Renewed my driver's license today. Showing my usual talent for planning and preparing, I did it on the very day the old license expired. Good thing I made it out there when I did: I heard the woman say that if you wait until after the license expires, you have to do a lot more to get a new one.
I had a little trouble finding the DMV: last time (five years ago) the Chapel Hill location was on 54, next to that little Harris Teeter. Across the street from where Jujube is now. Drove out there and discovered no more DMV (and no more Harris Teeter to boot). I had seen a "License Plate Office" sign near University Mall. Went over there, and of course they don't do drivers' licenses, but they told me how to find the drivers license office in Carrboro. It's in that little strip across from the post office. (Which, come to think of it, is still on 54.)
This DMV was a mixed bag. They were severely understaffed -- just 2 people working in the whole place. And I heard one of the women say that was a permanent situation. They used to have 4 people there, but two got transferred out, and while they were waiting for replacements the statewide hiring freeze was put into place. So they're on half-staff for the foreseeable future. She said she didn't know when they would get replacement staff, if ever. I was there for about 45 minutes and they kept saying that it was a really slow day. Though they had been slammed earlier, because school started late so all the high school kids came in in the morning.
On the bright side, the two staffers they had were excellent. Really friendly, really nice to everyone; they made the time go surprisingly fast. So, if you have a drivers license issue, and you don't care about how long you wait, but you do care about dealing with pleasant people, this is the one to go to.
Last time I was there, they had more staff, but it was still crazy busy. I was just about the only person who had brought entertainment with me. Who goes somewhere they *know* they will have to wait without something to do? Knitting, a book, a magazine, gameboy, something. The same thing happened with jury duty. Do people really not mind sitting around doing nothing? (No offense if you didn't have anything with you either!)
I know just what you mean. There was one other guy with a book and everyone else just sat there. I keep some form of reading material in my bag at all times just in case of situations like that. Right now it's gardening catalogs! Yay, time to get the grow light out of the shed and plant seeds!
actually, my license was one or two days expired but i didn't have to do anything extra. i had checked the DMV web site to be sure - it says they will accept an expired NC license as proof of your identity and address, i think. i was prepared with my social security card just in case.
i didn't bring reading material, but i was mentally prepared for a long wait (which didn't happen). i also spent most of my time studying the sign chart.
they had moved the Cary office, too, and i found out by accident - i happened to pass the new office and notice it, so i checked on the web site.
i also mentally prepared for a driving test, but those are at the discretion of the staff, and i bet when it's busy they are less likely to decide you need a driving test.