NORTH CAROLINA — The State of North Carolina is making changes to the way that teen drivers get their license — by waiving the driving test requirement for teens wanting to get their level 2 provisional license.
In North Carolina, teen drivers can get their license through a three-level process. The first is a drivers permit, then a limited provisional license, followed by a full provisional license.
“Typically, drivers have to pass a driving test or ‘road test’ in order to move from level one to level two. The tests have been suspended since March due to COVID-19, but the change comes after Gov. Cooper signed legislation into law last week,” according to the NCDOT.
Drivers who have held a Level 1 Limited Learner Permit at least 12 months, have completed at least 60 hours of supervised driving, including time at night, and who have not had a moving, seat belt or phone violation within the past six months qualify for the waiver.
There are still requirements for drivers to get their level-two license, these include:
- Be 16 or 17 years old
- Have their Level 1 Limited Learner Permit for at least 12 months
- Completed at least 60 hours of supervised driving, including time at night
- No moving violations or seat belt/cell phone violations within the last six months
- Covered under a liability insurance policy
A level-two provisional license does not let drivers have unlimited access to the roads, instead, there are strict requirements. The level-two license allows for “unsupervised driving from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and to/from work or any volunteer fire, rescue or emergency medical service,” according to the NCDOT.
The waiver does not remove the road test requirement from drivers seeking level-three licenses.
