legislature for additional support.
“We’re going to need some more support to be able to continue those extended hours and the summer hours, and so that’s something that will be on our list for the legislature,” Homan said.
Junior, a Charlotte driver who said he blocks off a whole day to visit the DMV, called the experience “tedious” but cautioned against rushing improvements.
“They could just get more workers. But then, I mean, there could be people that are inexperienced, that don’t know what they’re doing,” Junior said.
In October, the state auditor’s office used wait time data to recommend splitting the DMV from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, citing concerns that employees were asked to work additional hours and Saturdays without pay increases. DMV Commissioner Paul Tine opposed the privatization proposal, and Homan said the department has not received updates on the matter since an October meeting.
Contact Julie Kay at juliekay@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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