North Carolina DMV practice test
Prepare for the North Carolina learner permit knowledge test with questions written from the official driver handbook, in English, Russian and Spanish.
North Carolina practice tests
Every test is free and works in English, Russian and Spanish. Your progress is saved in this browser.
Start here
Full practice tests in the format of the real North Carolina knowledge test. Questions do not repeat between tests.
Road signs
Shapes, colors and meanings of the signs on the test.
Rules of the road
Right of way, turns, parking and sharing the road.
North Carolina laws
Rules that are specific to North Carolina.
Final exam prep
Check that you are ready before test day.
Key rules from the North Carolina handbook
These numbers come straight from the official handbook. Each one is also a question in our tests.
Getting your permit and license
- Report an address change within 60 days.
- The night limit for provisional drivers starts at 9 p.m.; the handbook lists any exceptions.
- No more than 1 non-family passenger under 21 at first, unless supervised.
- First six months of Level One: driving only 5 a.m.–9 p.m., always with a supervising driver.
- The supervising driver must hold a valid license and have been licensed at least five years.
- At seven points you may be assigned to a Driver Improvement Clinic.
- Failure to report a reportable crash: 3 points.
- You may renew any time within 180 days before expiration.
Rules of the road
- Drivers under 18 years old may not use any wireless device while driving.
- Children ride in a car seat until at least 8 years old.
- Give bicyclists at least 2 feet of space when passing.
- Move Over law: change lanes away from the stopped vehicle when safe; if you cannot, slow down.
- Drivers on the opposite side of a divided highway separated by a median do not have to stop; drivers behind the bus must stop.
Speed limits
- 55 mph on highways unless posted otherwise.
- Up to 70 mph on rural interstates where posted.
- Cities and towns: 35 mph; outside cities and towns: 55; interstates: 70.
Parking
- Do not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
- Do not park within 15 feet of the entrance to a fire station.
- Do not park within 25 feet of the curb line of an intersecting street.
Alcohol and drugs
- 0.08% BAC or higher is the legal limit for drivers 21 and older.
- The limit for commercial drivers is 0.04%.
- Under 21: any alcohol or drugs in the body while driving means a one-year revocation.
- Refusing any required test leads to immediate license revocation.
North Carolina driving rules in numbers
Learner's permit and teen license rules by state
- Night limit for new drivers from
- 9 p.m.
- Teen passengers allowed
- 1
Speed limits by state
- Other highways
- 55 mph
- Rural interstate (max)
- 70 mph
Drunk driving laws by state: BAC limits
- Drivers 21+
- 0.08%
- Commercial (CDL)
- 0.04%
Cell phone laws for drivers by state
- No phone at all for drivers under
- 18 years old
Parking distances by state
- Fire hydrant
- 15 feet
- Fire station driveway
- 15 feet
School bus, move over and bicycle passing laws by state
- Passing a bicyclist
- 2 feet
- Stopped emergency vehicle
- Move out of the lane next to it if safe, or slow down
- Bus on the other side of a divided highway
- Do not have to stop, but should watch for children
Car seat and booster seat laws by state
- Car seat until at least
- 8 years old
License renewal, insurance and points by state
- Report a new address within
- 60 days
Sample questions
In North Carolina, you may not park within how many feet of a fire hydrant?
- 10 feet
- 15 feet
- 20 feet
- 25 feet
North Carolina: do not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
In North Carolina, unless otherwise posted, the maximum speed on highways outside cities is:
- 50 mph
- 55 mph
- 60 mph
- 65 mph
North Carolina: 55 mph on highways unless posted otherwise.
In North Carolina, a driver 21 or older is legally intoxicated starting at what blood alcohol content (BAC)?
- 0.05%
- 0.08%
- 0.10%
- 0.12%
North Carolina: 0.08% BAC or higher is the legal limit for drivers 21 and older.
North Carolina permit test: questions and answers
From the official North Carolina driver handbook (North Carolina Driver's Handbook (NCDMV)). We write our own questions; the DMV does not publish its real exam questions.