The proposal aims to alleviate DMV backlogs and ease public concerns.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ North Carolina lawmakers are advancing legislation that would give residents an extra two years to renew their driver’s licenses, a move designed to address growing backlogs at Department of Motor Vehicles offices across the state.
House Bill 821, which creates a temporary moratorium on driver’s license expirations, received approval from the House Transportation Committee this week and now heads to the House Finance Committee for further consideration.
“This is a huge issue for the entire state,” said Rep. Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston) during committee discussions on the proposal.
The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Jay Adams (R-Catawba), explained the legislation aims to ease public anxiety about license renewals amid long wait times and limited appointment availability at DMV offices.
“It’s partially to alleviate the concern that people have about getting their licenses renewed,” Adams told committee members. “The point of it is to simply relieve the North Carolina public from the concerns they have about being unable to renew their driver’s license.”
The temporary moratorium would effectively extend the validity of licenses that would otherwise expire during the period, giving drivers an additional two years to complete their renewals without facing penalties for driving with expired credentials.
Adams acknowledged the bill offers only a partial solution to the DMV’s challenges.ย
“It does not solve all of the issues that might be attendant with having your driver’s license active, and so I’m really looking at the committee, and I’m asking for your assistance and understanding the problem we have here, the concerns that the public has, and how does DMV catch up?” he said.
The DMV has been struggling with staffing shortages that have contributed to the backlog. Earlier this month, DMV Communications Manager Marty Homan highlighted these constraints when discussing appointment availability.
“We could only have as many appointment slots as we have employees, and so it’s kind of a numbers game. We’re doing the best we can with the staff that we have,” Homan said.
The proposed moratorium comes as many North Carolina residents report waiting months for available appointments or spending hours in walk-in lines at DMV offices. State officials have cited increased population growth, staffing challenges, and post-pandemic catch-up as contributing factors to the delays.
If the bill continues to advance through the legislature and receives final approval, it would provide immediate relief to drivers while giving the DMV additional time to address its operational challenges.
The House Finance Committee has not yet announced when it will take up the bill for consideration.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X andย Instagram.
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