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NC DMV, others nationwide back up and running after database crash

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published March 21, 2024 at 1:19 PM EDT
The North Carolina REAL ID driver’s license looks much like a regular license, but it includes a star at the top. Having one is optional, but it’s recommended for those who frequently travel by air or visit federal facilities, including courthouses, military bases, and prisons.
(Image: North Carolina Department of Transportation)
The North Carolina REAL ID driver’s license looks much like a regular license, but it includes a star at the top. Having one is optional, but it’s recommended for those who frequently travel by air or visit federal facilities, including courthouses, military bases, and prisons.

All North Carolina Driver License offices were back up and running by about 1 p.m. Thursday after a temporary nationwide outage of a motor vehicle database system which prevented the issuance of driver licenses.

It was a nationwide outage that began Thursday morning, and officials say it was connected to a database maintained by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which enables members to securely share driver, vehicle, and identity verification data.

NCDOT officials say that nationwide system outage has been repaired and customer services have resumed.
Annette Weston
Annette is an award-winning journalist based in Eastern North Carolina. Her career includes professional stops across the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast, recently culminating in a 2026 Region 8 Edward R. Murrow Award for Small Market Radio Best News Series for her work on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series. Guided by a passion for human-interest storytelling, she focuses on narratives that touch hearts and connect communities. A mother of four and grandmother of two, Annette enjoys reading and creating epic Halloween costumes in her spare time. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston