Why North Carolina Lets Drivers Use Expired Licenses for 2 Years

GwendolynSci/Tech2025-07-126570

Why North Carolina Lets Drivers Use Expired Licenses for 2 Years originally appeared on Autoblog.

Backlog or not? Conflicting views regarding North Carolina’s DMV

As of July 1, North Carolina motorists are allowed to drive with a license that’s expired until December 2027. The state’s Governor, Josh Stein, signed the Senate bill into law for Class C licenses, the most common license type. Legislators cited long DMV wait times as their motivation behind passing the bill, and one state employee said what the state needs is more DMV offices and staff.

The provision states: “The General Assembly finds that there is a backlog of drivers unable to renew their driver's licenses in person. It is the intent of this section to eliminate that backlog,” according to the Port City Daily. However, Marty Homan, North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles communications manager, said: “I would not use the term ‘backlog.’” In 2024, North Carolina had a backlog of processing and issuing around 350,000 new and renewed licenses. This backlog was cleared last summer, and North Carolina’s DMV identifies a state population increase, along with a recent deadline to obtain a REAL ID, as reducing service availability. Homan added that North Carolina’s number of DMV examiner positions, staff that evaluate and test individuals applying for a license, permit, or ID card, has remained flat for decades despite a 2.5 million population increase.

North Carolina state line road signGetty

Starting this weekend and through August 23, the state’s DMV offices will resume Saturday walk-in services at 20 locations from 8:00 a.m. to noon, which include ID card renewals. This Senate bill clarifies that the state’s license renewal grace period doesn’t apply to those who have had their license suspended, revoked, or canceled.

Why North Carolina’s license renewal extension isn’t all good news

While not having to renew an expired North Carolina driver’s license until December 2027 can be seen as a convenience, Homan noted: You may want to not delay in coming in because of all the other uses for your driver’s license, those being, you know, getting on a plane, getting a bank loan, filling a prescription,” WFMY News 2 reports. North Carolina residents with an expired license also won’t be able to renew or change auto insurance coverage.

Christopher Cook at Alliance Insurance Services said: “If your license expired, they’re [insurers] not going to renew the coverage that you’ve been offered. Maybe carriers will make an accommodation for our state because our state is behind, but today, they don’t have a mechanism to make that accommodation.” Cook added that an insurance company will likely still pay your claim if you get into an accident with an expired license, but chances are that your coverage will experience changes when you renew. These changes can include higher premiums, restrictions, or denial. Drivers with an expired North Carolina license also face legal repercussions when driving out of state.

People lined up at DMV kiosks Getty

Final thoughts

North Carolina legislators cited a backlog of license renewals as motivating their license renewal extension, but DMV employees in the state, such as Marty Homan, describe the problem as coming down to office and examiner employee shortages. Still, regardless of the General Assembly’s explanation, lawmakers in the state can use the next two years to improve their in-person resources and expand their online license renewal options, like North Carolina’s PayIt system, which allows eligible drivers to renew every other cycle virtually.

Why North Carolina Lets Drivers Use Expired Licenses for 2 Years first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

Post a message

您暂未设置收款码

请在主题配置——文章设置里上传