North Carolina Learner's Permit / Driver's Licence Test

This is my first post on this blog. Being a "novice blogger"(strictly in the loosest sense of the term!!), I will take the safe route and start with an auspicious disclaimer - Request all readers to pardon any mistakes that I may inadvertently commit while blogging today and in the future.

Moving on, my first post relate to my experience of taking the North Carolina Driver's Licence Learner's Permit Test. While preparing for the test, I googled avidly and tried to amass as much information as possible to be ready for any type of questions and documentations. I realized that most of the information is out there in the form of various websites (official or unofficial), blogs, comments etc. I have only put in the effort to compile the amassed info in this post so that future readers / info-seekers / test takers may spare some time less than I ended up doing.

Step 1: Visit NC DMV site  and check for local DMV locations, hours and appropriate documentations.

Step 2: Download and read the following official information

• Driver's Handbook 
• Warning
• Regulatory

Step 3: Study the following Question Banks thoroughly. 95% of the questions come from these compilations (Believe it!!)

• Question Bank 1
• Question Bank 2

Step 4: Following are some links for Practice Tests. These are couple of degrees harder than the actual test.

• http://driving-tests.org/north-carolina/
• FreeDMVPracticeTests
• http://www.usa-traffic-signs.com/Test_s/50.htm

Once you have completed Steps 2 - 4, you are all set for the Test.

Step 5: Documentation -
I am a H4 visa holder (spouse of H1B visa holder). I do not have a SSN and have recently moved to Charlotte, NC. The documents that I furnished were :

• Indian Passport & Visa
• I-94 & I-797
• Current Apartment Lease
• ITIN document and last Year Tax statement (I carried them for just-in-case scenario, was not needed)

Step 6: 

I went to the West Arrowood Rd location for the test after 2:00 PM on Wednesday of this week. After checking my docs. at the front counter, I was issued a token and was asked to be seated. Once my token number was called, I was interviewed by a DMV professional regarding pertinent personal information and documents. 

Post that, I was given the vision test plus the warning and Regulatory signs test. 

Then, I was assigned a test machine (visual touchscreen). The test requires 80% for passing - so I had to get 20 questions correct out of 25. I got the first 20 itself correct and was informed on screen itself that I have passed the test. 

Finally, I paid the $15.00 as fee, got my mugshot taken and given the temporary LP.

The complete process took me 1.5 hours.

I hope the above info helps and I request that you share your own experience tid-bits as comments to this post.

I am also thankful to the anonymous bloggers and commentors who provided inputs to the question dumps. I received the documents from friends and hence, was unable to provide appropriate references.

All the best!!!!!!