North Carolina SB 245: Expand Remote Drivers License Services.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-91
SENATE BILL 245

*S245-v-6*
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL REMOTE RENEWALS OF DRIVERS
LICENSES, TO ELIMINATE THE DRIVING LOG REQUIREMENT AND AUTHORIZE
REMOTE ISSUANCE FOR FULL PROVISIONAL LICENSES, TO MAKE A
TECHNICAL CORRECTION RELATED TO POSSESSION OF EMBALMING FLUID,
AND TO MAKE VARIOUS APPROPRIATIONS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. G.S. 20-7(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f) Duration and Renewal of Licenses. – Drivers licenses shall be issued and renewed
pursuant to the provisions of this subsection:
...
(6) Remote renewal renewal, issuance, or conversion. – Subject to the following
requirements and limitations, the Division may offer remote renewal of a
drivers license license, remote issuance of a full provisional license, or remote
conversion of a full provisional license issued by the Division:
a. Requirements. – To be eligible for remote renewal renewal, issuance,
or conversion under this subdivision, a person must meet all of the
following requirements:
1. The license holder possesses either (i) a valid Class C drivers
license or license, (ii) a valid limited provisional license and is
at least 16 years old but less than 18 years old at the time of the
remote issuance, or (iii) a valid full provisional license and is
at least 18 years old at the time of the remote conversion.
...
4. For a remote renewal, the most recent renewal was an
in-person renewal transaction was in person and included a
new color photograph of the license holder and was not a
remote renewal under this subdivision.subdivision, except that
a license holder may remotely renew a license a second
consecutive time if either of the following apply:
I. The license being renewed is not REAL ID compliant
pursuant to the REAL ID Act of 2005, 49 U.S.C. §
30301.
II. The license being renewed is REAL ID compliant but
is being converted to a non-REAL ID compliant license
for purposes of the renewal.
...
f. Definition. – For purposes of this subdivision, "remote renewal
renewal, issuance, or conversion" means renewal of a drivers license
license, issuance of a full provisional license, or conversion of a full

Page 2 Session Law 2025-91 Senate Bill 245
provisional license by mail, telephone, electronic device, or other
secure means approved by the Commissioner.
...."
SECTION 2. G.S. 20-11(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f) Level 3. – A person who is at least 16 years old but less than 18 years old may obtain
a full provisional license if the person meets all of the following requirements:
(1) Has held a limited provisional license issued by the Division for at least six
months.
(2) Has not been convicted of a motor vehicle moving violation or seat belt
infraction or a violation of G.S. 20-137.3 during the preceding six months.
(3) Has a driving eligibility certificate or a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(4) Has completed a driving log, on a form approved by the Division, detailing a
minimum of 12 hours as the operator of a motor vehicle of a class for which
the driver is licensed. The log must show at least six hours of the required
driving occurred during nighttime hours. The driving log must be signed by
the supervising driver for any hours driven outside the provisions of
subdivision (e)(2) of this section and submitted to the Division at the time the
applicant seeks to obtain a full provisional license. If the Division has cause
to believe that a driving log has been falsified, the limited provisional licensee
shall be required to complete a new driving log with the same requirements
and shall not be eligible to obtain a full provisional license for six months.
A person who meets these requirements may obtain a full provisional license by mail.remotely,
as provided in G.S. 20-7(f)(6)."
SECTION 3. Part V of S.L. 2025-72 is repealed.
SECTION 3.5.(a) G.S. 90-96.2(c3)(3a), as enacted by S.L. 2025-71, reads as
rewritten:
"(3a) A violation of G.S. 90-113.154 G.S. 90-113.154(b)(1) punishable as a Class I
felony."
SECTION 3.5.(b) This section becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to
offenses committed on or after that date.
SECTION 4.(a) There is appropriated from the IT Reserve established in Section
2.2(d) of S.L. 2023-134 to the Administrative Office of the Courts, Budget Fund 100051, the
sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to
be used for time-limited technology and business process positions related to eCourts
implementation.
SECTION 4.(b) There is appropriated from the IT Reserve established in Section
2.2(d) of S.L. 2023-134 to the Department of Information Technology the sum of fifteen million
dollars ($15,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used for
cybersecurity.
SECTION 4.(c) This section is effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 4.5.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Bureau
of Investigation (Bureau) the sum of one million four