North Carolina · Handbook chapter 1 · 5 min read
Chapter 1: Your license and the tests
How North Carolina licensing works: the four tests (knowledge, traffic signs, vision and road), the adult learner permit, license classes, documents to bring, renewal, duplicates and the fee schedule.
Why this chapter matters
Before you can drive on your own in North Carolina you have to pass several separate tests at an NCDMV driver license office. Knowing what each test checks, what to bring and what the rules are for a learner permit saves you a wasted trip and gives you easy marks on the knowledge test.
The tests for a first license
For an original license of any type you can be tested on four things, and each test must be passed separately:
| Test | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Knowledge test | Traffic laws and safe driving practices. It is an automated computer test, and you must answer 80 percent of the questions correctly. |
| Traffic signs test | You identify road signs by their color and shape and explain what each means. For a regular Class C license you must correctly identify 9 of 12 signs. |
| Vision test | Your eyesight must meet the state standard. If you need glasses or contact lenses to pass, your license carries a corrective lens restriction. |
| Road test | An on-the-road drive taken after you pass all the other tests. It is not required for a learner permit. |
- Audio versions of the knowledge test are available on request for people who have difficulty reading, and NCDMV says tests are offered in different languages.
- If you fail the knowledge test or the road test for a regular Class C license, you may retake it in seven calendar days.
- Driving without the corrective lenses your license requires carries the same penalty as driving without a license.
What the road test looks at
The examiner watches how you approach intersections, STOP signs and signals, make a quick stop, back up, start, stop and park, signal and use the horn, turn, use your lanes, follow other vehicles, pass and are passed, yield to pedestrians and vehicles, and make a three-point turnabout.
The learner permit (age 18 and older)
- Learner permits are for people 18 or older. Teens aged 15 to 17 get a limited learner permit through graduated licensing instead (Chapter 2).
- You must pass the vision, traffic signs and knowledge tests.
- While you drive, a person licensed to drive that vehicle must sit beside you in the front passenger seat.
- The permit fee is $25.50.
License classes
| Class | Covers |
|---|---|
| Class C | Any noncommercial single vehicle under 26,001 pounds GVWR. Most drivers need only this license. |
| Class B | A noncommercial single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more. |
| Class A | A noncommercial combination where the towed unit is 10,001 pounds or more. |
Commercial vehicles need a commercial driver license (CDL), and a motorcycle needs a motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle learner permit.
What to bring
NCDMV asks first-time applicants to bring:
- One document proving identity and date of birth, such as a certified birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport.
- A Social Security card or one document proving your Social Security number.
- One document showing your North Carolina address (two for a REAL ID).
- If you were not born in the U.S., proof of legal presence.
- Proof of liability insurance from a company licensed in North Carolina for a driver license (not needed for a learner permit). Form DL-123 from your insurer is valid for 30 days.
- For a road test, a copy of the vehicle registration.
A REAL ID has a star and costs nothing extra. A card without it is marked "Not for Federal Identification."
After you pass
- You get a temporary driving certificate, and the card arrives by mail. NCDMV's current pages say within 20 business days.
- Licenses issued at ages 18 to 65 last eight years; at 66 and older, five years.
- Drivers under 21 get a vertical card. Under 18 it has red and yellow bars showing your 18th and 21st birthdays.
- You may renew up to six months before your birthday, and the handbook adds that renewal is possible any time within 180 days of expiration.
- A change of address or name must be reported within 60 days, with a duplicate license.
- New residents have 60 days to get a North Carolina license (30 days to keep a CDL).
Fees from the handbook schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Class A, B or C license | $6.50 per year of validity |
| Learner permit | $25.50 |
| Duplicate license | $16.75 |
| Restoration fee (non-alcohol) | $83.50 |
| Restoration fee (alcohol) | $167.25 |
| Driver improvement clinic | $83.50 |
The handbook says fees are subject to change by the General Assembly.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the North Carolina knowledge test?
NCDMV does not publish the number. The state rule says you must answer 80 percent of the questions correctly.
Is the traffic signs test separate?
Yes. It is its own test: you identify signs by color and shape and explain their meaning, and for a Class C license you must get 9 of 12 right.
Can I take the test online?
NCDMV's pages describe applying and testing in person at a driver license office. They do not describe an online knowledge test.
What happens if I fail?
For a regular Class C license you may retake the knowledge test or the road test in seven calendar days.
Who can sit beside me with an adult learner permit?
A person licensed to drive the vehicle you are driving, seated beside you.
How long is a North Carolina license valid?
Eight years if issued at 18 to 65, and five years if issued at 66 or older.
Based on the North Carolina Driver Handbook (NCDMV), the NCDMV pages Driver License Tests, New Adult Drivers and Learner Permit, and 19A NCAC 03B .0201.