DMV Rolls Back Early Hours as Federal Funding Ends

February 4, 2026 BC News Staff Brunswick County, Columbus County, Government, News 0

NC Division of Motor Vehicles (Facebook)

DMV reverts to normal hours after ARPA support concludes

BC News Staff Writer

North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles is ending its temporary 7:00 a.m. openings after the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that supported extended hours expired. The statewide rollback affects all DMV offices that had been operating on the expanded schedule.

In Columbus County, the Whiteville Driver License Office at 917 Washington Street, located beside Merritt’s Sporting Goods, will now open at 8:00 a.m. as it returns to standard hours. No service reductions or closures are planned.

Brunswick County’s DMV locations — including the Shallotte Driver License Office and the Southport mobile unit — are also reverting to their regular 8:00 a.m. openings.

License Plate Agencies in both counties maintain independent schedules and are not part of the change.