§ 20-295. Action on application; grace period while application for license renewal is pending.

(a) Division Action. – Except as provided in G.S. 20-288(a)(1)b. and (a)(2), the Division shall either grant or deny an application for a license or license renewal within 30 days after receiving it. Any applicant denied a license shall, upon filing a written request within 30 days, be given a hearing at the time and place determined by the Commissioner or a person designated by the Commissioner. A hearing shall be public and shall be held with reasonable promptness.

(b) Pending License Renewal Grace Period. – When an application for license renewal has been timely submitted prior to expiration of the license, the license shall remain valid for up to 60 days after the expiration date until the Division grants or denies the application. The Division shall

(i) ensure that any database maintained by the Division that indicates the status of a license issued under this Article reflects that the license continues to be valid during this period and (ii) send a temporary license to the renewal applicant for display to evidence extension of the validity of the license to engage in business in this State while the Division reviews the renewal application. The temporary license issued by the Division pursuant to this subsection shall contain on its face the following notation: “This temporary license is issued pursuant to G.S. 20-295 during a license renewal application review by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles and is valid to engage in business in this State with all rights and privileges of a license.” In accordance with G.S. 20-79(c), a dealer license plate issued to a dealer whose license expires and is extended under this subsection remains valid as long as the temporary license issued under this subsection is valid.

(1955, c. 1243, s. 11; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1993, c. 440, s. 1; 2020-77, s. 6(a); 2021-134, s. 5; 2022-68, s. 7(a); 2023-116, s. 9(b); 2025-22, s. 1.)

Official text of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-295 as published by the North Carolina General Assembly (Chapter 20 PDF, retrieved November 10, 2026). Verify the current version on ncleg.gov ↗.