North Carolina DMV Appointments
Having to go to the DMV will never be anyone’s favorite thing to do, but this guide will help it be less of a chore…hopefully!
Scheduling an Appointment
You can make an appointment with the North Carolina DMV online to renew or replace your license, get a REAL ID, get a non-driving ID card, get your permit, take a driving test, or take a motorcycle skills test.
It is recommended that you make an appointment online before you go to the DMV to avoid longer wait times, and to help make the trip more convenient for your day. You can book your appointment up to 90 days in advance. If there are no appointments available when you attempt to sign up, check back the next day. Appointments are added daily. You can also try searching for another nearby DMV location — some locations have more availability than others.
If you have already scheduled an appointment and need to reschedule or cancel it, you may use the DMV Appointment Search to find and edit your appointment.
Online booking is not available for CDL road tests. Instead, you should call 919-715-7000 to make an appointment.
What If I Go Without an Appointment
If you don’t have an appointment, you can check the walk-in wait time at specific locations to see if they are accepting walk-ins for the day and how long the current wait time is (please be aware that these are estimates, and your wait may be longer). Note that road tests are not offered after 4pm.
You May Not Have to Show Up In Person – Online Services
Depending on what you need, you may be able avoid going to the DMV altogether by doing it online. Before you make a reservation to visit the DMV in person, check out the North Carolina DMV online services to see if you can do what you need to from the comfort of your computer.
Online services include:
- Renewing a registration
- Renewing a license or non-driving ID
- Upgrading a license
- Requesting an interpreter for an in-person appointment
- Paying vehicle taxes
- Requesting duplicate cards
- Requesting a driving record
- Signing up for a specialized license plate
- Paying insurance lapse penalties
- Requesting administrative hearings
- Renewing a disability placard
- Registering to vote
Keep in mind, however, that not all services and transactions can be handled via the internet, so you will still have to go in person to a branch for major things like driving tests and vehicle titling.
