Driving

North Carolina Permit Test — State Rules flashcards

6 of 58 questions free to study here · 11 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys

Only what is specific to North Carolina: the three-level graduated license, DWI limits and revocations, the teen phone ban, default speed limits, headlight and signal rules, parking distances, school-bus and Move Over rules, passing, points and child restraints. Pair with the national core.

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Practice deck · part of North Carolina permit test — state rules · written against: North Carolina Driver Handbook (NCDMV), revised May 2025, checked 2026-10-09, and against state law in force on 2026-10-18 (where the two differ, the cards follow the law and name the handbook's figure); state-specific figures only — pair with the national core. Updated 2026-10-10.

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What is the minimum age for a North Carolina Level One Limited Learner Permit?

A) 14
B) 15
C) 15½
D) 16

B) 15

Level One is open to residents aged 15 to 17 who have completed an approved driver education course.
Permit & Provisional License
Which cell-phone use is illegal for every driver in North Carolina?

A) Any hand-held phone call
B) Hands-free phone calls
C) Using a navigation app
D) Texting or emailing

D) Texting or emailing

Typing or reading texts or email on a phone while driving is illegal for every driver except police, fire and ambulance crews on duty. The handbook says texting or emailing by phone is barred, but the law exempts voice-operated technology. The full phone ban applies to drivers under 18 and school-bus operators.
Phones & Distraction
When does North Carolina law require headlights to be on?

A) Only from sunset to sunrise, whatever the weather
B) 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise
C) Sunset to sunrise, or visibility of 400 feet or less
D) Only when visibility is 1,000 feet or less

C) Sunset to sunrise, or visibility of 400 feet or less

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is 400 feet or less. They are also required when bad weather or other conditions make it hard to see people and vehicles 500 feet ahead, or when the windshield wipers are running because of weather or smoke, except for occasional wiping in misting rain, sleet or snow.
Headlights & Signals
How close to a fire hydrant may you park in North Carolina?

A) No closer than 10 feet
B) No closer than 15 feet
C) No closer than 20 feet
D) No closer than 25 feet

B) No closer than 15 feet

The same 15-foot rule applies to the entrance of a fire station, though a local ordinance may set a shorter hydrant distance.
Parking & Curbs
What is the minimum distance you must keep to the left of the vehicle you are passing in North Carolina?

A) One foot
B) Two feet
C) Three feet
D) Six feet

B) Two feet

Sounding the horn puts the driver being passed under a legal duty to let you by, and that driver must not speed up until you are past.
Turns & Lanes
Who must wear a seat belt in a moving vehicle under North Carolina law?

A) The driver and front-seat passengers only
B) The driver and every passenger, in every seat
C) Everyone under 16 plus the driver
D) Front-seat occupants and children under 12

B) The driver and every passenger, in every seat

Belts are required even in vehicles with air bags, and a lap belt must be worn with an automatic shoulder harness.
Occupant Safety

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About these cards

Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.

Checked against:

Facts checked against the North Carolina Driver Handbook (North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles), Revised May 2025, checked 2026-10-09; wording is original and no handbook text is reproduced.
Rules also checked against the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 20 (www.ncleg.gov), checked 2026-10-12.
Facts also checked against current state law (the statutes and regulations in force on 2026-10-18); where the handbook and the law differ, the card follows the law and says what the handbook says.
Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles or any other agency; not legal advice. Figures change — confirm against the current handbook before your test.

These are independent study notes written for Willys. They are not official exam material, may contain mistakes, and are no substitute for your course, your teacher or the exam owner's own publications. Found an error? Tell us — corrections ship as a new version of the deck.

Not legal advice, and not affiliated with any DMV. These cards prepare you for the knowledge test. Traffic laws differ between states and change every year, so check your state's current official driver handbook, which is the only authority for your test. No state seal or agency logo appears here; sign drawings follow the federal MUTCD designs.

Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any state DMV, department of public safety or motor-vehicle agency, and not legal advice. Laws and handbooks change: check your state's current official driver handbook before the test. Road-sign pictures are taken from the figures of the FHWA MUTCD (a public-domain US government work); no state seal or agency logo is used.

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