State Senate passes bill to reduce provisional license wait times

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The state House passed Senate Bill 157 that shortens the time teens need to have a driver's permit under the state's graduated licensing laws.

In May 2021, Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 69, reducing the wait time for teen drivers to get their provisional driver's license from 12 to six months. The legislature extended the change for 2022.

The new law will extend the pandemic-era rule to temporarily "reduce" the time a teen must hold a learner's permit before being able to graduate to the next level of licensing through December.

The wait time is now six months instead of the previous 12 months and will increase to nine months beginning in 2024.

Beginning Aug. 1, young drivers will be allowed one non-family passenger younger than 21 in the vehicle.

Cooper has 10 days to sign or veto the bill or it will become law.

Beginning May 1, appointments will only be available in the mornings through 11 a.m. After noon, all customer services will be provided on a walk-in basis.

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is making some changes to decrease wait times at its 115 drivers license offices across the state.

North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles looking to lower wait times in offices