Teen driver law changes to take effect Monday

The required time for teens drivers to have a Limited Learner Permit before advancing to a Limited Provisional License is being shortened to 6 months starting May 8.

SOUNTHEAST NC (WWAY) — The required time for teens drivers to have a Limited Learner Permit before advancing to a Limited Provisional License is being shorted to 6 months starting May 8.

For nearly 25 years, the required time before teens could advance was 12 months.

This comes after a bill passed in the North Carolina General Assembly shortening the time. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the required time was temporarily shorted to 6 months, but when provision ended at the end on 2022, it prompted the General Assembly to extend the provision again. Under the legislature, the provision will permanently change to 9 months on January 1, 2024.

Despite the shortened time limit, teen drivers are still required to be at least 16 years old, log 60 hours of driving time, pass a road test, and show printed proof of insurance in the teen driver’s name.

“Now that this requirement has been changed back to six months, we look forward to helping these teen drivers through this process,” said DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “We ask for your patience as we work to accommodate the thousands of teen drivers that are suddenly eligible to take a road test and receive their Level 2 provisional license.”

But this bill isn’t without push-back. Though Governor Roy Cooper did not veto the bill, he also declined to sign it. In a press release, Cooper stated his dissatisfaction with the bill’s passing.

“For years, NC’s graduated drivers license process has significantly improved safety for all motorists, however, this legislation passed by a large margin because it should help reduce the waiting time for young people wanting their license. I have concerns that this law could make our roads less safe and I encourage the Division of Motor Vehicles and the legislature to monitor its effects closely.”