Do you have to pass any tests to renew your driver’s license in NC? Here’s what to know
If you have to renew your North Carolina driver’s license soon, it might be a good idea to do some test prep.
Driver licenses can be renewed online or at a self-service kiosk (there are a few across Raleigh and Charlotte) up to two years after their expiration dates, according to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. After that, renewals must be done in-person at an NCDMV office.
Drivers can only renew their licenses online every other time, meaning you’ll have to visit a driver license office to renew if you completed the process online last time, according to NCDMV.
Do you have to pass any tests to renew your license in NC?
At the in-person renewal, you’re required to take a vision and road sign recognition test, a representative for NCDMV told The Charlotte Observer in an email.
During the road sign recognition test, applicants are expected to identify regulatory and warning signs by color and shape and provide an explanation of each, according to NCDMV.
Who has to renew their license in-person in NC?
NCDMV says other groups who have to renew their licenses in person include those who:
Have a suspended license or outstanding debt with NCDMV
Have a restriction other than “Corrective Lenses” on their driver license and/or “24” on their full provisional license
Need to renew a commercial driver licenses, regular Class A or B driver license, limited provisional license, limited learner permit or learner permit
Have a U.S. government document indicating legal presence
How to renew an expired license in-person in NC
Visit ncdot.gov/dmv to renew online or schedule an appointment.
If you want to renew a license that has been lost or stolen, you’ll have to provide two documents verifying your identity, which could include a birth certificate, passport or a social security card.
You can renew your license up to six months before expiration.
How much does it cost to renew your license in NC?
Driver license renewal is $6.50 per year. Since Licenses issued to adults aged 18 to 65 are valid for eight years, their cost would be $52. Licenses issued to adults 66 and over are valid for five years, so their cost would be $32.50.
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Do you have to pass any tests to renew your driver’s license in NC? Here’s what to know."
