SC DMV set to begin massive technology upgrade to agency’s ‘ancient’ computer system

South Carolina Daily Gazette     by: Jessica Holdman

Sitting inside a South Carolina’s drivers’ licensing office to await your turn could become a thing of the past.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles can begin raising the money it needs to upgrade software systems that are roughly three decades old.

DMV Director Kevin Shwedo said he doesn’t know of any state in the nation other than South Carolina still operating on a system developed in the ‘90s. But that’s about to change over the next five years as the DMV prepares for a nearly $100 million overhaul.

Shwedo, who’s led the agency since 2011, warned legislators earlier this year that putting off upgrades could have dire consequences.

Wait times could soar again, he said, reminding legislators of the four-hour waits before the current computer system went live statewide in 2002. (Reducing the lines became part of then-GOP-nominee Mark Sanford’s winning campaign to oust Gov. Jim Hodges that year.)

And some of South Carolinians’ most sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, birth certificates, passport numbers, marriage licenses, and divorce papers, could be targeted by hackers.

The Legislature agreed, giving the DMV the OK to increase document fees by $4 and raise the necessary funding to build and maintain a new system expected to last two to three decades.

What’s next?

Shwedo points to South Carolina’s population growth over his tenure, from 4.6 million in 2010 to an estimated 5.5 million in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Yet the number of people working for DMV statewide has changed little since it became a stand-alone agency in 2003, when Sanford signed the DMV Reform Act.

That leaves the agency turning to technology to make up the difference, transferring more services online to meet demands.

The state DMV’s goal for wait times inside its branches is under 20 minutes. But actual waits vary. People are encouraged to check online for the number of people in queue and wait times at their local branch. At the Shop Road location in Columbia, for example, the maximum posted wait Monday morning was 25 minutes.

The upgrades should allow for most services to be done online, negating the need to come in at all, Shwedo said.

“We want to transition from ancient technology to one that will bring the DMV into your home,” Shwedo said. “I don’t want you to come to the DMV any more than you want to be there, which means I want to create more opportunities for you to interface with the DMV online. This technology will allow us to get there.”

Shwedo envisions a security system that verifies residents’ identity by tracking and identifying phone numbers when people come in or multi-factor identification when they sign in through the DMV website.

He also hopes to install kiosks in county tax offices, so when people pay their property taxes they can print out their new registration on the spot.

Finally, the state is working on a virtual driver’s license and ID card, one that can be linked with other state licenses people may hold, such as a hunting and fishing license or a concealed carry permit.

A big expense

The problem is it’s a lengthy and expensive project.

DMV services are heavily intertwined with those of other agencies, such as taxes and probate court and insurance.

Shwedo said the agency will spend the next year contracting out the project. After that it will take two years to code driver-related information and then two more years after that for vehicle-related information.

To pay for it, the DMV is bumping up fees for things such as vehicle history records, accident reports and copies of traffic tickets from $6 to $10. It marks the first time in more than 40 years that these fees have increased. It also puts South Carolina more in line with fees charged in other Southern states.

The agency anticipates it will raise an extra $12 million annually.

It has $44 million available to get started. That includes $26 million the Legislature set aside for the project in the last two budgets: $6 million in one-time aid last year and $20 million in 2023. The DMV has additionally squirreled away about $18 million through fees.

After the upgrade is complete, the additional fees will cover the system’s annual maintenance costs.