Last Updated on June 23, 2015 3:32 pm
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is continuing its collaborative effort with the North Carolina State Board of Elections to issue no-fee voter ID cards and to register qualified voters at all driver license offices statewide in advance of the 2016 elections.
NCDMV has issued 1,019 free voter ID cards across the state to date.
As directed by the General Assembly in accordance with the Voter Information Verification Act (VIVA – House Bill 589), effective January 1, 2016, North Carolina will require voters to present valid photo identification to cast a ballot in the upcoming elections.
“Our NCDMV employees across the state have been carefully trained to help eligible customers request and receive their no-fee voter ID or other identification cards, and to ensure proper documentation is provided to keep that process secure as required under state law,” Said NCDMV Commissioner Kelly Thomas.
Since the voter ID issuance process began on January 1, 2014 there are 15 documented cases in which applicants did not provide required documentation or did not meet legal presence requirements. NCDMV later issued voter ID cards for free to five of those applicants after they gathered and produced the proper paperwork.
Since January 1, 2014 three applicants were mistakenly charged for regular special identification cards instead of receiving a no-fee ID card. NCDMV later refunded all three of those customers.
No-fee ID cards are available at all driver license locations for residents who have no other valid form of identification as per House Bill 589. Applicants will need to present documents that verify their age and identity, their residency address in North Carolina and provide a valid Social Security number. The Division has posted document requirements for the card on its website http://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/driver/id/.
Applications for cards can be made at any driver license office. The cards are mailed to applicants 10 to 15 days following the completion of an application.
According to House Bill 589, voters who are present to cast their ballot, either on the day of a primary election or early voting, will be required to show one of the following acceptable forms of photo identification:
- Unexpired North Carolina driver license, including a learners’ permit or provisional license.
- Unexpired North Carolina non-operators identification card (DMV ID card).
- Unexpired United States passport.
- United States military identification card.
- Veterans identification card.
- Tribal enrollment card issued by a federally recognized tribe.
- Tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by North Carolina.
- Out-of-state driver license or non-operators identification card (valid only if the person’s voter registration date in the country is within 90 days of the date of the election).
