Driving Test Practice

North Carolina: Cheat Sheet

The most frequently tested facts and numbers, condensed onto one page — free to print or save.

Independent educational site · not affiliated with any government agency or DMV

Driving Test Practiceofficialdrivingtest.com

100% free — no email, no paywall. Print it, save it, or share it with anyone studying for the same test.

Licensing basics

  • The manual says you must be at least 15 years old but less than 18 for a Level One permit.
  • The manual says that during the first six months you may drive between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. with a supervising driver.
  • The manual says the Driving Log must detail a minimum of 60 hours of operation.
  • A new resident has 60 days after establishing residence to obtain a North Carolina license or learner permit.

Signals & vehicle controls

  • The manual says to back very slowly, not more than 10 mph.
  • The manual says to check and adjust the mirrors before you begin to drive.

Pavement markings

  • Yellow lines separate travel lanes moving in opposite directions.
  • White lines separate travel lanes moving in the same direction.
  • A skipped yellow center line marks a road where passing with care is permitted in both directions.
  • Continuous double solid yellow center lines cannot be crossed to pass in either direction.
  • On a two-lane road you may pass with care if the skipped-yellow line is in your lane.

Freeway driving

  • The manual says to use the acceleration lane until your speed matches the other traffic and then merge safely.
  • The manual lists “Never stop in the travel lane” among the interstate rules.

Parking rules

  • The manual lists parking within 25 feet of the curb line of an intersecting street as a place where you should not park.
  • The manual says not to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or entrance to a fire station.

Sign shapes and colors

  • The manual says the octagonal shape is used for stop signs only.
  • A yield sign is triangular with the point at the bottom.
  • Diamond-shaped warning signs are normally black on yellow.
  • A five-sided pentagon sign warns of a school zone or school crossing.
  • Black-on-orange diamond signs warn of construction or maintenance areas.

Road signs

  • The law requires a full stop at a stop sign, and you must not move again until the way is clear.
  • At a yield sign you must slow down and yield the right of way.
  • The driver must stop at the appropriately marked stop line.
  • In many school zones the speed limit is reduced during certain school hours.

Traffic signals

  • The manual says a circular yellow signal means caution and that the signal is about to turn red.
  • You must stop for a yellow signal unless you are too close to stop safely, in which case you drive cautiously through.
  • A right turn is allowed after a complete stop unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted.
  • The manual states that a red arrow means turning traffic must stop.
  • The manual says to proceed as though the intersection is controlled by a stop sign on all approaches.
  • A flashing red signal has the same meaning as a stop sign.
  • When an officer directs traffic, you obey the officer’s hand signals instead of the normal signals or signs.

Right of way & turning

  • The manual says on a two-lane roadway, when a school bus stops for passengers all traffic from both directions must stop.
  • The manual says on a divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation, only traffic following the bus must stop.
  • The law requires the passing driver to pass at least two feet to the left of the vehicle being passed.
  • The vehicle already in the intersection has the right of way ahead of any vehicle that has not yet entered.
  • When two or more vehicles reach an intersection at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way.
  • At a stop sign you must come to a complete stop and yield to traffic on the through-street, moving ahead only when you can proceed safely.
  • Drivers yield to any vehicles or bicyclists already in the roundabout.

Railroad crossings

  • G.S. 20-142.1 requires the driver to stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail.
  • The train always has the right of way at a railroad crossing.
  • The manual says never to stop on train tracks for any reason.
  • If you are already crossing when the warning lights flash or gates come down, do not stop, do not back up, keep moving.

Pedestrian rights

  • The manual says pedestrians have the right of way at intersections without signals in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets.
  • The manual says drivers must allow a pedestrian who remains in the street when the signal changes to complete the crossing safely.

Sharing the road

  • Drivers may pass a bicyclist only when there is abundant clearance and no oncoming traffic in the opposing lane.
  • Motorcycles are entitled to the full width of their lane.
  • A tractor-trailer has NO-ZONES up to 20 feet in front of the cab, alongside it and up to 200 feet in the rear.
  • The rear NO-ZONE of a tractor-trailer extends up to 200 feet.

Speed & following distance

  • The manual says the speed limit is 35 mph in cities and towns unless otherwise posted.
  • The Maximum Speed Limits table lists 55 mph outside cities and towns.
  • The Maximum Speed Limits table lists 70 mph for interstates.
  • The two-second rule says to allow two seconds between the vehicle ahead passing a point and you reaching it.
  • The manual states that following too closely is a leading cause of traffic crashes.
  • The manual says to slow down and allow yourself at least twice the normal following distance.

Seat belts & child safety

  • The manual says the driver and all passengers must have a seat belt properly fastened at all times when the vehicle is in forward motion on a street or highway in this state.
  • The manual says every driver transporting passengers younger than 16 must make sure each is properly secured in a child restraint system or seat belt.
  • The manual says a child under age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds must be properly secured in a weight appropriate child passenger restraint system.
  • The manual states that North Carolina law prohibits children less than age 16 from riding in the open bed of a pick-up truck.

Distracted driving

  • The manual states it is unlawful to use a cell phone for email or text messages while operating a vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area.
  • The manual defines distracted driving as any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving.
  • The manual lists not remembering the last few miles driven, hitting a rumble strip or drifting from your lane, yawning repeatedly, and difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open.

Emergencies and special situations

  • The manual says if you begin to hydroplane, take your foot off the gas pedal.
  • The manual says to brake firmly, stay in your lane and try to stop in time.
  • The manual requires an immediate report when total damage to vehicles and other property appears to be $1,000 or more.

Emergency vehicles & work zones

  • The manual says to drive to the right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely as the emergency vehicle approaches from ahead or behind.
  • The manual says the move-over requirements apply when an authorized emergency vehicle is parked or standing within 12 feet of the roadway with its lights activated.
  • The manual says to move into a lane that is not the lane nearest the parked or standing emergency vehicle and continue until safely clear of it.
  • The manual says to stay calm, activate your turn signal and pull to the right and off the travel portion of the highway at the nearest point where it is safe.
  • The manual says it is unlawful to drive greater than the speed limit that is set and posted in a work zone.

Alcohol & drugs

  • The manual states that everyone's driving is impaired at a BAC of 0.08 percent.
  • Refusing a required test brings an immediate revocation of at least 30 days and an additional minimum 12-month revocation by the DMV.
  • A test result of 0.08 percent or more brings an immediate revocation for a minimum of 30 days.
  • A first DWI conviction brings a mandatory one-year revocation.
  • The manual states that the legal age to purchase alcohol in North Carolina is 21.
  • The manual says it is unlawful for a provisional licensee to drive after or while consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs.

Financial responsibility & insurance

  • The minimum is $30,000 for injuries to any one person in a crash.
  • The minimum is $60,000 for all personal injuries in a crash.

Driving record & suspensions

  • The manual says accumulating seven points may lead to an assignment to a driver improvement clinic.
  • The manual says accumulating as many as 12 points within a three-year period may lead to suspension.
  • The manual's points table gives 5 points for passing a stopped school bus.

© 2026 Driving Test Practice · officialdrivingtest.com · All rights reserved. Free to print and share — not for resale.