Walk right in: These 8 NC DMV offices have had no wait on Saturdays
Waiting at the DMV can be a frustrating experience, but the good news is that not every location comes with never-ending lines. In some parts of the state, DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin tells WRAL 5 On Your Side, there are DMV offices have zero wait times especially during Saturday walk in hours.
As part of meeting the needs of a busy summer season, the DMV has 16 offices open on Saturdays. Goodwin tells 5 On Your Side that in the last month half of those offices have been wait-free.
“If you look at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, there were no lines at eight of these locations. Some of them are in metropolitan cities, and it’s frustrating because we know people need these services, so we are trying to get the word out,” Goodwin said.
To help get the word out, 5 On Your Side’s Keely Arthur headed to the DMV office off Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh to let people waiting in line at the DMV know about the offices with more availability.
They are as follows:
- Morganton, 115 Government Dr.
- Hudson, 309 Pine Mountain Rd.
- Winston-Salem, 2001 Silas Creek Pkwy.
- Greensboro, 2527 E. Market St.
- Greensboro, 2391 Coliseum Blvd.
- Jacksonville, 299 Wilmington Hwy.
- Fayetteville, 831 Elm St. (Eutaw Village)
- Wilmington, 2390 Carolina Beach Rd., Suite 104 (South Square Plaza)
- Greenville, 4651 N. Creek Dr.
Ebony Watkins and Timothy Edmenson drove into Raleigh from Clayton to get new IDs for their family.
“We’ve been in line for three hours,” Edmenson said.
5 On Your Side let them know about the walk-in hours in Fayetteville, which is about an hour drive from them.
“We are off Saturdays, so that is really useful information to have,” Watkins said.
Goodwin acknowledges that the eight locations might be a trek for some, but it's a choice that could pay off.
“You could go to one – like here in Raleigh – where you might have a two-hour wait, or you could drive an hour away and have no wait, so you have to decide,” Goodwin said.
Major metropolitan areas in the state like Raleigh, Charlotte, and Asheville are all reporting long DMV wait times, even on Saturdays.
Saturday walk-in hours are available until August 26.
The DMV is exploring further options to improve the experience. Keep an eye out for extended hours or additional offices supporting walk-in hours during the weekdays coming in the fall.
Before you hit the road and embark on your journey to a low-wait DMV office, remember to check the DMV's walk-in wait time tool. Ensuring a smooth experience is easy if you follow these steps:
- Confirm that your service can't be done online.
- Gather all necessary documents in advance.
- Use the walk-in wait time tool to make an informed decision.
- Have a plan B. Know the next closest location.
