NC DMV Cuts Wait Times but Challenges Remain Amid Staffing and Process Overhaul

North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles has managed to reduce average customer wait times by 31% in recent months, thanks to a surge in hiring and changes to office operations, officials told state lawmakers Wednesday. Even with the improvement, the division still faces significant challenges in meeting public demand.

Commissioner Paul Tine reported the current average wait is roughly 90 minutes, down from more than two hours in July. An April survey had found that walk-in customers were waiting more than three hours. Meanwhile, the number of in-office transactions has risen 7% this fiscal year to 643,000.

The reduction follows the addition of dozens of new DMV examiners, which state lawmakers credited for easing pressure on overworked staff. Tine and Department of Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson appeared before the House Select Committee on Government Efficiency to detail ongoing reforms aimed at improving service.

“Staffing, process, and technology improvements have all been key,” Tine said. “We’re nowhere near where we need to be, but the tone in the offices is better.”

However, audits released in August by the Office of the State Auditor painted a harsher picture of the DMV’s operational issues. The audits cited employee burnout, low staffing levels, and outdated technology as drivers of long waits. Over the past 15 years, North Carolina’s population grew roughly 30%, while DMV staffing increased only 10%, auditors said.

“We probably needed some more positions to go along with that,” said Katie Gleason, the state performance audit director. The audit also highlighted a glaring funding mismatch: the DMV generates about 30% of the Department of Transportation’s revenue but receives less than 3% of the department’s expenditures.

The auditor’s office identified an overburdened workforce as a central factor in the DMV’s long lines, particularly as the division handles high demand for services, including federally compliant ID upgrades. Auditors also flagged a dysfunctional relationship between the DMV and DOT, noting that state personnel rules limit the agency’s ability to hire and retain employees efficiently.

Tine outlined reforms intended to address the backlog, including expanded queuing systems, process streamlining, and technological upgrades that reduce the need for in-person transactions. DMV offices now accept walk-in customers throughout the day instead of reserving certain hours for appointments. Saturday hours have been increased to distribute the workload more evenly.

“We’re open for business,” Tine said. “Just because you can’t find an appointment online doesn’t mean you can’t come in and be served at DMV. And 87% of the people on a day-to-day basis come into our offices without appointments.”

State lawmakers provided $1.2 million in August to fund additional license examiner positions. More than 60 of these roles were filled within a month, reducing vacancies from 10.9% in April to roughly 4.1%. New DMV offices are planned in fast-growing areas. Legislative changes have also eased ID renewals and created a two-year grace period for certain driver’s licenses set to expire through 2027.

Despite these gains, lawmakers said frustrations persist among constituents. State Rep. Keith Kidwell, a Republican, said he continues to hear complaints about long delays for children’s licenses and appointment availability.

“It’s been a nightmare,” Kidwell said. “That’s not changed by a whole lot. We need to fix that, and we need to fix that yesterday.”

Tine acknowledged that progress is still needed. “We are certainly nowhere near where we need to be at this time,” he said. “Each time we hear concerns, we will address them and see how we can progress forward.”

While the DMV has made measurable improvements, audits and lawmakers’ reports suggest the agency remains underfunded, understaffed, and constrained by rigid state rules — issues that could limit the sustainability of recent gains.