North Carolina Permit Test Cheat Sheet (2026)

The North Carolina rules and numbers to know for the DMV knowledge test, on one page. Every line was checked against the official North Carolina driver's handbook. It is a study sheet: you cannot use notes during the real test.

The North Carolina test at a glance

Questions on the test
Not published by the DMV
To pass
80% correct
Time limit
We found no published time limit for the North Carolina knowledge test.
Minimum permit age
15 years old
Hold the permit for
9 months (temporarily 6 months through Dec 31, 2025 under 2025 HB 584)
Alcohol limit under 21
Zero tolerance (any measurable amount)

North Carolina rules and numbers

From the official North Carolina handbook (Revised May 2025); PDF page numbers in brackets.

Rules of the road

  • North Carolina: drivers under 18 hold provisional licenses. [p.16]
  • North Carolina Level 2 unsupervised: one non-household passenger under 21. [p.15]
  • North Carolina cities and towns: 35 mph unless posted otherwise. [p.55]
  • North Carolina interstates: maximum 70 mph. [p.55]
  • Signal 100 feet before a turn; 200 feet where the limit is 45 mph or more. [p.71]
  • Headlights: sunset to sunrise and when visibility is 400 feet or less. [p.73]
  • Wipers on for bad weather means headlights on (North Carolina law). [p.75]
  • No parking within 25 feet of an intersecting street's curb line. [p.58]
  • Shoulder parking only if visible for 200 feet from both directions. [p.58]
  • Near a fire or fire truck: one block in town, 400 feet outside the city. [p.58]
  • No parking within 100 feet of an emergency vehicle stopped at a crash. [p.50]
  • Passing: stay at least 2 feet to the left of the vehicle you pass. [p.57]
  • No passing on a curve or hill without 500 feet of clear view. [p.57]
  • Being passed: move right and never increase your speed. [p.57]
  • Four-lane road, no median: traffic from both directions stops for a school bus. [p.50]
  • 4+ lanes with a center turn lane: only traffic behind the school bus stops. [p.50]
  • School bus: wait until the stop arm is in, lights are off and the bus moves. [p.49]
  • Railroad stop: within 50 feet but no closer than 15 feet from the nearest rail. [p.62]
  • Gates lowering while you are on the tracks: keep moving across. [p.63]
  • Move Over law: stopped vehicles with lights on within 12 feet of the road. [p.51]
  • Emergency vehicles: everyone yields, except the opposite side of a divided 4-lane freeway. [p.50]
  • Dark or broken traffic light: treat it as an all-way stop. [p.83]
  • Pass a funeral procession only on roads with 2+ lanes in your direction. [p.54]
  • Farm equipment may use most North Carolina roads except interstates. [p.54]
  • 12 points in three years can suspend a North Carolina license. [p.36]
  • Report a crash at once if anyone is hurt or damage looks like $1,000 or more. [p.80]

Safe driving & emergencies

  • North Carolina: drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone while driving. [p.41]
  • North Carolina: texting while driving is banned for all drivers. [p.43]
  • North Carolina Move Over: move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicles. [p.51]
  • Backing: go slowly, never faster than 10 mph. [p.58]
  • North Carolina following distance: at least two seconds behind the car ahead. [p.56]
  • Hydroplaning can start at about 30 mph in very shallow water. [p.74]
  • Truck No-Zone: up to 20 feet in front and 200 feet behind. [p.94]

Alcohol & drugs

  • Refusing a DWI chemical test: at least a 12-month DMV revocation. [p.33]
  • Under 21 with any alcohol or drugs while driving: one-year revocation. [p.35]

Rules learners miss most

The rules behind the most-missed questions on our practice tests. Some details, such as parking distances, can differ by state - your handbook has the final word.

  • At 60 mph a car travels about 88 feet per second.
  • Measure following distance in seconds, counted from a fixed roadside object.
  • Most states: no parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
  • A yellow curb signals a stopping or parking limit - check signs and local rules.
  • Uncontrolled T-intersection: the terminating road yields to the through road.
  • Uphill with a curb: turn wheels away from the curb; downhill: toward it.
  • Most states: no parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant (a few use 10 feet).
  • KEEP RIGHT: pass to the right of the island, median or obstruction.
  • Point of no return: past it you cannot stop safely on yellow, so proceed.
  • Zipper merge: use both lanes up to the merge point, then alternate.
  • In heavy rain use low beams, slow down and increase following distance.
  • Parallel park close to and parallel with the curb, within your state's limit.
  • Yellow pennant on the left side of the road: a no-passing zone begins.
  • Car with skid marks: the road is slippery when wet.
  • Diamond-shaped signs are warning signs.
  • 4-way stop tie: the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
  • ABS keeps wheels from locking in hard braking so you can still steer.
  • A round yellow sign warns of a railroad crossing ahead.
  • Merging onto a highway: yield to traffic already on the highway.
  • An upward-pointing pentagon marks a school zone or school crossing.
  • Steady yellow: the light is about to turn red - stop if you can do so safely.
  • Basic speed law: never drive faster than is safe for conditions, even under the limit.
  • Use high beams on open roads; dim them for oncoming or followed vehicles.
  • Arrows pointing up and down warn of two-way traffic ahead.
  • Orange diamond signs warn of construction and work zones.
  • Adult (21+) BAC limit is 0.08% in most states.
  • Implied consent: by driving you agree to chemical tests if arrested for DUI.

Now test yourself

Reading rules is a start; answering questions is what makes them stick.

FlashcardsPractice test 1North Carolina mock test