What To Know Before, During, and After Your NC DMV Written Driver's Test

A driver’s license or learner’s permit is a must for anyone who wants to drive in North Carolina (NC).

The NC Department of Motor Vehicles (NC DMV) requires North Carolinians and people who moved to NC from another country or state to pass a driver’s license examination, a written driver’s test, and a vision screening.

If you’re about to take your NC DMV permit test, it’s important that you equip yourself with the necessary information about the test. This includes what to do or get before taking the NC DMV permit test, what you should memorize and master, and what marks you should get to pass.

There’s no need to worry, though. Many people have taken the exam before you and passed, and if you take it seriously by preparing and practicing, passing your NC DMV permit test shouldn’t be a problem.

To help you, here are some important things to remember that could help prepare for your DMV test.

Before the Test: Do you need a driver’s ed course?

Requirements for taking the NC DMV driving test vary from person to person, depending on their age. Enrollment in a driver’s education course or driver’s ed is necessary for people younger than eighteen (18) years old. If you are older than eighteen (18), driver’s ed is no longer required. This means you can take the NC DMV test without presenting a certification that you attended driver’s ed.

Before the Test: Is your body and eyesight in good condition?

To take the NC DMV driving test, you should also ensure that your vision and health pass the required standard. The NC DMV requires a vision screening examination and requires you to be in good mental and physical health condition.

To qualify for a driver’s license or a learner’s permit, hopeful applicants must be able to pass a vision screening test. This ensures their eyesight is good enough to drive a motor vehicle in NC. If you need to wear glasses or corrective lenses to complete the NC driving exam, you should remember that wearing them will be required every time you drive in the future. If you need them, driving without the proper corrective lenses is a violation equal to driving with no license.

Just as important is the requirement that you be in good physical and mental health to drive in NC. You will have to be certified by a physician as such in order to seek a driver’s license or a learner’s permit. Otherwise, you will either be prevented from getting approval, or you will have to settle for a restricted driver’s license, which allows you to drive only under certain conditions.

Before the test: What do you need to study?

Different written tests are required for different permits. A limited learner’s permit requires the applicant to pass the written NC DMV permit test and a traffic signs examination. On the other hand, an original license requires passing a similar written exam, a test about regulatory signs, and a separate one on traffic signals.

In any case, the NC DMV permit test’s written examination covers present traffic laws, safe driving practices, and identifying the meaning of regulations and warning signs. The Driver’s Handbook, available on the NC DMV website, covers these.

Some questions that you will encounter include: when a driver’s license is required; what are the consequences of refusing a chemical test; what happens to a driver’s record if it acquires seven (7) or more traffic points; when is a driver’s license revoked or suspended; among others.

You may also be asked about recent statistics that would have been covered in the driver’s ed course or can be read in the Driver’s Handbook, such as what traffic violation causes the most traffic deaths, what percentage of road-related fatalities are caused by DUIs, and how common deaths related to pedestrians are.

You must know what is specific to NC, including rules that may differ in other states, like speeding limits or the threshold for alcohol levels. The exam covers safe driving practices. You will also have to identify signs and signals common in NC and what to do when faced with them. The traffic and regulatory signs exams will require you to name the traffic signs by their shape and color.

During the test: How much do you need to pass?

The written part of the NC DMV permit test consists of 25 questions. To pass the written portion of the exam, you must answer 20 of the 25 questions correctly, which is equivalent to 80%.

It may sound difficult, but it is a matter of practice. Practice tests are available online, and the North Carolina Driver’s Handbook will help you cover all the questions you need to answer correctly to get your learner’s permit or driver’s license.

After the test: Be prepared for the next stages of getting your license

Remember that passing the written portion of the exam is only one of the things you need to do to secure your permission to drive. After the NC DMV permit test, you must pass a driving test through a road demonstration.

Again, this requirement would vary depending on your age. You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or at least sixteen (16) years of age but have enrolled in the NC DMV’s Graduated Licensing (GDL) Program. After securing your health and vision requirements and passing the test, make an appointment to complete your permit or license requirements. Remember that you may only take your driving exam between eight (8) a.m. and five (5) p.m., from Monday to Friday. You may also check whether your local NC DMV licensing station offers Saturday tests.

Final Words

Written tests can overwhelm people because there is little room for mistakes. Especially when you have a bad history with written examinations, you may find it hard to gather confidence and soothe your nerves when sitting in the examination room.

That is why it is essential to practice, practice, and practice. Doing things repeatedly can train your body to react and respond to unwelcome situations. Just as necessary, take care of everything you need before taking the test so your mind will not wander off when you’re taking it.

Treat it like driving. If you do it enough times, you will get the hang of it. Focus and train yourself to ignore distractions. Finally, do all the preparation you can before actually doing it.