Ah the DMW. It’s an organization that just slightly less painful than root canal. But the purpose of this page is to reduce the pain to a minimum by constantly updating it. My friends at Roof Above talk to them on a daily basis. I will use my weekly volunteer times with them to keep up with the best ways to replace a lost or stolen ID. Then I will share it with you here. This page is all about how to get, keep and replace an NC ID. Jump to DMV bus directions.
Of course, whenever possible you want to deal with the DMV on-line. If the ID has not expired and you know the ID# and social security #, you can order another one on-line. (that can be a big if when the ID was part of stolen backpack) The website is https://payments.ncdot.gov/. But don’t worry, you can do it for free, even though it says “payments.” There’s an excellent, step-by-step set of instructions created by the C.A.R.E.S. department of CMPD. Click that link and follow it carefully. I have rechecked the instructions as of Jan. 2025 and they’re still valid.
If you were lucky enough to take a picture of your ID or write the ID# down somewhere then this is the way to go. Once you’ve got your ID# you can request a replacement on line. . In addition to knowing your ID# you’ll also need to enter your date of birth and Social Security Number’s. If you have lost your NC ID and at some point, you’ve done an intake into the county’s HMIS system, (in other words, you received a “shelter card”) it is likely that your ID# can be found in that system.
OK, what if you don’t know your ID# or it has expired? You already know what that means; you gotta go to a DMV location in town. And you have to find two forms of identification, so the DMV knows you are who you say you are.
Getting a NC ID may be the biggest obstacle you face to getting out of homelessness. If you don’t know your ID#, then you’ll have to go to the DMV. Of course that’s never easy. Here’s a comprehensive list of what you’ll need to bring. If you want the ID for free, you’ll need a “Verification of Services Letter.” Those can be created by a case manager or peer support specialist at many of the day shelters listed on our site or at IPS at the Promise Resource Network.
You will need to prove you’re a resident of NC. The Verification of Services letter can also be used to prove you’re a North Carolina residents. You can also use one these documents to prove you’re a resident:
- North Carolina Vehicle Registration Card, insurance policy or title
- North Carolina Voter Precinct Card
- Utility bill or cable bill
- Preprinted financial statement (like a credit card statement)
Next you will need to prove you have a Social Security Number with one of these documents:
- Social Security card (can’t be a copy or laminated)
- 1099 tax form with name and FULL Social Security number
- W-2 form with name and FULL Social Security number
- Payroll record with name and FULL Social Security number
- DD-214 form
- Social Security document reflecting Social Security number
- Medicaid or Medicare card reflecting Social Security number
Finally you will need one of these documents to prove your birth date. Usually, a birth certificate is needed to prove your date of birth to the DMV. It has to be official, with a raised seal from the state. But.. birth certificates are so hard, expensive and time-consuming to get. So, they have a list of alternate documents.
| Document Type | Acceptable Documents | Notes |
| Birth certificate | •Certified birth certificate provided by a county Register of Deeds or state Vital Records Office •U.S. Report of Consular Birth Abroad | •Acceptable for REAL ID •Must be issued by a government agency in the United States, a U.S. territory or Canada •Photocopies not allowed unless certified by the issuing agency with a raised seal |
| U.S. Passport | Valid, unexpired passport from the United States | •Digital versions not accepted •Acceptable for REAL ID |
| Valid, unexpired foreign passport | Valid, unexpired passport from any nation | •Acceptable for REAL ID •Must be accompanied by an affixed valid, unexpired U.S. visa and I-94 Arrival/Departure Record |
| REAL ID | A valid, unexpired REAL ID driver license or ID card issued from some other REAL ID compliant state | •Acceptable for REAL ID |
| Motor vehicle driver’s record | •Certified or non-certified North Carolina Motor Vehicle Record •Certified out-of-state motor vehicle record | •Not acceptable for REAL ID |
| School documents | •North Carolina school transcript or registration signed by a school official •Diploma or GED from a North Carolina school, community college or university | •Not acceptable for REAL ID •Driver education certificates, driving eligibility certificates and report cards are NOT accepted as proof of identification |
| U.S. military ID | •Valid unexpired U.S. military ID, including DD-2, DD-214 •U.S. Military Dependents Card •U.S. Veteran Universal Access Card | •Not acceptable for REAL ID |
| North Carolina Limited Driving Privilege | •Must be issued by a North Carolina court •Cannot be expired more than one year | •Not acceptable for REAL ID |
| U.S. government documents | •Valid, unexpired documents issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services •An expired immigration document may be valid if accompanied by a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services extending the expiration date (e.g., I-797) | •Not acceptable for REAL ID |
| Court documents | •Official divorce decree •Court order for change of name or gender •Adoption papers •Certified court order for child support | •Not acceptable for REAL ID •Court documents from U.S. jurisdiction, U.S. territories or Canada |
Here’s how to navigate to any one of four DMV locations. You can make an appointment at DMV’s scattered around the state, but all the local ones listed below, have no available appointments. But the DMV accepts walk-in’s after 12:00pm. If you click on one of the links below, we can give you a specific, step-by-step guide to taking the bus to each of their locations. People start lining up at 11:00am for the walk-in slots. Here are to detailed bus directions to all the local offices:
| DMV West / Bus 21 6016 Brookshire Blvd Phone 704-392-3266 7a ~ 5p Mon~Fri | DMV North (Univ.)/ Bus 54X 9711 David Taylor Dr Phone 980-771-8300 7a ~ 5p Mon~Fri |
| DMV East / Bus 9 6635 Executive Cir #130 Phone 704-531-5563 7a ~ 5p Mon~Fri | DMV South / Train 501 / Bus 56 201-H West Arrowood Rd Phone 704-527-2562 7a ~ 5p Mon~Fri |
| DMV Huntersville / Bus 63X 12101 Mt. Holly Huntersville Rd Phone 704-547-5786 7:30a ~ 6p Mon~Fri | DMV Monroe / Greyhound US0660S 3122 US 74 West Phone 704-283-4264 7a ~ 5p Mon~Fri |