Mobile Drivers Licenses.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 10

Short Title: Mobile Drivers Licenses. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Hanig and Moffitt (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
January 30, 2025
*S10-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT REQUIRING THE DIVISION OF MOTOR V EHICLES TO PROVIDE M OBILE 2
DRIVERS LICENSES UPO N REQUEST, EXTENDING RECIPROCITY TO MOBI LE 3
DRIVERS LICENSES ISS UED BY OTHER STATES, REQUIRING LAW 4
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO UNDERGO TRAINING TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE 5
INTERACTIONS WITH MOBILE DRIVERS LICENSE HOLDERS, AND CLARIFYING 6
THAT A MOBILE DRIVERS LICENSE SATISFIES THE IN-PERSON VOTING PHOTO 7
IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. 8
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 9
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-7(m1) reads as rewritten: 10
"(m1) Mobile Drivers License. – Upon request of an applicant for whom a valid license 11
exists or is issued, the Commissioner may shall issue a mobile drivers license as a supplement to 12
the valid license. A Unless otherwise provided by la w, a mobile drivers license is the legal 13
equivalent of a valid license.license, for any purpose, including identification." 14
SECTION 2. Article 1A of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 15
a new section to read: 16
"§ 20-4.13. Mobile drivers licenses. 17
The Commissioner shall extend reciprocity to a mobile drivers license issued by another state 18
if the license was issued subject to requirements substantially similar to the requirements for 19
mobile drivers license issuance in this State." 20
SECTION 3. G.S. 17C-6 reads as rewritten: 21
"§ 17C-6. Powers of Commission. 22
(a) In addition to powers conferred upon the Commission elsewhere in this Article, the 23
Commission shall have the following powers, which shall be enforceable through its rules and 24
regulations, certification procedures, or the provisions of G.S. 17C-10: 25
… 26
(14) Establish minimum standards for in -service training for criminal justice 27
officers. In-service training standards for sworn law enforcement officers shall 28
include all of the following training topics: 29
… 30
j. Training to ensure appropriate interactions with mobile drivers license 31
holders. 32
…." 33
SECTION 4. G.S. 17E-4 reads as rewritten: 34
"§ 17E-4. Powers and duties of the Commission. 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 10-First Edition
(a) The Commission shall have the following powers, duties, and responsibilities, which 1
are enforceable through its rules and regulations, certification procedures, or the provisions of 2
G.S. 17E-8 and G.S. 17E-9: 3
… 4
(11) Establish minimum standards for in -service training for justice officers. 5
In-service training standards for sworn law enforcement officers shall include 6
all of the following training topics: 7
… 8
j. Training to ensure appropriate interactions with mobile drivers license 9
holders. 10
…." 11
SECTION 5. G.S. 163-166.16 reads as rewritten: 12
"§ 163-166.16. Requirement for photo identification to vote in person. 13
(a) Photo Identification Required to Vote. – When a registered voter presents to vote in 14
person, the registered voter shall produce any of the following forms of identification that contain 15
a photograph of the registered voter: 16
(1) Any of the following that is valid and unexpired, or has been expired for one 17
year or less: 18
a. A North Carolina drivers license.license, including a mobile drivers 19
license as defined in G.S. 20-4.01. 20
…." 21
SECTION 6. The Division of Motor Vehicles of the Department of Transportation 22
may contract with a qualified vendor or vendors to develop and implement the mobile drivers 23
license system mandated by G.S. 20-7(m1), as modified by this act. The Division shall adopt 24
rules implementing the requirements of this section. No later than October 1, 2025, the Division 25
shall do all of the following: 26
(1) Develop and implement a public awareness program to inform the general 27
public about the availability, functionality, and security of mobile drivers 28
licenses. 29
(2) In conjunction with the North Carolina School of Government and the 30
Department of Public Safety, develop and implement a training program 31
designed to ensure law enforcement officers are appropriately equipped for 32
interactions with mobile drivers license holders. At minimum, the training 33
shall address the protections afforded by the United States and North Carolina 34
Constitutions and how those protections relate to mobile drivers licenses. This 35
training shall be made available to both State and local government law 36
enforcement officers no later than January 1, 2026. 37
(3) Notify the State Board of Elections, the Department of Public Safety, and the 38
Secretary of State of the pendency of mobile drivers licenses. 39
(4) Consult with th e federal Transportation Security Administration throughout 40
the development and implementation of the mobile drivers license system to 41
ensure mobile drivers licenses comply with all federal laws and regulations. 42
SECTION 7. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this act become effective July 1, 2026. The 43
remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law. 44