To replace an NC ID card that’s been lost, stolen, or damaged, pay the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles a $14 duplicate fee, either online through the myDMV portal or in person at a driver license office. Online is faster, but it’s not available to everyone, and if you hold a REAL ID you’ll have to go in person.
Make Sure You Need a Replacement, Not a Renewal
The NCDMV calls a replacement a “duplicate,” and it only applies while your current card is still within its validity period. If the card has already expired, the Division treats the transaction as a renewal instead, with a different process and different fees. Check the expiration date before you start.
A duplicate also covers name and address updates on an otherwise valid card. North Carolina law gives you 60 days to notify the Division after any name or address change, so if that’s the reason you’re reaching for a new card, don’t let the clock run.1North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 20-7.1 – Notice of Change of Address or Name
Replacing Your ID Online
The fastest route is the myDMV portal at edmv.ncdot.gov. The system asks for your ID number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number, confirms your details, and takes the $14 fee by credit or debit card.2North Carolina Department of Transportation. NC Division of Motor Vehicles – MyDMV
Online replacement has hard limits. Your card must have active status, and the NCDMV must already have a photo on file. If either is missing, the portal won’t let you through. And REAL ID cards cannot be replaced online under any circumstances. Every REAL ID replacement has to be done in person.3North Carolina Department of Transportation. Replacement and Duplicate License That restriction catches a lot of people, especially since REAL ID enforcement for domestic air travel began in May 2025.4Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
Replacing Your ID In Person
If online isn’t an option, you’ll need to visit a driver license office. Book a time slot through the NCDMV appointment scheduler at skiptheline.ncdot.gov.5NCDMV. NCDMV Driver Service Appointment Scheduler After booking, you’ll get a confirmation link by text or email. Click it within 15 minutes or the appointment cancels automatically. A reminder goes out the day before.
What to bring depends on what you’re changing:
- A simple lost or damaged card with no updates: your existing information and the $14 fee.
- Name change: a legal document connecting your old and new names, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
- Address or residency not current in NCDMV records: two documents proving your North Carolina address (utility bills, lease agreements, or bank statements with your name and physical address) and one document proving legal presence (a birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or immigration document).
- REAL ID replacement: the full first-time REAL ID package — one identity document with your full name, one document showing your full Social Security number, two proofs of North Carolina residency, and any name-change documents if applicable.
Who Pays Nothing
The $14 fee is set by statute, and the same statute waives it for applicants who are legally blind, homeless (with a letter from a shelter director), or have a developmental disability certified by a primary care provider.6North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-37.7 – Special Identification Card Bring the supporting documentation and the fee will be waived at the office.
When the New Card Arrives
The NCDMV mails the replacement to the address on file. The official timeframe is up to 20 business days, which is roughly a month of calendar time.7North Carolina Department of Transportation. License and ID Renewal
If you went to an office, you’ll leave with a paper temporary identification certificate to use in the meantime.8North Carolina Department of Transportation. What to Expect for Your REAL ID Visit One quirk for REAL ID: the temporary certificate does not carry the gold star. The star appears only on the permanent card when it reaches you in the mail. Online applicants get a digital confirmation receipt; whether a given bank, employer, or airline will accept it varies.
Voting Before Your Replacement Arrives
If an election falls inside the waiting window, a missing ID doesn’t cost you your vote. At the polls, complete an ID Exception Form and select “photo ID is lost, stolen, or misplaced” as the reason, then cast a provisional ballot.9North Carolina State Board of Elections. Voter ID County election staff review eligibility after Election Day and count the ballot if everything checks out.
You also have a second option: vote provisionally without the form, then bring an acceptable photo ID to your county board of elections office by noon on the third business day after the election.10North Carolina State Board of Elections. Provisional Voting