Andrews – If you’ve had trouble getting an appointment at the local driver license office, it’s not just in Andrews; it’s a statewide challenge caused by staffing shortages.
That could be a big problem for people who haven’t gotten the REAL ID upgrade for their driver license or ID cards, which take effect May 7 and will be required for domestic air travel.
The N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles will be offering 7 a.m. openings at 42 additional offices including Franklin. Saturday hours will start June 7, including at 1440 Main St. in Andrews. Under proposed State House Bill 821, a Class C driver’s license would remain valid for a period of up to two years after its expiration, allowing the motorist to continue driving without the risk of penalty in the state while the backlog is cleared at the DMV. It would not apply to drivers with a canceled, revoked, or suspended license.
In the meantime, here are three tips for beating the system:
One, you don’t have to make an appointment for driver license services. Just go by your nearest office any weekday afternoons and wait in line, or go to ncdot.gov/dmv, where many services are available online.
Two, in order to make an appointment, schedule it online at skiptheline.ncdot.gov – but here’s where things get tricky. Appointments are scheduled up to 90 days in advance and fill up quickly. The site updates in real time, so check back constantly if you have to.
Three, if you haven’t obtained your REAL ID yet, you probably won’t have one by May 7, when you’ll need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to board domestic flights or access certain federal facilities. May 7 is the effective date, not the deadline, so if you don’t have your REAL ID by then, keep trying.
A REAL ID is a state-issued driver’s license or ID that meets federal security standards, indicated by a star in the upper right corner.
Driver license office services have been difficult to obtain for several years, with staffing shortages blamed.
Make an appointment
Appointments are accepted for a variety of services:
- First-time driver license.
- Obtain a duplicate driver license.
- Driver license renewal.
- Fees to have a license reinstated, have an administrative hearing or submit medical certifications.
- Obtain a state ID card.
- Take a knowledge/computer test.
- Prove legal presence for non-citizens.
- Take a motorcycle skills test.
- Take a non-commercial driver license test.
- Apply for adult permit or commercial driver license permit.
- Apply for a teen driver Level 1 learner permit (ages 15-17), Level 2 limited provisional license (ages 16-17), or teen driver Level 3 (full provisional license (ages 16-17).
Getting a driver license for the first time? The N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles operates 100 driver license offices in the state, of which just one had slots available – in Stedman, Cumberland County – a 298.5-mile drive from Murphy.
Five minutes later, that office was fully booked, but three other offices were taking appointments.
Getting a new driver license is complicated, so how about something more simple like renewing a license?
Four NCDMV offices had slots for those – Boone (a 156-mile drive), Wentworth (257-mile drive), Williamston (a 396.78-mile drive) and, once again, Stedman.
Nine offices had spaces to get a duplicate license or ID card.
There were no slots available anywhere in the state for teen driver appointments for levels 1 and 2, but three offices had slots for teen driver level 3, none nearby.
There were also no slots for a non-commercial driver license road test.
If you ride a motorcycle, you’re in luck: 80 offices had slots including Andrews, which could get you in as early as 2:45 p.m. April 24..
Trying to get an appointment at a DMV office is – as one Cherokee Scout reader suggested in a letter to the editor recently – difficult.
The problem has been around long enough that in 2020, the DMV updated its customer service website outlining measures it was taking to address concerns.
If you can, go online. Many common NCDMV services, such as driver license renewal and vehicle registration renewal can be performed any time and any place on a computer or mobile device.
You can also order a duplicate license or ID, vehicle registration card or personalized and specialized plates.
REAL ID
To obtain your REAL ID you will have to present your required documents at a local DMV office: one document verifying Identity, date of birth, and legal presence (lawful status); one document verifying name change (if applicable); one document verifying Social Security number; and two documents verifying current North Carolina address.