ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WAVY) — Drivers in North Carolina will soon be getting an upgrade.
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) announced Tuesday that it will begin issuing new driver licenses, permits and identification cards.
“I am proud to announce the implementation of the most secure credential in our great state’s history,” said DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “Our new licenses and IDs will be among the most secure identifying documents in the world.”
According to the NCDMV, the new cards will feature the latest in card security design and construction specifically intended to combat fraud.
Made of 100% polycarbonate, the new will look, feel and sound different. When dropped onto a tabletop, it will make a unique metallic sound.
The front of the card features the state’s flower, the dogwood, the state flag, state border outline, a marbled salamander, and a lighthouse, all at the forefront of the rolling hills in the west. On the back of the card is a Colonial Spanish mustang grazing along one of North Carolina’s many beaches in the east.
These design elements are among more than 50 security features used to assist law enforcement in the deterrence and detection of fraud.
NCDMV said production of the cards will begin later this week.
Current licenses and ID cards will remain valid until their expiration date.
It is important to note that the NCDMV is experiencing production delays with printing drivers licenses and ID cards. NCDOT acknowledged that it is taking longer than the normal 15 days for customers to receive these products in the mail. They cited issues with the outside private contractor responsible for the printing. The temporary certificate customers receive when they make the purchase is valid for 60 days. Some drivers have reported having to wait up to six week for their new cards.
If you do not receive your card before the expiration date, call NCDMV Central Issuance at 919-861-3555 for assistance.
The DMV says it plans to switch printer vendors next month.