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After years being plagued by never ending wait times, North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles has picked up speed.
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Gov. Josh Stein announced Thursday that the wait times at DMV offices have been reduced significantly compared to a year ago, when customers waited in long lines for hours outside in the summer heat.
“In-office wait times are down almost 90% since last year, with the average customer waiting only 22 minutes. That compares to an average time of nearly three hours in the summer of 2025,” Stein, a Democrat, said Thursday during a news conference at the Albemarle Building in downtown Raleigh.
The 22-minute average wait is based on visits in July, Stein’s office said in a news release. Summertime brings an uptick in demand.
The DMV is part of the Department of Transportation, which is a Cabinet agency in Stein’s administration.
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Here’s what Stein credits for the reduction in wait times:
The governor encouraged DMV customers to walk in to offices directly, and said they no longer need to make an appointment unless they want one. The DMV lists live wait times for various locations across the state.
“You do not need to arrive at the DMV before the opening hours to get in line. I cannot underscore that enough,” Stein said.
Wake County will get a new DMV office, in Wake Forest or Rolesville, next year due to a provision in the new state budget, The N&O previously reported.
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