Center for International Studies

Obtaining a North Carolina Driver License

• Written and Road Skill Tests
• Necessary Documentation
• License Fee Schedule
• Vehicle Registration
• Winston-Salem DMV Office Addresses
• Winston-Salem Vehicle Registration Office Addresses

I. Necessary Documentation

If you are a first-time applicant for a North Carolina driver license, learner's permit, or ID card, you will need to present the following documents in order to qualify:

1) Social Security Number

The Department of Motor Vehicles will not issue a driver license in the absence of a social security number. In the past, the DMV would allow nonimmigrants to apply for a driver license using a tax indentification number, but this is no longer possible due to a change of the law that took effect on January 1, 2003.

2) Identification

For purposes of identification, you will need to show an official document(s) that contains your full name and date of birth. A driver license or photo ID issued by another U.S. state, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico or a US Territory, a Canadian province will serve as a sufficient means of identification. If you do not have one of the above named documents, you will need to provide two forms of identification from the documents listed below. The documents cannot come from the same category (i.e. two school documents), and at least one of the two documents must show your date of birth.

• Certified copy of a birth certificate or the original birth certificate
• Social Security card or other official document with your Social Security number
• Official school records signed by a school official (i.e. official transcript, diploma, etc.)
• Military service identification issued by the US or Mexican governments
• Valid stamped passport from any country
• Tax records, including W-2 forms, 1099 forms, 1042S forms, etc.
• Certified marriage license or certificate of marriage issued by a governmental agency
• Valid vehicle registration or certificate of title
• Authentic, unexpired document from the Immigration and Naturalization Service

3) Proof of Residency

You must also provide proof of your residency in North Carolina before a driver license will be issued. The following documents may be used to satisfy this requirement:

• Any document issued by the State of North Carolina or any of its political subdivisions
• North Carolina voter registration card
• Preprinted bank or other corporate statement
• Correspondence on preprinted business letterhead
• Apartment lease, housing contract, mortgage statement, etc.
• Utility bill (power bill, cable bill, water bill, etc.) or contract for utility service
• School records
• Letter from a homeless shelter

4) Proof of Insurance

Everyone who applies for a driver license in North Carolina must show proof of liability insurance. This rule even applies to those people who do not own a vehicle. If you do not own a vehicle but would like to apply for a driver license, you will need to purchase a non-owner's policy from an insurance agent. The following documents may be used to provide proof of insurance:

• Form DL-123 from your insurance agent
• Copy of the insurance policy with your name on it and the issue and expiration date
• An insurance binder
• An insurance card with your name, the policy number, and issue and expiration dates

II. Written and Road Skill Tests

All first-time North Carolina driver license applicants are required to take a written exam that tests traffic rule knowledge as well as a sign and vision test. A driving exam may also be required. The written and road tests may be taken at your local DMV office. Study booklets for the exams may be obtained at any of the DMV offices or can also be accessed on the web here. The DMV office located at 2001 Silas Creek Parkway offers written tests that can be taken in the following languages:

• Spanish
• Chinese
• Korean
• Japanese

A study guide for the road sign test can also be accessed on the web here.

III. License Fee Schedule

The fee for a regular Class A license is $3.75 a year and can be obtained and renewed for periods of five years($18.75). The cost of a learner's permit and a North Carolina ID card are both $10.00. The DMV web site contains a comprehensive listing of all licensing fees.