NC DMV closing many, but not all, of its offices in response to the coronavirus threat
The state Division of Motor Vehicles will close 61 of its driver’s license offices across the state and offer appointments only at the remaining offices to try to minimize the spread of coronavirus.
The DMV will keep open 54 driver’s license offices statewide, but will no longer offer road tests except for commercial driver’s licenses and medical reassessments. The department will phase out walk-in traffic, requiring visitors to make an appointment before showing up and to complete a “wellness questionnaire” before coming inside.
“The safety of our customers and staff is our top priority,” DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup said in a written statement. “So we are putting in place a number of measures to better protect everyone from the spread of the virus. As always, we encourage everyone to conduct their business online if possible. We are all in this together and everyone has an important role to play in the safety and well-being of the public.”
Among the driver’s license offices that will remain open for appointments only are those in Carrboro, Cary, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina and Smithfield and both offices each in Durham and Raleigh. They were chosen because they are large enough to maintain “social distancing” between visitors.
Customers can make appointments by calling DMV at 919-715-7000. People who can use the offices in Cary, West Raleigh, South Durham, Clayton, Goldsboro, Lexington and Salisbury can also make appointments online, at www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-license-appointments/.
Among the 61 offices that are closed are the ones in Louisburg, Oxford, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Sanford and Siler City. The DMV is contacting people who had an appointment at a closed office and will offer new appointments once those offices reopen.
The DMV is encouraging people to do their business, including license and registration renewals, online if possible, at www.ncdot.gov/dmv/. But some transactions, including obtaining a REAL ID, must be done in person at a driver’s license office.
Social distancing at the DMV
The DMV had already parked its mobile driver’s license offices and canceled REAL ID Express Days at offices in Charlotte and Greenville this month. But until now, all 115 driver’s license offices across the state have remained open.
The DMV’s new policies apply only to driver’s license offices; all but one of the DMV license plate agencies are operated by contractors or local governments. The status of those offices is available on the DMV website.
Keeping people apart and limiting direct contact has been a basic strategy to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. The watchword now is social distancing, keeping people six feet apart, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order Saturday banning “mass gatherings,” defined as events that put more than 100 people in one place at a time. Violating the order is a Class 2 misdemeanor, and enforcement is up to local law enforcement and prosecutors, said Christine Mackey, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services.
On Sunday, the CDC recommended that for the next 8 weeks organizers cancel or postpone events with 50 or more people. The CDC said the recommendation does not apply to the normal operation of organizations such as retail businesses.
President Trump released guidelines Monday that suggested people avoid groups of 10 or more. On Tuesday, Cooper ordered all bars and restaurants in North Carolina to close as of 5 p.m. that day.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 5:19 PM with the headline "NC DMV closing many, but not all, of its offices in response to the coronavirus threat."
