Other License Info

Driver Safety

Health: To get a driver license in North Carolina, you must be in good health and able to safely control the vehicle for which you will be licensed. Long-term illnesses are likely to affect your driving.

However, short-term conditions can also interfere. Colds, the flu, and fatigue all have an effect on your ability to drive. Any time you are not feeling well, you might not be as alert as usual. Plan around these times so you do not drive while you are impaired.

Medication: Medications―both prescription and over-the-counter―can interfere with your driving. Learn how the medication affects you before you attempt to drive with it in your system.

Alcohol: Thirty-eight percent of traffic fatalities involve the use of alcohol. Because alcohol first affects judgment, you may think you can drive safely after drinking, even when you cannot. It is important to avoid driving while under the influence of alcohol. The state has serious penalties for people who violate the DWI laws.

Age: Finally, keep in mind that your age may also affect your ability to drive. Teens and new drivers lack the judgment that years of experience provide. Older drivers tend to react to problems more slowly, and vision and hearing may decline with age. Younger and older drivers alike can benefit from driving shorter distances, keeping to familiar roads, and only driving within your abilities.

Driver Improvement Clinics

With certain convictions for motor vehicle violations in North Carolina, you accumulate points against your driving record. When you accrue a total of seven points, the court might assign you to a Driver Improvement Clinic. This is a course you pay for that helps you improve your driving skills. Once you complete the course, three points are taken off of your record.

You can attend a clinic to reduce points once every five years. To receive credit for the class and have the points reduced, you must meet with a driver license hearing officer.

The official Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Web site has a current schedule of clinics throughout the state. (Opening the file requires the free Adobe Reader; if you do not have it you can download it for free.)

For more information on driver clinics, call (919) 715-7000. To register, pay your fee at any driver license office before attending, and bring your receipt with you to class.

Becoming a School Bus Driver

To become a school bus driver in North Carolina, you must be at least 18 years old and have at least six months experience as a licensed driver. Although you will need to obtain any North Carolina driver license to gain this experience, driving a school bus will ultimately require a commercial driver license (CDL) with two school bus endorsements (extra tests to pass).

Legally, you must take school bus driver training and take and pass the DMV School Bus and Traffic Safety Section's written exam. Legally, you must also have a good driving record, and complete behind-the-wheel training including three skills tests. Then you can get your school bus driver certificate from completing the course, and a valid CDL. Finally, you need approval from the principal, transportation director, superintendent, and local board of education.

Becoming a school bus driver involves training, then passing four written tests and three practical driving tests. Complete details on these requirements can be found in the School Bus Handbook.

Before you become a school bus driver, you should study this handbook as well as the Commercial Driver's Manual, available as a PDF download. You can also pick one up at any driver license office.