SC DMV director urges $100M modernization, warns of Real ID deadline and workforce strain
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Summary
The South Carolina DMV director told a legislative committee the agency needs a $100 million system modernization, pointed to high staff turnover and warned citizens about Real ID compliance; he also urged lawmakers to address vehicle and highway safety rules he said create recurring public‑safety costs.
South Carolina’s Department of Motor Vehicles director told the House Education and Public Works Committee that the DMV’s aging technology and a high‑turnover workforce are straining services and that state investment is needed to modernize systems and accelerate Real ID compliance.
"When we get to mobile driver's licenses on your phone, I can create a wallet to go ahead and do all that stuff," Kevin Shweto, executive director of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, said during his remarks. He said the DMV’s legacy system — described as "Phoenix" and written in COBOL — is fragile and that modernizing it would cost roughly $100 million.
Shweto told lawmakers the DMV has about 1,500 employees across 66 offices, that roughly 33 percent of staff turnover (about 500 employees) occurs annually, and that workforce pay compression has reduced buying power despite earlier raises. He said demographic characteristics of the DMV workforce include a high proportion of female and single‑parent employees and noted the training burden when experienced staff leave.
Real ID and travel: Shweto emphasized federal Real ID requirements and warned that beginning in July individuals without a compliant Real ID may face limits on boarding commercial aircraft and entering some federal facilities. He said about 60 percent of the state currently has a Real ID and urged constituents to bring required documents to DMV offices.
System and process changes: The director said the agency will move to centralized issuance in September to add security features to state cards and reduce fraud; he also discussed future options such as mobile driver’s licenses with biometric protections. Shweto said the DMV’s legacy system supports more than 400 legally required transaction types and that when the system fails many services stop.
Safety and enforcement: In a wider policy discussion, Shweto criticized state DUI laws as ineffective and cited an estimated 25,000 DUI arrests per year as evidence that stronger deterrence is needed to reduce repeat offenders and highway deaths.
Why it matters: Lawmakers and drivers alike rely on a functioning DMV for identity, licensing and registration services; the director framed modernization and staffing support as prerequisites for reliable operations and fraud prevention.
Next steps: Shweto asked legislators to help secure funding for modernization and offered the DMV’s direct contact information for constituent issues. Committee leaders said they would continue to press for funding in upcoming budget deliberations.
Ending: No formal action was taken; lawmakers thanked the DMV director and signaled they will continue work on the modernization request.