Appointments at some Charlotte DMV locations won’t be available for months. Here’s why
If you plan on making an appointment to visit a Charlotte-area DMV, you may have to wait a couple of weeks or months to be seen.
The earliest appointment that can be booked for a driver’s license renewal at a Charlotte DMV location is Nov. 1, according to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles Driver Service Appointment Scheduler.
Outside of Charlotte, the earliest appointment available is Oct. 14, at the Hickory DMV, according to the scheduler. Other locations in Gastonia, Mount Holly, Huntersville, Shelby, Mooresville and Monroe are booked out as far as Nov. 15.
“There are certain parts of the state where appointments are scheduled farther out than others,” a spokesperson for NCDMV told The Charlotte Observer.
Factors that can affect appointment availability were contributed to “an influx of new residents to a specific area, staff shortages, and people coming into the office when they could do their business online,” NCDMV stated.
All license plate agencies are walk-in only, according to NCDMV.
“We have had a very busy summer at DMV offices across our great state,” NCDMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said in a statement last month. “Our staff continues to do its best to meet the needs of customers across our state in the face of a severe labor shortage.”
Goodwin also encouraged customers to “skip the trip to the DMV and do their business online.”
Most people can renew their driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and pay their property taxes online, but there are some restrictions, according to NCDMV.
Who is eligible to renew their driver’s license online?
According to NCDMV, any individual who meets any of the following requirements must visit a DMV to renew their driver’s license:
Has a suspended license of outstanding debt with NCDMV
Has a restriction or “corrective lenses” on their driver’s license
Needs to renew a commercial driver’s license of a learner permit
Has a U.S. government document indicating legal presence
Has used the online system for previous renewals
Should you walk in or wait for an appointment?
All four Charlotte DMV locations open at 7 a.m. for walk-in appointments, according to NCDMV.
However, wait times vary by location and day, and scheduled appointments are given priority over walk-ins during regular business hours, a spokesperson for NCDMV told The Charlotte Observer.
Some Charlotte drivers have waited hours at DMV locations in the area, and others without appointments have been turned away, according to residents who expressed concerns on an online Reddit forum.
To avoid long wait times, NCDMV suggests that drivers make an appointment, and come to the DMV prepared with the appropriate documentation for the services they need.
NCDMV also recommends checking their website often, as new appointments are added each day.
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 10:40 AM.
