There are around 120 distinct DMV offices and locations throughout North Carolina, so for those who live in The Tar Heel State, there’s no shortage of places to go if you need any driving, license, or other DMV-related services. However, just like most DMV offices, I’ve noticed that waiting times and queues can be exceptionally long, so it’s always a good idea to make an appointment before you visit. But, do N.C. DMV offices accept walk-in visits, and if so, what are the best hours to go there?
Well, the good news here is that N.C. DMV offices do accept walk-in visits, and the hours are quite convenient for most residents. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know about walk-ins at any North Carolina DMV office:
- As of May 1st, 2023, all N.C. DMV locations and their respective services are available on a walk-in basis, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (noon until their closing hours), on weekdays.
- If you’re planning to visit in the morning hours, N.C DMV offices won’t take walk-in visits, so you’ll have to schedule an appointment beforehand, up until 11:00 AM.
- During summertime (June 3rd to August 26th), 16 of the busiest DMV offices in N.C. will offer walk-in services on Saturdays, but only between the hours of 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
1) What Can Be Done With Walk-In Visits?
These changes were made to help increase the availability of walk-in services, and I’d imagine they also help with managing the overload of visitations at the DMV a bit more efficiently. On top of that, the aforementioned walk-in hours at these N.C DMV offices provide a wide range of services, including driver’s license and state ID card-related services (i.e. issuance, renewals, or replacements), as well as address changes, or REAL ID issuances.
They could also handle road tests for folks who’ve already completed the required tests prior (though, bear in mind that road tests won’t be processed after 4:00 PM). Another interesting change is the extension of operating hours at certain N.C. DMV offices and some locations open an hour earlier than usual (at 7:00 AM) to help accommodate early visitors.
2) N.C. DMV Opening, Closing, & Walk-In Hours
For more detailed information on the opening and closing hours of specific N.C. DMV offices near you, such as their walk-in hours or checking how long the wait times look like, you could try using the North Carolina DMV’s online location finder tool. This will provide you real-time info on the operating hours at specific DMV offices, to help plan your visit a bit better.
Otherwise, in general, here are the opening and closing hours at most N.C. DMV offices, for context:
- Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
If you’re planning to visit any N.C. DMV office, I’d generally advise you to avoid visiting in the mid-morning to early afternoon, around 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Particularly for walk-ins, these are typically their busiest, peak hours, so you should expect longer wait times and even longer queues.
Otherwise, I’d instead advise that you drop by either in the early mornings or late afternoon, specifically on weekdays, as these hours tend to be less busy. As such, you may have a chance to skip the queue, or at least experience shorter wait times.
3) Contact Information
If you’re not 100% sure about anything – like the specific N.C. DMV walk-in hours at a particular office near you – it’s always a good idea to call them ahead of time to check. Again, please refer to the North Carolina DMV’s official location/office finder tool to find out the phone number or contact information for each specific office, in addition to directions, addresses, and so on.
However, for general inquiries, you could also try contacting the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DoT) office and their primary DMV line:
- Phone Number: (919) 715-7000
- Mailing Address: 1501 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1501
- Address: 1 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Alternatively, they also have a contact form on the NCDOT’s official website. And, they’re fairly active on social media too, so check out their Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram page for news or alternative means of contacting them.
4) Making An Appointment With The N.C. DMV
If you want to book an appointment with the North Carolina DMV, they can be scheduled with the appointment scheduling system on their official website. Even though you can just walk into most N.C. DMV locations and whichever service you’re looking for, it always helps to make an appointment beforehand to help skip the long waiting times.
Normally, most appointments could be made up to a week in advance (or several days before you plan on visiting), which is highly recommended for certain services, such as road tests and REAL ID-related services. Therefore, make sure you book an appointment as early as possible. For reference, here’s a rundown of what could be done on a walk-in basis:
- Renewing existing driver’s licenses and state ID cards.
- Replacing an existing driver’s license or state ID card if it’s been lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Updating your home address on your state ID card or driver’s license.
- Issuing and obtaining a REAL ID.
- Take your road test (if you’ve already completed the knowledge and written tests).
- Handling any services related to your vehicle registration.