AN ACT to authorize EIGHT‑YEAR drivers licenses as recommended by the joint legislative transportation oversight committee, and to provide for the issuance of temporary driving certificates pending the issuance of a drivers license.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑7(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f)	Duration and Renewal of Licenses. –  Drivers licenses shall be issued and renewed pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.
(1)	Duration of license for persons under age 18. – A full provisional license issued to a person under the age of 18 shall expire on the person's twenty‑first birthday.
(2)	Duration of license for persons at least 18 years of age or older. – A drivers license issued to a person at least 18 years old but less than 54 years old expires eight years after the date of issuance. A drivers license issued to a person at least 54 years old expires five years after the date of issuance. 
(3)	Duration of license. – A drivers license that was issued by the Division and is renewed by the Division expires at the end of the period provided by this subsection after the expiration date of the license that is renewed unless the Division determines that a license of shorter duration should be issued when the applicant holds a visa of limited duration from the United States Department of  Homeland Security, but in no event shall the license expire later than the applicant's lawful presence in the United States. A person may apply to the Division to renew a license during the 180‑day period before the license expires. The Division may not accept an application for renewal made before the 180‑day period begins.
(4)	Renewal by mail. – The Division may renew by mail a drivers license issued by the Division to a person who meets any of the following descriptions:
a.	Is serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and is stationed outside this State.
b.	Is a resident of this State and has been residing outside the State for at least 30 continuous days.
When renewing a license by mail, the Division may waive the examination that would otherwise be required for the renewal and may impose any conditions it finds advisable. A license renewed by mail is a temporary license that expires 60 days after the person to whom it is issued returns to this State".
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑7(f) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(5)	License to be sent by mail. – The Division shall issue to the applicant a temporary driving certificate valid for 20 days, unless the applicant is applying for renewal by mail under subdivision (4) of this subsection. The temporary driving certificate shall be valid for driving purposes only and shall not be valid for identification purposes. The Division shall produce the applicant's drivers license at a central location and send it to the applicant by first‑class mail at the residence address provided by the applicant."
SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective January 1, 2007. Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2008.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27th day of July, 2006.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 12:56 p.m. this 23rd day of August, 2006