CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles said it expects to clear up the ongoing mounting delays in issuing driver licenses and identification cards by the end of June.
DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, who underwent a grilling by Senate lawmakers in February, testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee again last week. He updated lawmakers on wait times, unfilled positions, efforts to protect customers from identity fraud and customer service amid lengthy delays for new licenses.
Goodwin blamed the private vendor that makes physical licenses and ID cards for the state, saying problems with the vendor are why customers haven't received their new cards. A typical 15-day turnaround to receive IDs in the mail has jumped to roughly six weeks, the DMV said in May. At the time, there were about 50,000 per week added to the backlog across the state, according to the state DMV.
Rep. Harry Warren, the Salisbury Republican leading the hearing, said he was concerned not just for the delays in general but also for their potential effect on the November elections. This is the first major election in which voters will be required to show photo identification — which could lead to a rush of people trying to get new or updated driver's licenses.
Another big concern for people is if they get pulled over by law enforcement with an expired paper license they could face consequences. However, Marty Han, a spokesperson for the DMV, said that won't be the case. Officers can always look up the number on your ID and tell if it's valid or expired.
He said there is a number on all paper IDs that people can call if their expiration date is creeping up; he said sometimes it can be as simple as it was lost in the mail.
But if that's not the case, he said the DMV will work with you to get another.
"We will direct them to an in-person office where they would be able to go in, they wouldn't have to wait in line, and we would work with them to get them a new paper ID with a new expiration date on it," Marty Homan said.
Now, the DMV has switched manufacturers and said its hoping to have new IDs in people's mailboxes within two weeks instead of the two months it's been taking.
WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.