Proposal to waive DMV road test requirement for teens on its way to Gov. Cooper
Lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would help teens who haven’t been able to get a provisional driver’s license because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The bill, which now goes to Gov. Roy Cooper, would temporarily waive the requirement that teens pass a road test for a provisional license, provided they meet all the other requirements. Those include passing a driver’s education course or exam and logging 60 hours of supervised driving.
The bill, House Bill 158, also would reduce the number of hours of classroom instruction needed to qualify for a learner’s permit for students who couldn’t finish classes this spring.
The Division of Motor Vehicles stopped offering road tests in March, except for commercial driver’s licenses or for medical exemptions, in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The DMV has said it hopes to resume the tests by the end of the month, but no firm date has been set.
Under the bill approved Thursday, the waiver for road tests would expire when DMV begins offering them again.
State law requires teens to pass a road test to receive a Level 2 provisional license. That license allows teens 16 or 17 years old to drive unsupervised between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. or when going directly to or from work or volunteer fire or EMS service.
The bill requires a driver who takes advantage of the waiver to pass a road test before getting a Level 3 provisional license, which comes with fewer restrictions.
“I have heard from countless parents and students who are asking for help due to the DMV no longer offering road tests,” House Majority Leader John Bell said in a written statement. “After talking with officials at the DMV, insurance commissioners and representatives for insurance companies and others, we believe this is the right approach to help those impacted and prevent a growing backlog at the DMV while still requiring driver’s education programs and behind-the-wheel instruction for these students.”
The bill would reduce the required hours of driver’s education classroom instruction from 30 to 15 for students who were enrolled this winter, though teens are always able to get around that requirement by passing a state proficiency exam. It also clarifies that students must still complete six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction before receiving a driver’s ed certificate.
The bill approved Thursday was a combination of provisions approved by the House and Senate last week. A conference committee took the Senate’s version of the road test waiver and combined it with the House’s proposal to reduce the required classroom time.
The bill does not address the road test requirements for first-time licensed drivers who are 18 or older and not seeking a provisional license.
The bill passed the House 107-12 and the Senate 49-0. The bill would take effect when Cooper signs it.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 2:20 PM.
