Printable NC Permit Practice Test

1. When rain requires you to use windshield wipers in North Carolina, which lighting rule also applies?

1. Use hazard flashers whenever the windshield wipers are operating
2. Use headlights whenever the windshield wipers are operating
3. Use high beams whenever rain continues for more than ten minutes
4. Use parking lights only until the roadway becomes completely dry

2. What BAC level can establish impaired driving for someone operating a commercial motor vehicle in North Carolina?

1. 0.08 percent or more because commercial drivers use the ordinary limit
2. 0.02 percent or more only when the vehicle carries passengers
3. 0.04 percent or more for a commercial motor vehicle driver
4. 0.15 percent or more unless the driver has a prior DWI

3. When vehicles reach an uncontrolled intersection together, which vehicle has the right of way?

1. The vehicle to the left
2. The larger vehicle
3. The vehicle to the right
4. The vehicle going straight

4. At a North Carolina railroad crossing, which road user has the right of way?

1. A police vehicle approaching with warning lights
2. The first automobile to reach the rails
3. A vehicle facing a green signal on a nearby road
4. The train over all highway traffic

5. What testing accommodation is available on request for a North Carolina applicant who has difficulty reading?

1. A waiver of the traffic law examination
2. Automatic passage without answering questions
3. A road test that replaces the knowledge test
4. An audio version of the knowledge test

6. A driver is transporting passengers younger than 16 in North Carolina. What must the driver ensure?

1. Each passenger under 16 is secured in an approved restraint or seat belt
2. Only the front-seat child is restrained
3. Children may ride unrestrained for short trips
4. Only passengers under eight need any restraint

7. Where should a driver generally park on a North Carolina road?

1. On the right side of the road, except on a one-way street
2. On the left side of every road
3. Across the center of a two-way road
4. On the shoulder whenever the road has two-way traffic

8. At 55 mph under ideal conditions, about how far does a North Carolina handbook example say a vehicle needs to stop completely?

1. Approximately 55 feet
2. Approximately 211 feet
3. Approximately 100 feet
4. Approximately 500 feet

9. Unless a different limit is posted, what speed limit applies in North Carolina cities and towns?

1. 25 mph in cities and towns
2. 45 mph in cities and towns
3. 35 mph in cities and towns
4. 55 mph in cities and towns

10. What should a North Carolina driver check before entering a vehicle to back up?

1. Only the rearview mirror
2. The fuel gauge and dashboard lights
3. The area behind the vehicle for small objects or children
4. The lane on the opposite side of the street

11. When a driver under 18 must use a cell phone while the vehicle is moving, whom may the driver call about an emergency?

1. A friend who is waiting for a ride
2. A parent about a routine schedule change
3. A business for a nonurgent appointment
4. An emergency response operator

12. When a railroad crossing gate is lowered or a flagger signals an approaching train, how far from the nearest rail must a driver stop?

1. Within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet
2. Exactly 5 feet from the rail
3. At least 100 feet away in every case
4. After crossing the nearest track

13. At the pictured YIELD sign, when is a complete stop required?

1. Every time, even when the intersection is empty
2. When stopping is needed to avoid interfering with traffic on the intersecting street
3. Only when a police officer is present
4. Never, because a yield sign requires continued motion

14. The pictured red slash over a turning arrow belongs to which sign category?

1. A regulatory sign prohibiting a movement
2. A guide sign showing a preferred route
3. A warning sign for a road surface
4. A service sign for a driver facility

15. What type of instruction does a KEEP RIGHT sign provide?

1. A regulatory instruction about roadway position
2. A warning that the pavement is slippery
3. A route shield for a numbered highway
4. A notice that parking is reserved

16. What road condition does a pedestrian crossing warning sign tell you to anticipate?

1. Pedestrians are prohibited from entering the roadway
2. People may be crossing, so watch and prepare to yield
3. A sidewalk is closed for maintenance
4. Only school buses may use the next lane

17. When diamond-shaped warning signs are orange with black messages, what do they warn about?

1. Hospital entrances and telephone services
2. Railroad crossings with multiple tracks
3. Construction or maintenance areas
4. The beginning of a city speed zone

18. What driving adjustment is recommended when approaching a curve?

1. Brake hard only after reaching the middle
2. Accelerate until the curve is complete
3. Use the shoulder to straighten the path
4. Slow down before entering the curve

19. What does the yellow pennant-shaped sign mark?

1. A route where passing is required
2. The end of every posted speed limit
3. The beginning of a no-passing zone
4. A school crossing with reduced hours

20. A traffic light has malfunctioned because of a power outage. What should you do when approaching the intersection?

1. Treat every approach as controlled by a stop sign
2. Continue through if cross traffic is not visible
3. Yield only to vehicles on your left
4. Wait for the light to display green before moving

21. How should the lap belt be positioned according to the North Carolina handbook?

1. High across the stomach
2. Under the abdomen and low across the hips
3. Loose enough to fit a fist underneath
4. Across the thighs only

22. If a blowout occurs, what should a driver do before applying the brakes?

1. Press the brake pedal as hard as possible
2. Reduce speed by lifting the foot from the accelerator
3. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
4. Shift into reverse immediately

23. A signal is flashing red as you approach an intersection. What action is required before entering?

1. Stop and proceed only when you can enter without interfering with traffic
2. Treat it as a flashing yellow and continue
3. Speed through before another vehicle arrives
4. Stop only if a pedestrian is present

24. A North Carolina driver going faster than 55 mph is convicted of exceeding the limit by more than 15 mph. For how long is the driving privilege revoked at minimum?

1. At least 10 days
2. At least 6 months
3. There is no revocation for a first offense
4. At least 30 days

25. What do white lines separating travel lanes indicate?

1. The lanes always move in opposite directions
2. Passing is prohibited in both directions
3. The lanes move in the same direction
4. The lane is reserved for railroad traffic

26. What age range must an applicant meet for a North Carolina Level One Limited Learner Permit?

1. At least 14 but less than 16 years old
2. At least 16 but less than 21 years old
3. At least 18 but less than 25 years old
4. At least 15 but less than 18 years old

27. A North Carolina Level Two license holder driving without supervision may generally carry how many unrelated passengers under 21?

1. Two in every circumstance
2. None, regardless of the destination
3. Three if the driver has held the license for six months
4. One, with a second allowed when that passenger is a student driven directly to or from school

28. After a North Carolina DWI conviction with a BAC of 0.15 or more, what vehicle equipment may be required?

1. A second passenger side air bag
2. A commercial vehicle speed governor
3. An ignition interlock device
4. A replacement catalytic converter

29. Within what period can accumulating as many as 12 North Carolina driver license points lead to suspension?

1. Within six months only
2. Within a three year period
3. Within a five year period
4. Within one calendar month

30. When following another vehicle in ordinary conditions, how should a driver measure a safe gap?

1. Allow two seconds between the vehicles passing the same point
2. Stay one car length behind at every speed
3. Keep exactly ten feet of space
4. Follow closely until a passing opportunity appears

31. When being passed on a North Carolina road, what must the driver of the vehicle being overtaken do?

1. Accelerate to keep the other vehicle beside you
2. Move to the right edge and never increase speed
3. Move left to block the passing vehicle
4. Brake hard in the travel lane

32. If a North Carolina driver is already inside a roundabout when an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and sirens, what should happen?

1. Stop immediately in the circle
2. Exit the roundabout first, then pull over for the emergency vehicle
3. Reverse around the circle to make room
4. Enter the roundabout again after stopping at the entrance

33. What extra space should a driver allow when a passing vehicle needs to move into the gap ahead?

1. Enough distance for the passing vehicle to move in safely
2. No space, because the passing vehicle must remain outside the lane
3. Exactly one car length regardless of speed
4. A gap created only after the lead vehicle stops

34. How many hours must a North Carolina teen log on the Driving Log before a Level Two license, and how many at night?

1. At least 40 hours, with 6 at night
2. At least 50 hours, with 10 at night
3. At least 30 hours, all in daylight
4. At least 60 hours, with at least 10 at night

35. When has a North Carolina driver not passed safely?

1. When the passing driver signals before moving left
2. When the driver returns to the original lane before meeting oncoming traffic
3. When the vehicle being passed must slow down to let the driver return to the correct lane
4. When the passed vehicle maintains its speed

36. In which direction do vehicles travel around a traffic circle or roundabout?

1. To the left around the circle in a clockwise direction
2. Straight across the center whenever traffic is light
3. In either direction according to the driver’s preferred lane
4. To the right around the circle in a counterclockwise direction

37. A flashing yellow signal has the same meaning as what type of sign?

1. A stop sign
2. A speed-limit sign
3. A railroad-crossing sign
4. A warning sign

38. When driving in fog in North Carolina, which headlights should a driver use?

1. High-beam headlights only
2. Parking lights without headlights
3. Low-beam headlights
4. Hazard flashers instead of headlights

39. A flashing red signal at a North Carolina intersection means you must first:

1. Slow down but continue without stopping
2. Turn around before reaching the intersection
3. Stop and wait until entering will not interfere with approaching traffic
4. Wait for the signal to become a steady yellow

40. How should a North Carolina driver handle a pedestrian in a crosswalk at an unsignalized intersection?

1. Proceed first if the vehicle arrived first
2. Yield only when the pedestrian is running
3. Use the horn and continue through the crosswalk
4. Yield because the pedestrian has the right of way