After you pass in North Carolina: restrictions and your licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the Level 2 hours and passenger limits.
• You can name the exceptions that allow driving alone at night.
• You can explain how and when to get Level 3.
• You can say which rules still apply after the GDL limits lift.

What you need to know and understand

• Level 2: drive alone from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; at other times you need a supervising driver.
• Exceptions: driving directly to or from work, or volunteer fire, rescue or EMS duty.
• Without a supervisor: one passenger under 21 from outside your household, plus one extra student on direct school trips.
• No mobile phone use while driving until you turn 18.
• Level 3 after 6 months on Level 2 with no moving violation, seat belt or mobile phone conviction in the past 6 months.
• You can upgrade to Level 3 online or at a driver license office; the old 12-hour Level 2 log is gone.
• The under-21 alcohol offense applies until your 21st birthday.

Living with a Level 2 license

Most Level 2 drivers find the 9 p.m. limit the biggest change from Level 1. Plan evening activities so you are home by 9 p.m., or arrange for a supervising driver to ride with you. A late shift at work is covered by the work exception, but only for driving directly to or from the job.

Passenger limits exist because each extra young passenger raises crash risk. If every passenger lives in your household, the under-21 limit does not apply, but household members under 21 may not ride along while you carry an under-21 passenger from outside your household.

Getting to Level 3

1. Hold your Level 2 license for at least 6 months.
2. Keep a clean record: no moving violation, seat belt or mobile phone conviction in the past 6 months.
3. Upgrade to Level 3 online with a parent or guardian, or at an NCDMV driver license office.
4. Keep following the under-18 phone ban until your 18th birthday.

Rules that stay with you

• Level 3 is still provisional until 18, and provisional licensees face their own suspension ladder for repeat moving violations.
• The under-21 offense of driving after drinking or using drugs applies until 21.
• Texting and reading email while driving are banned for every driver.
• Most moving violation convictions add insurance points that raise the family premium.

Common mistakes

• Staying out past 9 p.m. on Level 2 and driving home alone from a social event.
• Giving rides to two friends from different homes without a supervisor.
• Assuming Level 3 lifts the phone ban. It applies until you are 18.
• Forgetting to request Level 3 and staying on Level 2 limits longer than needed.

Test yourself: After you pass in North Carolina: restrictions and your licence

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• North Carolina Road Test
• North Carolina School Bus Stopping Law
• Getting a North Carolina Driver’s License at 18 or Over