NCDMV expands online driver license renewals under new law

By Staff Report, posted Oct 7, 2025 on BizFayetteville.com

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In a move to further streamline services and reduce wait times at driver license offices statewide, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) recently announced that eligible drivers without a REAL ID can now renew their driver license online for a second consecutive time. This change, effective immediately, stems from Senate Bill 245, signed into law last week by Gov. Josh Stein.

The change currently applies to non-REAL ID driver licenses only and not State ID cards.

Provisions of the law also allow REAL ID driver licenses to be renewed online a second consecutive time if the customer has had an in-person transaction where a new photo was taken since their last renewal. In many cases, those in-person transactions were to get a REAL ID outside of the customer’s renewal period, but also include name changes, in-state address changes and duplicates. NCDMV expects these additional renewals to be available in the next several weeks.

The remaining provision of the law to allow teen drivers to upgrade from their Level 2 Limited Provisional License (“before 9s”) to the Level 3 Full Provisional License (“after 9s”) online will also be available in the next several weeks. Teens can already upgrade from a Level 3 Full Provisional License to regular class C license on their 18th birthday online.

When combined, the three provisions of this new law could allow for up to 400,000 more transactions to occur online instead of in person at a driver license office.

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