Driver's license changes on hold

Freedom Raleigh Bureau

Sweeping changes in the way driver's licenses are issued that were brought on by the Real ID Act have been placed on hold in North Carolina.

"The Real ID Act is pretty much at a standstill nationwide," said Marge Howell, a spokeswoman for the Division of Motor Vehicles.

As a means of complying with the federal Real ID Act, the state DMV had planned on implementing a requirement that people who apply for a new or renewed driver's license start producing documentation showing the motorist's proof of identity and legal address beginning Dec. 1. That has now been delayed.

Another change, set to begin on July 1, requires the DMV to mail a motorist's license to a residential address instead of instantly issuing a license. Howell said that program won't go into effect statewide at the beginning of July. Instead, the DMV plans to phase that program in.

The DMV plans to test out the central issuance program in one area of the state, likely the Lillington area, for 60 days before phasing in the program statewide.

Howell said DMV officials want to take their time and work out the kinks before phasing the program in to other parts of the state.

"It won't be like a light switch and we're in your neighborhood the next day," Howell said.

Currently, when a motorist goes to the DMV to get a driver's license, after completing appropriate tests and payment of the license, the DMV issues the license on the spot.

Once the central issuance program is implemented, the motorist will no longer receive his or her license at the DMV office. Instead, a temporary driving permit, which will not be considered valid for identification purposes, will be issued. The driver's license with then be mailed out of a central location to the driver's residential address.

This presented problems for some motorists who live in areas where the post office does not have residential delivery. Some other people, for various reasons, choose to get their residential mail delivered to a post office box rather put up a mail box at their residence.

Howell said that the DMV is still working with the U.S. Postal Service to resolve those problems.

Meanwhile, uncertainty about the Real ID Act has prompted the DMV to put plans to implement extensive document requirements on hold.

"Since there is now pending legislation affecting the Real ID Act, we are not requesting that same documentation that was going to be necessary if we were compliant with the Real ID Act," Howell said.

Jennifer Rudinger, executive director of the ALCU of North Carolina, said she isn't surprised to see North Carolina and other states have logistical problems implementing the requirements of the Real ID Act.

"People realize they have neither the technology or the funding or the manpower to be able to pull this off," Rudinger said. "It's a law that has taken a number of people by surprise."

The ACLU has called the Real ID Act the "Real Nightmare," saying it in effect would become a national ID card, since states would be required to share databases.

Federal officials say the Real ID Act of 2005 is intended as a tool to battle terrorism. People boarding commercial aircraft, entering federal buildings or nuclear power plants would be required to produce an identification card compliant with the Real ID Act.

Driver's license examiners will still be requiring Social Security cards, and the information on a motorists Social Security account will have to match that on the driver's license. That means that names will have to match.

Since the DMV requires the motorist's full name on the driver's license, the motorist's Social Security account will have to have the same full name listed.