DMV director urges lawmakers to fund $100 million modernization, warns of Real ID deadline and staffing pressures
May 06, 2025 | 2025 Legislative Meetings, South Carolina
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Kevin Shweto, executive director of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, told the House Education and Public Works Committee that the DMV faces growing demand, high staff turnover and an aging IT platform that the agency cannot sustain without modernization funding.
"We have grown since I've been here as a state from 4,000,000 to 5,300,000," Shweto said, and added that agency personnel and budgets have not grown at the same pace. He described current workforce challenges: roughly 1,500 employees statewide with a cited 33 percent annual turnover (about 500 departures) and a front‑line workforce requiring training across dozens of legal and technical transaction types.
Shweto warned that the DMV still relies on a legacy system called Phoenix written in COBOL and said a modernized replacement would cost roughly $100 million. "When that system goes down ... nothing" is possible, he said, arguing that modernization is essential for identity services, law enforcement checks and fraud prevention.
On Real ID, he urged residents to obtain the credential ahead of federal enforcement dates and said roughly 60 percent of the state's population had Real ID at the time of his presentation. He described forthcoming operational changes: centralized card issuance in September and a plan to mail replacement cards rather than instant issuance at all local offices to improve card security. Shweto also described plans for future mobile credentials that could use biometrics and said such modernization could reduce fraud and administrative costs.
Shweto also discussed public‑safety issues and enforcement gaps; he criticized current DUI laws as insufficiently punitive and cited an annual range of about 25,000 first‑time DUI arrests as an indicator of broader roadway safety problems. He urged legislators to review statutes and funding streams tied to road‑safety and licensing enforcement.
Committee members and the chair asked about specific authorities and next steps; Shweto said he has repeatedly requested modernization funding and asked lawmakers to press leadership to include it in budget priorities. He also offered direct contact information for legislators seeking help resolving local DMV issues.
"We have grown since I've been here as a state from 4,000,000 to 5,300,000," Shweto said, and added that agency personnel and budgets have not grown at the same pace. He described current workforce challenges: roughly 1,500 employees statewide with a cited 33 percent annual turnover (about 500 departures) and a front‑line workforce requiring training across dozens of legal and technical transaction types.
Shweto warned that the DMV still relies on a legacy system called Phoenix written in COBOL and said a modernized replacement would cost roughly $100 million. "When that system goes down ... nothing" is possible, he said, arguing that modernization is essential for identity services, law enforcement checks and fraud prevention.
On Real ID, he urged residents to obtain the credential ahead of federal enforcement dates and said roughly 60 percent of the state's population had Real ID at the time of his presentation. He described forthcoming operational changes: centralized card issuance in September and a plan to mail replacement cards rather than instant issuance at all local offices to improve card security. Shweto also described plans for future mobile credentials that could use biometrics and said such modernization could reduce fraud and administrative costs.
Shweto also discussed public‑safety issues and enforcement gaps; he criticized current DUI laws as insufficiently punitive and cited an annual range of about 25,000 first‑time DUI arrests as an indicator of broader roadway safety problems. He urged legislators to review statutes and funding streams tied to road‑safety and licensing enforcement.
Committee members and the chair asked about specific authorities and next steps; Shweto said he has repeatedly requested modernization funding and asked lawmakers to press leadership to include it in budget priorities. He also offered direct contact information for legislators seeking help resolving local DMV issues.
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