North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV/RMV) Customer Service

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles' automated system appears to have everything a caller could want from an automated menu system. When you dial this number, you're connected to an extensive list of menu options related to driving-related issues, such as obtaining a driver's license, dealing with car insurance concerns and getting certain certifications for commercial licenses.

At any point, a customer can hit zero to speak to a live person if they need a specific question cleared up. But for basic questions, the automated system offers virtually every bit of information that a customer could need. For the first two sections of the menu, the customer can either say which branch of DMV services they need help with or use their keypad as they would on most menus. After the second menu, the customer can only use their keypads to navigate the menu, as the system only offers complete audio messages in each section.

When I navigated to the main menu and selected driver's licenses services as a new resident of North Carolina, I first landed on a menu that said I would have 60 days after moving to the state to get my new license. If I was seeking a commercial license, I would instead have 30 days. I was then directed to another set of menus, which allowed me to ask for a list of documents needed to get my license and request a fee schedule.

I navigated to the second menu and was told tha to get my new license, I would need to provide proof of identity, meaning proof of my name and date of birth, with at least one of my identity-establishing documents displaying my date of birth. I would also need to provide my Social Security number and two documents establishing proof of my new residency in North Carolina.

I then moved to the fee schedule menu and was told that I'd need to pay $5.50 per year to obtain a valid license. The system told me I would also need to take the state's knowledge test of its signs and laws, and I would need to take the state's road test unless a DMV official approved waiving the need for me to take the road test.

Overall, I thought this system was set up so well that there was no need for me to speak to an actual representative. The information was laid out perfectly and was easy to access, as I simply needed to choose the aspect in which I needed help, and the system gave me all of the rest of the information I needed. The system plugged the North Carolina DMV's website several times and suggested that I could use that to make appointments and get information if I preferred.

The state clearly wants to limit the need to speak to a person, and it does a fine job of doing that. Even with that, you can always speak to someone if you need assistance.