Lines grow at North Carolina DMVs as REAL ID deadline looms
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Time is ticking for many North Carolinians to get a 'REAL ID' as the deadline set by the federal government fast approaches.
REAL ID will soon be required to get on a domestic flight, and this time crunch is putting additional pressure on DMV offices all throughout the state.
Can you fly without a REAL ID after the May deadline?
'I don't understand why the lines are long,' said Yvonne Holloway.
Joann Hawkins said, 'It's a long line on both sides of the room but I'm going to deal with it.'
'I'm doing the walk-in,' said Sue Kirkman. 'This is my second trip up here.'
Nine hours, seven hours, six hours: this is just a small sample of the number of hours people reported waiting at the DMV.
Some thought getting to the DMV just after 6 a.m. would help, but they quickly learned they were wrong.
'I came in this morning. The line was way down the parking lot here,' said Kirkman.
Marty Homan, the North Carolina DMV communications manager, says it really is the perfect storm of several factors creating such a high demand.
'So we're getting hit four different ways. From population growth, REAL ID, teen drivers and people needing to come in person because they renewed online last time,' said Homan.
Homan says some of the latest DMV numbers show that, statewide, they had 185,000 in-person transactions in the month of March.
40 percent of those transactions were for the REAL ID that's what brought Joann Hawkins to the DMV.
'I have some travel coming up, so I know I got to do it,' said Hawkins.
Homan says unless you're traveling the first few weeks of May there's still no rush to get the REAL ID, and he wants people to know a passport still does the job too.
So far, 5 million REAL IDs have been issued, and there are no appointments for the next 90 days.
'Making appointments is good, but you can't reach anybody to make an appointment,' said Kirkman.
On April 7, 42 DMVs extended their hours, but it still isn't enough to answer everyone's needs.
Homan reminds anyone looking to get a REAL ID to check the and ensure they bring all of the documents they need to their appointment.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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