Driver License in North Carolina

The Raleigh Report

From the Office of Representative Marian McLawhorn

January 24, 2007

About Central Issuance of the North Carolina Driver License

Beginning July 1, 2008, North Carolina driver licenses will be issued from a secure central location and mailed to recipients within 20 days after they apply for a new license or identification card, or to renew a license.

This new requirement, enacted into law in July 2006, is meant to further strengthen and safeguard the production, manufacture and issuance of the North Carolina driver license and to further assure that it is issued to the individual who requests it. The law is an outgrowth of concerns across the nation that licenses from several states were issued to the terrorists involved in the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Both central issuance and residential delivery are designed to prevent the problem of driver license production-material theft, and document and address fraud.

In July, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles will begin issuing driver licenses and identification cards by following a routine similar to that currently used. Customers will visit their local driver license office, take the sign and eye tests, as well as a driving test, if required. Their photos will be taken and their signatures will also be recorded. If the customer’s application is accepted, he will be issued a temporary driving certificate valid for 20 days. The temporary certificate will not display a photo of the customer and is valid only for driving purposes, not for identification. The customer may keep his current driver license during this temporary period. A new driver license will be issued by a central production facility in Raleigh and mailed to the customer at the residence address he has given DMV.

DMV reminds customers that they may apply to renew their driver licenses as much as 180 days (six months) in advance of their renewal due date, usually their birthdate. Renewing early will help assure on-time delivery of their new license or ID card.

DMV is currently working with the United States Postal Service and others to address instances in the state where residential delivery of mail is not offered, such as in small towns like Grifton and in rural areas where mail is delivered only to a P.O. Box. DMV will continue to study this issue as it prepares to meet the requirements of the central issuance law.

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Marian N. McLawhorn

9^th House District Representative

1217 Legislative Building

Raleigh, NC 27601-1096

Office Phone: 919-733-5757

Email: marianm@ncleg.net