GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2021

SESSION LAW 2021-89

HOUSE BILL 297

AN ACT directing the division of motor vehicles to offer remote conversion of full provisional licenses to persons deployed out‑of‑state as members of the armed forces of the united states, providing an additional defense to driving with an expired license, and waIving the late fee for renewing an expired registration for persons DEPLOYED AS MEMBERs OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑7 reads as rewritten:

"§ 20‑7.  Issuance and renewal of drivers licenses.

…

(f)        Duration and Renewal of Licenses. – Drivers licenses shall be issued and renewed pursuant to the provisions of this subsection:

…

(6a) Remote conversion for active duty military. – The Division shall offer remote conversion to the holder of a full provisional license issued under G.S. 20‑11 to a resident of this State if the provisional license holder is deployed out‑of‑state as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States. The Division shall adopt rules to implement this subdivision.

…."

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 20‑35 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(d) Defense for Deployed Member of the Armed Forces of the United States. – A person may not be found responsible for driving a motor vehicle with an expired drivers license if, when tried for that offense, the person provides verifiable written proof of deployment and establishes the following:

(1) The person was deployed as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States when the drivers license expired.

(2) The person obtained a renewed drivers license within 30 days after returning from deployment."

SECTION 2.(b)  This section becomes effective December 1, 2021, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑88.03 reads as rewritten:

"§ 20‑88.03.  Late fee; motor vehicle registration.

(a)        Late Fee. – In addition to the applicable fees required under this Article for the registration of a motor vehicle and any interest assessed under G.S. 105‑330.4, the Division shall charge a late fee according to the following schedule to a person who pays the applicable registration fee required under this Article after the registration expires:

(1)        If the registration has been expired for less than one month, a late fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00).

(2)        If the registration has been expired for one month or greater, but less than two months, a late fee of twenty dollars ($20.00).

(3)        If the registration has been expired for two months or greater, a late fee of twenty‑five dollars ($25.00).

(a1) Waiver. – The Division shall waive the late fee assessed under subsection (a) of this section against a person who establishes the following:

(1) The person was deployed as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States when the registration expired.

(2) The person obtained a renewed registration within 30 days after the deployment ended.

…."

SECTION 4.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective October 1, 2021, and Section 1 applies to any application to remotely convert a provisional license submitted on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 14^th day of July, 2021.

                                                                    s/  Bill Rabon

                                                                         Presiding Officer of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Tim Moore

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/  Roy Cooper

                                                                         Governor

Approved 3:00 p.m. this 22^nd day of July, 2021