RALEIGH — A bill filed in the North Carolina House would extend driver’s license expiration dates tied to long wait times at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.
House Bill 821, which has already received approval by the House Transportation Committee, would establish a temporary moratorium on the expiration of certain Class C driver’s licenses in North Carolina.
“The General Assembly finds that there is a backlog of drivers unable to renew their drivers licenses in person. It is the intent of this act to eliminate that backlog,” the one-page bill states.
The bill extends the validity of Class C driver’s licenses for up to two years beyond their expiration date. However, the extension does not apply to licenses that are currently canceled, revoked or suspended, nor to Real ID-compliant licenses that have been valid for eight years or more.
The extension would be active upon the bill becoming law. The law would only be in effect through Dec. 31, 2027.
In March, North Carolina’s Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) Chief Wayne Goodwin announced he was not seeking to keep his post. Goodwin made the announcement while testifying before the House Oversight Committee.
Goodwin, a former Insurance commissioner and Democratic Party chair, was appointed by then-Gov. Roy Cooper in 2022 to improve the agency after pandemic-related challenges. His departure coincided with increasing legislative scrutiny, long wait times and an announced audit of NCDMV spending by State Auditor Dave Boliek.
At an oversight meeting in February of this year, Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus) characterized the NCDMV as “one of the most dysfunctional agencies in state government,” though Goodwin defended his record and indicated he would remain in his $163,000 annual position until a replacement is found.
Despite Goodwin’s claims that the appointment system was improving wait times, legislators like Rep. Eric Ager (D-Buncombe) continued to cite constituent complaints, including issues raised by his brother, who said he spent six hours at an NCDMV office.
During his tenure, Goodwin attempted to address efficiency issues through Saturday office operations and self-service kiosks in grocery stores. However, 2024 turned out to be a difficult year for Goodwin and the NCDMV due to service delays and contract issues.
In March, lawmakers held hearings focusing on appointment scheduling and customer wait times, and in June, the NCDMV came under fire after state ID delays reached six weeks instead of the standard 15 days, which Goodwin attributed to vendor problems.
Later that year, in July, Rep. Erin Paré (R-Wake) reported on a visit to a short-staffed location in Fuquay-Varina, describing the operations as “completely unacceptable.”
Legislators have considered privatization of the NCDMV, with Sen. Michael Lazzara (R-Onslow) championing the idea.
Lazzara is the chair of both the Senate Transportation and Appropriations on Transportation committees. In addition to long wait times for basic services, the process and appointment issues with teen permits and licensing have also been an issue and were raised by Lazzara during a February 2024 hearing.
A study on privatizing the NCDMV included in the previous state budget was due to lawmakers last May, and the current Senate budget has a provision creating a “Board of Motor Vehicles.” That board would have nine voting members with the power to appoint the commissioner of the NCDMV, as well as administrative oversight of the agency’s operations and overseeing the job of the commissioner.
