Now, waiting at the DMV in NC doesn’t necessarily mean waiting in the DMV office

The state of limbo that is waiting in line at a DMV office in North Carolina is getting a little easier with the help of QR codes.

The state Division of Motor Vehicles is rolling out a new check-in system at its driver’s license offices that begins with people scanning a QR code and sending a short text message when they arrive. That establishes their place in line and will eventually be followed by reply text message to let them know it’s their turn to see an agent.

That means customers can leave the office to go wait in their cars, take a walk or pop into a nearby store or coffee shop while they wait to be summoned.

“This project frees people up to not have to wait in line at our offices,” said DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.

DMV began using the system at its largest driver’s license offices this summer, including most in the Triangle. It should be in place in all 115 offices statewide by the end of the first week of August, said DMV spokesman Marty Homan.

For customers without smart phones, the DMV is working on a system like the ones restaurants use, where customers are handed a device that will buzz and light up when it’s their turn.

DMV encourages people to go online for routine business, including most license renewals or duplicates. For those who must visit a driver’s license office, it urges them to make an appointment.

Still, the agency handles walk-ins, and there’s usually a wait. According to the DMV, the average wait to see an agent so far this year is 21 minutes, but that number is likely higher during the summer, the agency’s busiest season.

Through Aug. 26, the DMV is holding Saturday morning hours at 16 offices statewide for walk-in customers only.

DMV calls its new system Q-Anywhere, part of a growing use of QR codes by restaurants, bars and other businesses. One advantage for the DMV is that it reduces the need for employees to greet people and manage the waiting process.

“It actually allows us to be able to service more customers in the back with the ability of customers being able to check themselves in and be self-sufficient,” said Tanika Williams, a supervisor at the DMV’s Raleigh East driver’s license office on New Bern Avenue.