Charlotte DMVs Named Worst in Country With 30% Bad Reviews

A new study by Sudoku Bliss shows Charlotte's West Arrowood Road DMV ranks at the bottom among 140 sites in 30 cities. Bad reviews make up nearly a third of all feedback at this site.

The city's DMV crisis runs deep. Three local offices sit among the nation's five worst. The research tracked Google reviews, focusing on comments mentioning delays and poor service, with ratings of 3 stars or below.

"The staff is so mean, verbally nasty," wrote one user in a review to The Charlotte Observer.

The Executive Circle and Brookshire sites rank fourth and fifth worst. Not far behind, the Wilkinson Boulevard office sits at 13th place in the national ranking of poor service.

NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine spoke to NCDOT, stating, "There is no shortage of challenges facing our division, and it is critical that we get to work quickly to reduce wait times."

The problem spreads across North Carolina. As of April 17, not one of the state's 115 offices had open slots for license renewals. Walk-ins remain an option during weekday afternoons.

To cut down lines, officials installed self-service machines at eight spots across Charlotte and the Triangle. These kiosks handle basic tasks like renewals and registration updates.

In talks with The Observer, Master Trooper Christopher Casey mentioned officers might show leniency to drivers who can prove they've scheduled a DMV visit.

Want to voice concerns? Call 919-715-7000, fill out web surveys, or write to the transportation secretary. Just don't count on extra time: expired licenses still face penalties.