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New NC law will change how long teen drivers need their learner's permits

Starting January 1, the six-month requirement will be extended to nine months.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Teen drivers in North Carolina will need to have their learner's permit a little longer before getting a driver's license come the new year. 

It used to be that you needed your learner's permit for a year. Then the state changed it to six months. Now, the requirement will be nine months, effective Jan. 1, 2024. 

And there are no exceptions. So, even if your teen would have completed the six-month permit requirement early in the new year, they still have to meet the nine-month requirement before they can take the driving test. Here's everything you need to know about the new law.

What is the law now and what is changing in 2024? 

Currently in North Carolina, to get a driver's license, you need to be 16 years old, hold a learner's permit for six months, log 60 hours of driving time, and pass a road test. You also need to show proof of insurance. Starting in 2024, you'll need to have a learner's permit for nine months. 

Why is the law changing? 

For two decades, teen drivers had to hold their permits for one year. The state's DMV commissioner Wayne Goodwin said the COVID pandemic changed the time requirement for learning permits to six months, as a way to expedite the process. Now that things have gotten back to normal, state lawmakers are compromising with a nine-month requirement. 

"Legislators want to ensure that our teen drivers have sufficient time in the level one permit process before going to level two," Godwin said. "The state wants sufficient time to ensure they drive safely. Many legislatures felt like going back to the full year was perhaps too long.

What does that mean for teen drivers who currently have six months of a permit under their belt? 

The teen needs to take their road test by Dec. 29 in order to get their driver's license. If they don't, they will have to hang on to their permit longer in the new year - until they hit the nine-month mark. 

If your child got their learner's permit before June 30, they meet the current six-month requirement. If they got it anytime after June 30, be prepared to wait another three months until they can take the driving exam. 




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