Driving in North Carolina is a legal privilege and responsibility. Without a driver license, it is against the law to:
- Drive a motor vehicle on streets and highways
- Sit in the driver's seat of a motor vehicle while the engine is running
- Steer a motor vehicle while another vehicle pushes or tows it
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles issues regular, commercial and provisional licenses and permits – each of which can carry a variety of endorsements and/or restrictions that either grant or restrict driving privileges for an individual.
The type of license an individual receives and the fee associated with it depends on the type of motor vehicle they will operate.
NCDMV also issues learner permits to adults 18 years old or older and graduated permits and licenses to individuals 15 to 17 years old.
Issuing driver licenses & IDs
To help prevent identity theft and fraud, NCDMV issues driver licenses, learner permits and IDs from a central location and mails them to customers in an unmarked envelope.
Drivers will receive a 60-day Temporary Driving Certificate while they wait for their permanent card to arrive by mail. Their permanent card will arrive before the certificate expires.
The certificate may be used only for driving purposes. It cannot be used for identification.
Please note: Applying for a North Carolina driver license will cancel any licenses from other states through the
State-to-State Verification program.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about how licenses and IDs are issued are listed below.
Because of concerns across the nation for the need to safeguard the production, manufacturing and issuance of driver licenses, the N.C. General Assembly enacted a law in July 2006 requiring the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles to issue driver licenses, learner permits and IDs from a central location instead of from driver license offices across the state.
A Temporary Driving Certificate contains the same demographic information (e.g., name and address) as a driver license.
If you have not received your driver license before the Temporary Driving Certificate expires, call the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicle customer service at (919) 715-7000 or (919) 861-3555.
Yes, but you can still use your old license as a photo ID until your new license arrives.
If you received the Temporary Driving Certificate when you renewed your license, you will need the certificate as well as unexpired state-issued photo identification to register a vehicle.