Contactless Road Test
After the passing of House Bill 158 on June 19, 2020, temporarily waiving the road test requirement for level two limited provisional licenses, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) started to offer road tests to teen drivers again.
House Bill 158 did not address 16- or 17-year-olds seeking a full provisional license – Teen Driver Level 3. In order to advance to Teen Driver Level 3, one needs to pass a road test.
NCDMV now offers modified contactless road tests at limited locations by appointment for Level 2 drivers that have received a waiver and now need a road test to advance to Level 3, as well for other qualifying reasons such as:
- One previously failed a road test and was never retested prior to March 2020;
- Governed by lawful and or legal presence status (not permanent residence);
- Driving privileges were suspended when the previous credential expired;
The road tests developed by NCDMV are now contactless and are held in large parking lots. This way, the license examiner does not need to sit in the car with the driver. However, only 14 out of 115 driver license offices are equipped to offer these contactless road tests. Also, while one can schedule appointments with the NCDMV online, this option does not currently exist for limited provisional licensees wanting to advance to Level 3. Due to the limited space for contactless road tests, it may take weeks before one can get an appointment. You may apply for an appointment by contacting NCDMV by phone at (919) 715-7000, or by email via DMVDS@ncdot.gov. If you email NCDMV in order to apply for a contactless road test, please include your name, county of residence, driver license or permit number, phone number, and the reason qualifying you to take the contactless road test, i.e. level 2 driver wanting to advance, or previously failed road test, etc.
Please make sure to obey by the strict restrictions for your level of teen driving in order to be able to gain the on-the-road experience necessary to drive a vehicle with no supervision and minimal restrictions, and in order to avoid traffic tickets which may be costly.
However, if you find yourself in need of an attorney because were charged with a traffic violation or crime in New Hanover, Pender, or Brunswick Counties, call Collins Law Firm at (910) 793-9000 for a confidential consultation about how we can help you.
By Jana H. Collins