Changes could mean shorter wait times at NC DMV offices
New North Carolina residents applying for a driver's license might be able to skip the written test - one of several steps Gov. Pat McCrory announced Thursday to make getting a license or license plate less of a chore.
Posted — Updated"This change is another way NCDMV is driving change, working hard to reduce wait times and help our citizens conduct business more efficiently," McCrory said. "From electronic kiosks to friendly greeters, the new Huntersville office is a model of our new customer focus."
Drivers from other states will only have to present a valid license that has been expired less than two years and take eye and road sign tests. A written test is still required for first-time drivers and those whose expired licenses are more than two years old.
McCrory's administration last year opened new DMV offices and extended office times in some locations as a first step.
Since then, it piloted several programs now rolling out across the state that are aimed at reducing wait times at DMV offices by as much as 83 percent. Those changes include adding front-desk attendants and self-service kiosks in offices and updating the DMV website for easier use.
Time-saving initiatives being tested and available in the coming months include online license renewals, ATM-style kiosks in grocery stores and shopping malls, credit/debit card transactions, a mobile DMV office and a redesign of driver's licenses and identification cards.
During his 2012 campaign, then-candidate McCrory often discussed in stump speeches having to wait in line for an hour to get his license renewed.
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