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Free North Carolina DMV practice tests

Free North Carolina driver's license practice questions from the official driver handbook, with every answer explained.

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Driver's license tests

6 tests, 150 questions

North Carolina written test facts

Facts checked against official sources.

North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles handles driver licensing in North Carolina. The minimum age for a permit is 15. Our practice questions come from the North Carolina Driver Handbook. We checked these facts against official sources on October 1, 2026.

Agency
North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles
Minimum age for a permit
At least 15 years old
Official handbook
North Carolina Driver Handbook

Sources

Checked on October 1, 2026

Report an error on this page

How to get a North Carolina driver's license

This is how NCDMV describes a first license for drivers 15 to 17, based on the North Carolina Driver Handbook (revised May 2025) and the NCDMV pages for each level. Check NCDMV.gov for current fees and requirements before you go.

  1. Finish driver education

    From 14½, take an approved course with 30 hours in class and 6 hours behind the wheel. Your school gives you a Driving Eligibility Certificate if you're in good academic standing.

  2. Get a Level 1 permit at 15

    Bring both certificates and a parent or guardian, and pass the written, sign, and vision tests. Drive only with your supervising driver, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the first six months, and log at least 60 hours, 10 of them at night.

  3. Get a Level 2 license at 16

    After nine months with the permit and six months without a moving violation, seat belt, or phone conviction, pass the road test at a driver license office or a certified driver education school. You can then drive alone from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

  4. Upgrade to Level 3

    After six months with Level 2 and no convictions in that time, upgrade online. The limits on hours and passengers end, and at 18 you can move to a regular Class C license online.

Based on:North Carolina Driver Handbook (NCDMV, revised May 2025)Get a Level 1 Limited Learner Permit (NCDMV)Get a Level 2 Limited Provisional License (NCDMV)Get a Level 3 Full Provisional License (NCDMV)

Checked on October 1, 2026

See current fees

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the North Carolina permit test?

NCDMV doesn't publish the number of questions or the passing score. The written test covers traffic laws and safe driving, and a separate signs test asks you to identify signs by color and shape and explain what they mean. Both come from the North Carolina Driver Handbook. Oral tests are available on request, and the written test is offered in several languages.

What happens if I fail the knowledge test or the road test?

You can take it again after seven calendar days. That applies to both the knowledge test and the driving test for a regular Class C license.

How old do you have to be for a learner permit in North Carolina?

15, for a Level 1 Limited Learner Permit. First you finish an approved driver education course with 30 hours in class and 6 hours behind the wheel, and you get a Driving Eligibility Certificate from your school. Students can start the course at 14½. At 18 or older, you can get a regular learner permit instead.

What are the rules for a Level 1 permit?

For the first six months you can drive only from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., always with your supervising driver beside you; after that, any hour with a supervisor. The supervisor must be a parent, grandparent, guardian, or an adult they approve, licensed for at least five years. Only you and the supervisor sit in front, everyone buckles up, and you can't use a phone except to call about an emergency. You hold the permit nine months and log at least 60 hours, 10 of them at night.

When can I drive alone in North Carolina?

At 16, with a Level 2 Limited Provisional License. You need nine months with the Level 1 permit, the 60-hour log, six months with no moving violation, seat belt, or phone convictions, and a road test. Level 2 lets you drive alone from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and to or from work. Driving alone, you can carry one passenger under 21 from outside your household, plus one more if they're a student you're taking to or from school.

When do North Carolina teens get a full license?

After six months with Level 2 and no convictions in that time, you can upgrade online to a Level 3 Full Provisional License. It removes the limits on hours, supervision, and passengers, but drivers under 18 still can't use a phone while driving. At 18 you can upgrade to a regular Class C license online.