State laws, insurance and documents: North Carolina NCDMV written test practice
11 free practice questions on state laws, insurance and documents for the North Carolina NCDMV written knowledge test, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Study them here, then check yourself in the interactive quiz or the exam simulator.
1. What are North Carolina's current minimum liability insurance requirements?
$25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000
$30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000
✓ $50,000 / $100,000 / $50,000
There is no minimum requirement
Why: Effective July 2025, North Carolina raised its minimum liability limits to $50,000 bodily injury per person / $100,000 per accident, with a comparable amount for property damage; drivers must also carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
2. What lighting is required on a bicycle or e-bike ridden at night in North Carolina?
No lighting is required if the rider wears reflective clothing
✓ A front white light visible from a distance, plus a rear red reflector or light
A flashing light of any color is sufficient on either end
Lighting is only required on roads with a speed limit over 45 mph
Why: Like most states, North Carolina requires a bicycle or e-bike ridden after dark to have a white headlight visible from the front and a red reflector or light visible from the rear.
3. How does North Carolina set speed limits in school zones?
There is one fixed statewide school zone speed of 15 mph
✓ Local authorities may set reduced limits near schools, but state law sets a floor of 20 mph - limits cannot go lower than that
School zone limits only apply on weekends
School zones have no special speed limit at all
Why: North Carolina law lets local authorities establish reduced speed limits near schools, enforced during school session days and hours, but the limit cannot be set below the state's 20 mph floor; speeding in a school zone is a $250 infraction.
4. During the first 12 months after receiving a provisional license, a driver under 18 is generally prohibited from:
Driving with any passengers at any time
✓ Transporting passengers under the age of 20 without an adult aged 25 or older present, and driving between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. without a valid reason
Driving during the day on weekdays
Using a navigation system
Why: During the first 12 months, a minor driver is generally not permitted to transport passengers under the age of 20 without being accompanied by a licensed adult aged 25 or older, and may not drive between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., except for valid reasons (work, school, or medical necessity).
5. What is an SR-22 in North Carolina?
A type of driver's license for commercial vehicles
✓ A certificate of financial responsibility that an insurance company files with the state on a driver's behalf
A form used to register a new vehicle
A ticket issued for a parking violation
Why: An SR-22 is filed by an insurer to prove a driver carries the required liability coverage; it's typically required after offenses like DWI, driving on a suspended or revoked license, or an accident while uninsured, usually for around three years.
6. What is generally required when renewing a driver's license in North Carolina?
A full road test every time
✓ A vision screening
A new written knowledge test every time
Nothing - renewal has no requirements at all
Why: Renewing a license generally requires a vision screening to confirm the driver still meets the state's eyesight standards, even when other parts of the renewal can be completed online or by mail.
7. A funeral procession with its headlights on:
Has no special rights
✓ May proceed through an intersection in a convoy behind the lead vehicle, even if the light has changed
Must stop at every intersection
May drive in the oncoming lane
Why: Vehicles in a funeral procession with their headlights on usually travel in a column behind the lead vehicle, even if the light has changed—do not break up or cut in front of the procession.
8. A bus or streetcar stopped to pick up passengers on a street with one lane in each direction can usually be passed:
Only on the right
✓ Only on the left, if it is safe to do so and not prohibited by road markings
On either side, without restriction
You can't pass it; you have to wait
Why: If there is no separate lane for passing, you can usually pass a stopped bus or streetcar on the left, provided it is safe to do so and not prohibited by signs or road markings.
9. Does North Carolina have a specific statewide law against wearing headphones or earbuds in both ears while driving?
Yes, it is specifically illegal under all circumstances
✓ There is no specific statewide law on this, though blocking your hearing in a way that creates a hazard could contribute to a careless or reckless driving citation
It is legal only for drivers under 18
It is legal only on interstate highways
Why: North Carolina does not have a standalone statute banning headphone or earbud use while driving, but an officer could still cite a driver for careless or reckless driving if reduced hearing contributes to unsafe driving.
10. Fatigue while driving is especially dangerous because it:
Has no effect on the driver's reaction time
✓ Slows reaction time and can cause a brief microsleep while driving
Affects only passengers
Is dangerous only at night
Why: Fatigue slows reaction time and increases the risk of “microsleep”—a brief, involuntary lapse into sleep while driving, which is enough to cause an accident.
11. What is the rule for slower-moving traffic on a multi-lane road in North Carolina?
✓ Slower vehicles should keep to the right, leaving the left lane(s) for passing
Slower vehicles should stay in the left lane at all times
There is no rule - drivers may use any lane regardless of speed
Slower vehicles must use the shoulder instead of a travel lane
Why: As in most states, North Carolina drivers moving slower than the flow of traffic should keep to the right, reserving the left lane mainly for passing.