New NC budget would double driver's license renewal period, but there's a problem

North Carolina driver's licenses would last 16 years between renewals for most people under a change included in a new state budget bill lawmakers released Wednesday — but there's a catch.

The change conflicts with federal rules for Real ID, the higher-security driver's licenses being phased in across the country, according to the state Division of Motor Vehicles.

“It would put us out of compliance with Real ID,” DMV spokesman Marty Homan said of the proposal.

The change would double the renewal period for drivers between 18 and 66 years old. Drivers 66 and older would still have to renew their license every five years under the budget plan.

The eight-year renewal period is a "condition of our federal certification to be able to issue any Real IDs," according to the DMV, which opposed the change. The division also said customers would also have to pay for 16 years at once instead of the current eight, doubling the upfront cost of license renewals.

The language is part of a 625-page state budget that lawmakers plan to vote on Thursday and Friday, drawing to a close lengthy negotiations over the $30-billion-a-year spending document. The budget, including the drivers license provision, is expected to become law, but lawmakers could change that provision later through a separate bill.

The language would also require the division allow more renewals online, and it calls for a study to consider whether privatizing the DMV "would provide a more citizen-friendly service model for the taxpayers of the state."

The state would hire a consultant by Jan. 1, and the study would be complete by May 1. The budget sets aside $125,000 for the study.