Students who are at least 14½ years old and are pursuing a high school diploma or GED can enroll in an approved driver education course provided through North Carolina high schools or a commercial driver education school licensed by the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. A birth certificate or passport is required to enroll. If you have questions regarding the licensure of the commercial driver education school your student will attend, contact NCDMV.
Driver education courses consist of two phases:
- A classroom portion, which involves 30 hours of instruction and a vision/medical screening.
- A driving phase, which involves a minimum six hours behind the wheel.
Upon completion, students receive a Driver’s Education Certificate, which allows them to apply for a Level One Limited Learner Permit, the first level of North Carolina’s graduated licensing process for drivers under age 18.
Driving Eligibility Certificate
High school students who are successfully completing their academic requirements are issued a Driving Eligibility Certificate by their school or if a student is homeschooled the Driving Eligibility Certificate would be issued by the
N.C. Department of Administration.
To receive a Driving Eligibility Certificate, an individual must be:
- Between 15 and 17 years old
- Currently enrolled in school
License Reinstatements
All licenses must be have been reinstated if previously suspended for academic grades or report cards. Those who have their license reinstated after it was suspended for academic reasons can continue to use the license if it is in their possession.
If the status is revoked or suspended, there may be another issue with the license. To check the status of your license, please visit MyDMV.
If the license status is active and is lost, a replacement or duplicate can be ordered online.
Students Attending School Outside of N.C.
Students attending schools outside of North Carolina can obtain an eligibility certificate from the public school they would normally attend if they were not enrolled in an out-of-state school.