WILMINGTON — The Cape Fear region as a whole is seeing unprecedented growth as more new residents flock to the coast. Sure, there are people moving from other North Carolina cities, but there are plenty of out-of-state residents moving here as well.
As with any move, there are things you should know, like how to get an N.C. drivers license, paying your taxes, where to find liquor (especially if you’re moving a fold-out couch into a third story apartment) and where to vote — but navigating the processes can be difficult.
In this series, Port City Daily will examine some of the different things that maybe you want to know, but can’t seem to find a straight forward answer to online.
The first in our series will take a look at getting your North Carolina drivers license.
Getting your N.C. drivers license
New residents to N.C. are going to need to get a state drivers license within 60 days of moving to the state and North Carolina now offers REAL IDs. These are federally accepted forms of identification for travel and other activities — but take a bit more paperwork to get.
“Starting in October 2020, people will be required to have a REAL ID or valid U.S. passport for flying, entering federal facilities and visiting military installations. Some military bases already require REAL ID,” according to the NCDOT.
In order to obtain your REAL ID, you will need to bring the following to the DMV:
- One (1) proof of identity/date of birth: certified birth certificate or unexpired U.S. passport
- One (1) proof of full Social Security number: Social Security card, W-2 or 1099
- One (1) proof of name change: certified marriage license, divorce decree and/or court document indicating the name change (depends on number of name changes)
- Two (2) proofs of current physical address: driver license, vehicle registration card, voter registration card, utility bill, cable bill, bank statement
It is worth noting that if you have an unexpired REAL ID from another state, this can be used as proof of identity when applying for your N.C. license.
For proof of Social Security number, it is also acceptable to bring a payroll record (think paystub) with your full name as well as Social Security number.
At the DMV
Once you get to the DMV, you can expect to wait, however, going to the DMV at off times significantly reduces the wait time.
In Wilmington, the driver license office is located at One Station Road, Wilmington, NC, 28405.
The Station Road location is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Wilmington South office is located at 2390 Carolina Beach Road and is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. – noon.
According to the NCDOT, “Summer is traditionally a busy time for driver license offices. This year, there’s also an increased interest from the public in getting an NC REAL ID, which must be done in person.”
Once you receive your number and check-in, you will be called to a desk where you will be asked to provide all the documentation to the DMV employee.
As of Feb. 2019, when applying for an N.C. license the DMV required a quick vision test as well as a verbal road signs test. A written test and driving test was not required at the time of publication, but this could change.
The cost for a driver license is $5 per year for class A, B, C regular licenses.
Motorcycle endorsements transfer from state to state and cost an additional $2.30 per year.
You will be issued a temporary driver license on the spot that is printed on paper — your official driver license will be mailed to your address. It took about two weeks for it to arrive.
