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Get ready for long lines at North Carolina DMV offices this summer as pandemic delays and economic forces bring record demand for licenses.

Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Torre Jessup urged motorists to conduct business online if they can.

Summer is usually the busiest time at DMV, but many people have waited to get vaccinated before completing transactions, the division said in a news release.

The COVID-19 pandemic also delayed thousands of teenagers in completing in-person driving tests to obtain their provisional licenses. And the agency’s job vacancy rate remains high because of the state’s strong job market, according to DMV.

DMV is encouraging people who must complete in-person business to schedule appointments, or wait to come in until after Labor Day. Meanwhile, the agency is opening new offices, expanding hours and hiring new license examiners.

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