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The reason for the 30 waiting period is likely punishment. Fines , jail time and suspension of driving privileges are all methods used to encourage people to follow laws and thereby prevent citizens from suffering for the over-site , carelessness or disregard of others.
You can. They will clear it up for you. Obviously your friend didn't do this.
It wasn't that easy in my friend's situation. She had just moved to NC in July 2013 and up to the point of being pulled over on that particular day, she had no run-ins with the law. As a matter of fact, her driving record is clean and her occupation is as a delivery driver for a parts company, using the company vehicle for her route.
The morning she received this ticket, we started making telephone calls. We contacted the DMV offices in the state capital AND in the city where she lives. Both offices told us that there was a 30-day waiting period before she could get her license plates replaced and "No, she cannot get a temporary tag." It was a headache, to say the least.
In addition, we were told by the same DMV offices that she had to get her car inspected again because, even though it had been inspected before getting her first set of license tags, it had been over 90 days since the last inspection. That's a peculiar law also, but again ... another thread.
The reason for the 30-day waiting period is likely punishment. Fines, jail time and suspension of driving privileges are all methods used to encourage people to follow laws and thereby prevent citizens from suffering for the over-site, carelessness or disregard of others.
I could totally understand a lengthy waiting period if this were a chronic offender that just doesn't care or doesn't seem to learn any lessons. And I can agree that this might be a good remedy.
Also, if my friend had not been insured at the time of being pulled over, a 30-day waiting period might make a little more sense. But to impose a 30-day waiting period for a first time offense on an insured individual who was not speeding or driving recklessly, for a non-moving violation that occurred several months before and was corrected four days after it had occurred, well, that is quite a stretch.
How is it handled when someone doesn't have three forms of ID with their full name? Is there a remedy?
If your current license doesn't show the full middle name, you could always use a birth certificate, marriage license, SS card, and passport.
Most states only require out of state license, birth certificate/passport, SS card, and one or more proofs of residency for transferring or obtaining a license.
Yet another NC law for getting a drivers license is that you must have three forms of ID with you full name, i.e., first, middle and last.
That is probably a horror story for a married woman moving into NC with a DL from her home state that only requires the middle initial.
Interesting except that it isn't true.
The requirements for new residents to get a license are listed here. NCDOT: Getting a License or Learner Permit, Steps It's not as draconian as some wish to make it out to be. Most of the problems occur when people show up at the DMV unprepared. You don't have to have a license from another state as there are numerous alternatives.
They did tighten up requirements a few years back because so many illegal aliens (what the media disingenuously calls undocumented immigrants) were coming to NC to get a DL with fake documents.
..... But to impose a 30-day waiting period for a first time offense on an insured individual who was not speeding or driving recklessly, for a non-moving violation that occurred several months before and was corrected four days after it had occurred, well, that is quite a stretch.
How many times does someone need to break the law before the penalty applies?
Damage caused by uninsured motorists is a very significant issue and you better hope you are never in an accident with one. I'm willing to guess, that in every case, the uninsured, had all the best intentions in the world, but the fact remains, they had no liability insurance.
In any case, this is no longer about "ridiculous NC" as you originally suggested. However if you still contend that NC is no longer suitable to move to for you and your husband because your friend was held to account, then I'd say you should probably stay in Alabama. (though it sounds as if the law is pretty much the same there too.) IMO, I think there are more important things to be worrying about.
How many times does someone need to break the law before the penalty applies?
Damage caused by uninsured motorists is a very significant issue and you better hope you are never in an accident with one. I'm willing to guess, that in every case, the uninsured, had all the best intentions in the world, but the fact remains, they had no liability insurance.
In any case, this is no longer about "ridiculous NC" as you originally suggested. However if you still contend that NC is no longer suitable to move to for you and your husband because your friend was held to account, then I'd say you should probably stay in Alabama. (though it sounds as if the law is pretty much the same there too.) IMO, I think there are more important things to be worrying about.
I think everyone agrees that driving without insurance is illegal in every state, but NC is one of the few states that will remove plates from a vehicle, just because insurance lapsed at one point in the past. Removing plates on vehicles currently uninsured is perfectly understandable though.
Are NC legislators in bed with the auto insurance companies?
I know someone who was recently pulled over by a police officer for something relatively minor (such as having a tail light out) back in the month of March 2014. In the course of "running the plates" it was discovered that the driver's automobile insurance had briefly lapsed in November 2013, however four days later (after payday), she was able to get it going once again. Because of that four-day lapse, the officer who pulled her over was legally able to remove her license plates from her vehicle and have them destroyed. She had to leave her car parked until a friend could tow it to a safe location and she was not able to get her license plates replaced until a 30-day waiting period had passed, meaning that she was unable to drive her vehicle during this time.
This action created it's own hardship (due to the fines and fees that resulted), but it was nonsensical that the state would also confiscate her license plates, leaving her unable to drive back and forth to work so she could earn money to pay the penalties, get a new inspection and purchase new plates.
In calling state offices in effort to help my friend, I was told that the law in NC is that a licensed vehicle must have insurance (yes, that I understand) and that any lapses or cancellations on the insurance during that year will result in plate confiscation, fines and associated fees.
Here is are my two biggest issues with the way this law is written:
1) We live in another state and have two older vehicles that are driven only once or twice a year. As a result, I keep the license plates current, but only insure them during the months they are going to be on the road. When they are not in use, I cancel the insurance on them. After all, why pay for something when we don't need it?
2) Since my friend was pulled over in March and had insurance, but was penalized for the four-day period in November when she didn't have insurance, how does the state know whether or not she even had her vehicle on the road during that four-day period? I do not know if she did or didn't, but what I am saying is that the officer assumed she was 'guilty' of driving without insurance during that four-day period just because of the lapse. In reality, she could have left her car in the driveway and rode with a coworker until payday. What happens to people who have major car repairs and have to nickle and dime their way through the repair over several months? Why would someone want to add the cost of also paying insurance for a broken down vehicle just because "it's the law"?
Overall, this was quite a learning experience for me and my friend. Up to that point, my husband and I were seriously considering moving our family to NC. No longer. NC can keep it's ridiculous laws and the people who put up with them. We'll stay where we are.
You didn't want to move here to start with, you had some other impression of NC or perhaps you are stretching the truth and do drive those cars you mentioned without insurance.
I'm pretty sure your home state has some stupid laws.
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