The North Carolina Department of Transportation on Wednesday named Paul Tine as the new commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). His first day will be May 6.

Tine replaces Wayne Goodwin, who has led the DMV since 2022. 

Tine is the long-time owner of Midgett Insurance Agency and a former member of the General Assembly. He formerly served two terms in the state House of Representatives, representing Dare, Hyde, Washington and Beaufort counties.

“He is the right person for this job, and I have charged him with urgently
identifying ways to make the DMV work better for North Carolinians,” Gov. Josh Stein said.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins previously said the state had 40 applicants to replace Goodwin.

WRAL’s 5 On Your Side has tracked long DMV lines for years, but frustrations grew recently when Goodwin faced criticism from lawmakers over delays.

In March, 5 On Your Side reported viewer complaints about long DMV delays were at an all-time high. Whether booking an appointment or walking into one of North Carolina’s 115 offices, neither option seems to work. Some walk-ins reported waiting all day, only to be turned away when the line filled up.

The state has said outdated technology and a lack of DMV staff have contributed to the delays. To improve the DMV’s technology, North Carolina is looking at Arizona’s DMV, which has streamlined its software.

According to the NCDOT, the state budget also calls for funding for 61 new driver license examiners and 24 new positions to staff driver license offices.

In Wednesday’s announcement, Tine said he will work to address wait times, staffing challenges and customer
satisfaction.

Tine said, “There is no shortage of challenges facing our division, and it is
critical that we get to work quickly to reduce wait times, make our website
more user friendly, and empower our frontline staff to ensure the highest level
of service to our citizens.”