You need 80% to pass the North Carolina permit knowledge test; the official North Carolina sources we checked do not state a fixed question count. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-22.
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Key North Carolina DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the North Carolina handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free North Carolina DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the North Carolina handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- The handbook table gives 35 mph as the default maximum in cities and towns unless another limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 53)
- The maximum speed limit listed for a school bus is 45 mph. (Handbook, p. 47)
- One conviction of driving more than 15 mph over the limit at a speed above 55 mph brings a revocation of at least 30 days in North Carolina. (Handbook, p. 36)
- North Carolina's table of maximum speed limits lists 35 mph in cities and towns, 45 mph for school buses, 55 mph for school activity buses, 55 mph outside cities and towns, and 70 mph for interstates. (Handbook, p. 53)
- The handbook's table of maximum speed limits tops out at 70 mph for interstates. (Handbook, p. 53)
Right of way
- North Carolina gives priority to the vehicle that has already entered an intersection when the other vehicle has not entered yet. (Handbook, p. 57)
- When two vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time and signs or signals do not decide the movement, the vehicle on the right receives priority. (Handbook, p. 57)
- North Carolina requires drivers to reduce speed when approaching an intersection, including situations where they otherwise have the right of way. (Handbook, p. 57)
- When facing drivers arrive together and one intends to turn left while the other travels straight, the left turning driver waits. (Handbook, p. 57)
- A stop sign requires a complete stop, followed by yielding to traffic on the through street. (Handbook, p. 57)
Alcohol and DUI
- North Carolina treats a BAC of 0.08 percent or more as one way to prove impaired driving for the ordinary driver. (Handbook, p. 31)
- If your blood alcohol concentration test shows a BAC of 0.08 percent or more, or 0.04 or more if you are driving a commercial motor vehicle, your driving privilege is revoked immediately for a minimum period set by law. (Handbook, p. 31)
- North Carolina sets the legal purchase age for any alcoholic beverage at 21. (Handbook, p. 33)
- Refusing a required chemical test causes immediate license revocation for at least 30 days and an additional minimum 12 month revocation by DMV. (Handbook, p. 31)
- A DWI conviction with a BAC of 0.15 or more requires an ignition interlock device to be installed on the vehicle under the handbook’s listed conditions. (Handbook, p. 32)
Signals and markings
- A dark or malfunctioning traffic light is handled as a stop sign on all approaches. (Handbook, p. 81)
- A red arrow stops the movement shown by the arrow. (Handbook, p. 80)
- White lines separate travel lanes moving in the same direction. (Handbook, p. 88)
- A failed traffic light is handled as a stop-sign intersection on all approaches, but the handbook identifies exceptions. (Handbook, p. 81)
- A circular green signal permits a driver to proceed cautiously, but a turning vehicle must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. (Handbook, p. 80)
Parking
- The North Carolina handbook lists places where a driver should not park, and one of them is within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or the entrance to a fire station. (Handbook, p. 56)
- The handbook's list of places not to park includes within one block of a fire or fire truck inside city limits, or within 400 feet of a fire or fire truck outside the city. (Handbook, p. 56)
- North Carolina directs drivers to park on the right side of the road, with an exception for one-way streets. (Handbook, p. 56)
- A driver leaving a parallel space should first check for approaching traffic and signal left before pulling out. (Handbook, p. 56)
- North Carolina keeps parked cars back from intersections so that drivers and pedestrians can see one another. (Handbook, p. 56)
Safe driving
- The example says a vehicle traveling 55 mph requires approximately 211 feet to stop completely, even under ideal conditions. (Handbook, p. 53)
- North Carolina's railroad rule requires stopping within 50 feet, but not less than 15 feet, from the nearest rail when a gate is lowered or a flagger gives the train signal. (Handbook, p. 60)
- A train traveling at 55 mph takes more than a mile to come to a stop. (Handbook, p. 60)
- North Carolina defines the moped’s legal top speed as no more than 30 miles per hour. (Handbook, p. 93)
- The backing guidance says to back very slowly, not more than 10 mph, because a vehicle is harder to control and stop while moving backward. (Handbook, p. 56)
Road signs
- A STOP sign requires a full stop at the appropriately marked stop line. (Handbook, p. 83)
- A YIELD sign tells the driver to slow down and give the right of way. (Handbook, p. 83)
- The handbook places the DO NOT ENTER reminder in its interstate-driving guidance, where a driver may accidentally enter a ramp or roadway in the wrong direction. (Handbook, p. 65)
- If you enter an interstate headed in the wrong direction, pull over to the right shoulder of the road and stop. (Handbook, p. 65)
- The handbook lists NO U-TURN as an example of the messages carried by rectangular and square-shaped regulatory signs. (Handbook, p. 83)
Laws and paperwork
- Level Two permits unsupervised driving from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. (Handbook, p. 13)
- The limit is one passenger under 21 from outside the driver’s immediate family and household. (Handbook)
- During the first six months of a Level One permit, the teen may drive only between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. with the supervising driver. (Handbook, p. 12)
- At age 18, an eligible driver may upgrade to a regular Class C license online. (Handbook, p. 13)
- When driving unsupervised, a Level Two driver may normally carry only one passenger under 21 who is not a member of the household, plus one more who is a student being driven directly to or from school. (Handbook, p. 13)
Emergencies
- A driver may not park within 100 feet of an emergency vehicle that has stopped to investigate an accident or provide assistance. (Handbook, p. 48)
- North Carolina requires an immediate report to the nearest law enforcement officer or agency when anyone is killed or injured, or when the total damage to vehicles and other property appears to amount to $1,000 or more. (Handbook, p. 78)
- North Carolina's move over law applies when an authorized emergency vehicle or public service vehicle is parked or standing within 12 feet of the roadway with its emergency or warning lights on. (Handbook, p. 49)
- The emergency response rule requires a driver to yield room for the authorized vehicle by moving toward the right side and stopping until it has passed, unless a law enforcement officer directs otherwise. (Handbook, p. 48)
- After moving to the right-hand curb or edge and stopping, the driver must remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed or a traffic officer directs the driver to move. (Handbook, p. 48)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 15 short lessons quoted from the North Carolina manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free North Carolina DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see North Carolina DMV facts and fees before test day.