Driving license renewal will be much easier in North Carolina because it’s going online! We all know that the process of renewing your driving license is something we must do at certain times, but it’s a bit annoying, isn’t it? In the United States, the rules to renew your driving license vary depending on the state, but it must be normally done every 4 to 8 years. Every renewal tends to require a current picture and documents that confirm your identity.
In the state of North Carolina this process will be much easier now since the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced that citizens could renew their driving license online! So, no more having to go to the DMV offices, we could save time and do this process way faster. Let’s find out more about this change.
Renew your license before it expires!
This is not just a matter of organization, renewing your license before it expires is a legal requirement. Driving with an expired license is illegal in the entire country and the consequences of doing it can be serious:
- Heavy fines
- Having your car impounded
- Possible court appearances
What’s more, if you are involved in an accident with an expired license, your insurance can reject paying for the damages. So, you would have to pay for everything!
More uses of your license
You should also have in mind that your license is an official identification that it’s used for many daily activities like:
- Travelling
- Rent a vehicle
- Open a bank account
- Verify your age or identity
- Apply for a job
Having your license up-to-date helps the state of North Carolina to keep current data such as: address, name, and personal data. This is important to vote, do legal paperwork, and have the right communication with authorities.
North Carolina and online renewal
To reduce waiting time and ease the paperwork, North Carolina now allows you to renew your driving license from home. The NCDOT stated that both REAL ID and non-REAL ID licenses could be renewed online, as long as citizens meet certain criteria.
Who can renew it online?
The new online system is available for most drivers, with some specific rules:
- Non-REAL ID license holders can renew twice in a row online.
- REAL ID license holders can also renew two consecutive times, as long as they’ve taken a new photo in person since their last renewal.
- State ID card holders can currently renew every other time online, but starting at the end of October, they’ll also be allowed to renew twice in a row online.
This means, in most cases, North Carolina drivers won’t have to go to the DMV offices as much as they had to before. Therefore, they will save time and effort.
When you can go in person
Even though the online system is a great improvement, not everybody can use it because some people still have to go personally to a DMV office. According to the NCDOT, this applies to:
- Those with a suspended license or outstanding debt with the DMV
- Drivers who have restrictions other than “Corrective Lenses” on their license
- Anyone who needs to renew a commercial driver’s license (CDL), a Class A or B license, a provisional license, or a learner’s permit
- People who hold U.S. government documents proving legal presence
Modern North Carolina
This new way of renewing driving licenses online officially started at the beginning of October, after Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 245 into law. With this change, the state is a great example of how technology can improve public services, reduce long waits, and keep the safety of personal data.