Gov. Doug Burgum today signed an executive order that extends the renewal date for motor vehicle registrations and driver licenses that expired on or after March 1, 2020. The new renewal date is Aug. 31, 2020.
Today’s order replaces Executive Order 2020-07, which was signed March 20 and waived expiration dates for vehicle registration and driver licenses during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
License renewal and vehicle registration services are available by appointment only and can be scheduled through the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) website at dot.nd.gov or by calling 1-855-633-6835. The department currently is working to address a backlog of 20,650 driver license renewals and 48,000 motor vehicle registrations that expired during the COVID-19 emergency.
“Much work has been completed to help get us in position to close this backlog, and team members at NDDOT are working hard,” Burgum said, noting NDDOT staff have been completing driver’s tests on Saturdays, traveled to tribal nations to provide photo IDs for voting purposes, and expanded the use of drop boxes and appointments for vehicle title paperwork. “With this appointment process, this is an opportunity for us to help streamline and reduce wait times, which is our ultimate goal – to provide great service for North Dakota citizens.”
Since the North Dakota Smart Restart effort was launched May 11, the NDDOT has completed 13,875 driver tests, license renewals and duplicate licenses and 127,567 motor vehicle transactions, in addition to receiving nearly 80,000 phone calls for services and 4,171 emails requesting appointments, Burgum said.
“To our citizens and our communities and employers, thanks for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time,” he said.
Burgum noted that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration also has extended the REAL ID deadline to October 2021.
For more information about driver license and motor vehicle registration renewals, including online services available, visit the NDDOT website here.
During today’s press briefing, Burgum noted the state completed a record number of tests in one week, confirming 198 cases of COVID-19 out of 22,865 tests conducted from June 17-23, for a positive rate of 0.9 percent. In total, the state has now completed 158,526 tests resulting in a total of 3,320 positive cases, ranking 6th in the nation in testing per capita.
North Dakota currently has 234 active confirmed cases of COVID-19, down from 330 active cases reported a week ago. The state has seen 3,008 people recover and 78 deaths of individuals with COVID-19. Currently, 28 people are hospitalized.
Burgum stressed the importance of testing to identify positive cases and protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19, the elderly and individuals with underlying health conditions.
For more information on North Dakota’s COVID-19 response, visit www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus or www.ndresponse.gov.