NC will waive road test requirement for some drivers 18 and older who need a license
The state Division of Motor Vehicles will begin temporarily issuing licenses to new drivers without a road test as long as they meet other requirements.
The new policy, scheduled to begin Wednesday, will remain in place as long as the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the DMV from testing drivers behind the wheel of their car or truck, the agency said Monday.
The DMV stopped offering road tests in March to prevent the spread of coronavirus among employees and drivers. It made exceptions for commercial driver’s licenses and medical evaluations, but countless other drivers have not been able to complete the steps necessary to get a license.
Last month, Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill that allows teens 16 and 17 to get a Level 2 provisional license without a road test until DMV begins offering them again. But the bill did not apply to drivers age 18 or older.
Now the DMV says it has found a way administratively to waive the road test requirement for most drivers seeking their first North Carolina license. The agency adopted an emergency rule that says that “during a pandemic where an executive order is in place, the requirement of a road test may be waived if previous driver training and/or safe driving records can be established.”
“The Division has been very thoughtful in protecting the health of our customers and examiners and ensuring the safety of the driving public,” DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup said in a written statement. “With the uncertainty of when road tests can safely resume, we are taking this step to help qualified drivers gain the license they need for jobs, school and their families.”
To obtain a regular Class C license without a road test, a driver must make an appointment to visit a DMV driver’s license office and meet one of four conditions:
▪ Currently hold a Level I permit, be at least 18 years old, and meet all requirements to obtain the Level II Limited Provisional License including not being convicted of a motor vehicle moving violation, seat belt infraction or unlawful use of a cellphone.
▪ Have received training and passed a driving course from a certified North Carolina driving school approved by the DMV within the previous 12 months and have not been convicted of a motor vehicle moving violation, seat belt infraction or unlawful use of a cellphone.
▪ Previously held a North Carolina driver’s license that has not been expired more than one renewal cycle and was in good standing at the time of expiration.
▪ Be from any other state, district or territory that has license reciprocity with North Carolina. Drivers must provide their most recent license and a certified five-year driving record.
All the usual requirements apply for obtaining a license, including proof of identity, date of birth, Social Security number, legal resident status and current insurance. For more information, go to www.ncdot.gov/dmv/.
Physical distancing is a challenge during a road test, which is performed in the driver’s car or truck with the DMV examiner sitting in the passenger seat. The DMV had planned to resume the tests when North Carolina reaches Phase Three of Gov. Roy Cooper’s reopening plan, when the spread of the virus was under control.
But with new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to rise, Cooper has delayed the third step in the gradual lifting of restrictions on businesses and leisure activities. Last week, he moved back Phase Three at least three more weeks, to Aug. 7.
This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 2:17 PM.
