Long lines were spotted at North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations on Saturday as the DMV resumed walk-in service at 20 office locations.
The Clayton DMV at 1665 Old U.S. Highway 70 was one of the offices opening for Saturday walk-in services. Most of the people in line told WRAL News they did not live in Johnston County.
The first people in line in Clayton arrived at 3:30 a.m. with lawn chairs. At one point, the line wrapped all the way around the building, and someone was handing out bottled water.
"For a senior citizen to stand out here in the hot sun for a mile-long wait ... I won't make it in today, so now my job is really in jeopardy," a woman waiting in line told WRAL News.
Others made the most of the long wait. Stan Austin, who was was waiting to get her REAL ID, passed the time by striking up conversation with the people she was in line with.
"I've met the most wonderful people standing here since 7 a.m.," Austin said. "But it's a test of your patience."
Some told WRAL they were pleased with how things were moving Saturday.
"I've got it, I've got it," one woman said with excitement leaving the DMV office. However for some, that was not the case.
At 11:30 a.m., DMV workers broke the news to 100 people still waiting in line that they would not be served this weekend.
There were also long walk-in lines in Durham at the 101 S. Miami Blvd. location.
"It was definitely faster," said, Rachel Yeung, a junior at Panther Creek High School who has been trying to get her Level 2 learner's permit. "I tried this week on Wednesday and I couldn't get in at a different location."
Yeung said the lines moved efficiently because the DMV sorted people based on their needs. Still, Yeung said she waited in line about three hours, playing on her phone and even sleeping.
"Everyone was anxious ... we were all ready to get this over with ... just trying to hurry up and get in and get what we needed," she said.
Camila Otero arrived at the Durham location at 8 a.m. and waited in line two hours.
"The line was probably over 50 people," Otero said. "Someone came out and started splitting people up into the road tests and then everyone else ... and made sure everyone had their required documents."
Walk-in services will be provided at the following driver license offices (no appointment necessary) from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from May 31 to Aug. 23 (closed on June 28 and July 5).
The offices will offer drivers licenses or ID cards, renewals or duplicate orders, address changes, REAL IDs and road tests for customers who have already completed the knowledge and written tests.
The expanded hours come after newly-appointed DMV Commissioner Paul Tine hosted a Friday press conference with Gov. Josh Stein to highlight the state's response to ongoing DMV challenges.
Hopkins addressed the issues of long wait times, difficulty booking appointments and an overwhelmed workforce within the DMV. He said that these issues increased due to a surge in population, strained staffing levels and a need for modernized solutions.
WRAL's 5 On Your Side has tracked long DMV lines for years, and in March, the team reported that complaints about long waits were at an all-time high.
How to get a REAL ID
To get a REAL ID, you still have to go into a DMV office. Although enforcement of the REAL ID Act has begun, you can still drive and vote with a regular driver's license or ID.