All the North Carolina Traffic Laws You Should Know
From speeding tickets and DWI penalties to who has the right of way, here are key North Carolina traffic laws you’ll need to know.
Written by Melanie Mergen
Reviewed by Lisa Steuer McArdle
If you’re a driver in North Carolina, you’ll need to know the rules of the road—like when you have the right of way, what to expect when it comes to speed limits,
car insurance
requirements, and what your legal obligations are when you’re involved in an accident. But laws and penalties can vary from state to state, so it’s important to understand how the rules apply in your home state—as well as any state you’ll be making a trip to in the near future. Whether you already call North Carolina home or you plan to pass through it soon, here are some of the key traffic laws you’ll want to know.
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If you really want to dive into the details of North Carolina’s general traffic rules, the
North Carolina Driver Handbook
is just the document for you. You can view it online, and you can also get a physical copy at any North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver license office. Chapter 20 of North Carolina’s General Statutes
covers many of the laws that apply to motor vehicles, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT)
is an additional resource you can make use of.Whether you’re looking to brush up on the basics or preparing to prime yourself ahead of that deep dive, here are some of the key driving laws you’ll want to be aware of in North Carolina.
Driver’s license laws
To legally drive a vehicle on North Carolina’s public roads, you need to hold a valid North Carolina driver’s license. For the typical noncommercial vehicle, that’s going to be a regular Class C license.
You’ll need to pass knowledge and driving skills tests to get a license. To drive a motorcycle in North Carolina, you’d need an
extra endorsement
on your driver’s license, which involves taking additional tests.Once you’ve obtained your driver’s license, you’ll need to have it with you whenever you drive. If you’re pulled over by law enforcement and they discover you’re
driving without a license
, you could pay some costly consequences.Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Driving without carrying your valid license (NOL, 1st offense) | Civil infraction, three driving record points, one insurance record point, fine up to $100 |
Driving unlicensed (1st offense) | Class 3 misdemeanor, up to 20 days’ jail time, fine up to $200 |
Driving with suspended or revoked license | Class 2 misdemeanor, up to 60 days’ jail time, fine up to $1,000 |
In addition to carrying your license with you, you’ll also be responsible for following the rules of the road—or being subjected to North Carolina’s driver license points system for certain offenses in addition to other applicable penalties.
If a driver gets 12 points within a three-year period, their license could be suspended. After an initial suspension and reinstatement, accumulating eight points within three years could result in another suspension.
Examples of point-worthy offenses include:
Offense | Driver License Points |
|---|---|
Passing a stopped school bus | 5 points |
Running a stop sign | 3 points |
Hit and run, property damage only | 4 points |
Failure to report an accident when required | 3 points |
No liability insurance | 3 points |
After a person’s driver’s license is reinstated, the number of points they have will be reset. You can check to see how many driver license points you have with a
myDMV account
.Additionally, insurance companies will use a separate point system to determine your insurance rate.
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Insurance laws
Your driver’s license isn’t the only item you need to have with you when you drive: you’ll also need to provide
proof of adequate car insurance
.As a driver in North Carolina, you’re required to carry a minimum amount of insurance coverage in case you’re ever involved in an accident. This includes:
- $60,000 of bodily injury liability insurance per accident
- $60,000 of bodily injury uninsured motorist insurance per accident
- $25,000 of property damage uninsured motorist insurance per accident
If you’re caught driving without
sufficient insurance
, it’s a misdemeanor offense, and you could have three points added to your driving record, along with other serious consequences.Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Driving without insurance (1st offense) | Fine of $50, registration suspension of 30 days, up to 45 days’ probation |
Driving without insurance (second offense) | Fine of $100, registration suspension of 30 days, up to 45 days’ jail time |
Driving without insurance (third and subsequent offenses) | Fine of $150, registration suspension of 30 days, up to 45 days’ jail time |
Right of way
To keep traffic moving smoothly (and safely), North Carolina drivers must yield right of way to pedestrians and other drivers under various circumstances. Knowing right of way rules is key to driving safely, and they’ll play a significant role in determining fault in an accident.
Here’s what to know when it comes to pedestrians:
- Pedestrians have the right of way at intersections without traffic signals, as long as they’re within marked crosswalks or the boundaries that would extend from a sidewalk on one side of the street to the other.
- At intersections with traffic signals but without signals for pedestrians, pedestrians have the right of way when the traffic signal is green, including with vehicles turning into their path. If the traffic light turns yellow or red while the pedestrian is still crossing the street, you’ll need to wait for them.
- When there is a traffic signal for pedestrians at an intersection, they’ll yield to those rather than vehicle traffic signals. But even when a pedestrian isn’t technically in the right of way, you’re operating a heavy piece of machinery and they are not, so you’ll still need to yield to them.
You’re also required to yield to emergency vehicles with their lights flashing or sirens sounding. You’ll need to:
- Pull over safely to the right-hand side of the road and come to a complete stop, regardless of the direction of travel (the one exception to this is with vehicles traveling in the opposite direction of the emergency vehicle on a divided highway)
- Remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed through or you have permission from a traffic officer to proceed
At traffic intersections with four-way stop signs:
- Vehicles that stop first get to move through the intersection first
- When vehicles stop at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way
- When vehicles directly across from each other stop at the same time, a driver turning left must yield to a driver proceeding straight
Lastly, it’s also extremely important to yield to stopped school buses. In most cases, it’s illegal to pass them from either direction while their stop signs are out.
For more right-of-way examples, including special circumstances, you can refer to the North Carolina Driver’s Handbook.
Failing to yield under the required circumstances can result in steep penalties—especially if someone is injured as a result.
Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Failure to yield to a pedestrian | Fine of $100 to $500, four driving points |
Failure to yield to other motorists | Fine of up to $100 |
Failure to yield right of way to an emergency vehicle resulting in serious bodily injury | 90 days’ license suspension, fine of $500 |
Passing and turning
Passing and turning—these are some of the most common moves you’re going to make on the road, so it’s important that you’re able to do so safely.
When you need to make turns, always remember to use your turn signal and brake gradually, giving vehicles behind you enough time to notice and slow down themselves. Always make sure you’re free to turn safely before doing so.
On roads with multiple traffic lanes in one direction, always check your rear- and side-view mirror and blind spots before turning into another lane. And again, give ample notice to other drivers with your turn signal before doing so, and be sure not to veer too closely in front of another vehicle in the lane.
In many cases—but not all cases—u-turns are legal in North Carolina. U-turns can’t be made when signs specifically prohibit them or when traffic or visibility conditions would keep you from doing so safely.
Passing to the right of a vehicle is illegal, except in certain circumstances. It puts you at risk of placing yourself in a vehicle’s blind spot or of getting into an accident if the vehicle suddenly needs to turn or pull over on the side of the road.
Some of those rare exceptions would include:
- Highways with at least two lanes traveling in both directions
- One-way streets with multiple lanes of traffic moving in the same direction
- Driving in a lane designated for right turns
On highways with three lanes traveling in the same direction, passing should be limited to the center lane when properly marked.
In most cases, passing in these areas or circumstances in North Carolina is illegal:
- In intersections
- Over railroad crossings
- Before curves or hills with limited visibility
- On roads with two solid yellow lines
- Whenever conditions limit your ability to look for surrounding traffic before passing
When another vehicle is passing you, state laws require you to make it easier for them to do so. If you notice another driver is attempting to pass you, you should move to the right edge of the road when it’s safe and possible to do so. If you get caught speeding up or refusing to let a vehicle pass you and an accident occurs as a result, it’s possible you could end up with a misdemeanor charge.
Parking laws
Another one of the great thrills of driving is finding adequate parking space when you need it. Here’s what North Carolina driving rules mainly have to say about that.
Generally, parking should generally be done on the right side of the road when parking is allowed, with one-way streets being an exception.
When leaving a parallel parking space, remember to use your turn signal and check for oncoming traffic the way you would when changing lanes.
In North Carolina, you should never park:
- In intersections
- Within 25 feet of the curb line of an intersecting street, or within 15 feet of intersecting right of way lanes on roads without a curb
- In front of driveways
- On the road-side of another vehicle, effectively blocking them into their parking spot (also known as double parking)
- On crosswalks or sidewalks
- On bridges
- Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
- In areas with “no parking signs”
- In parking spaces designated for use by individuals with disabilities, unless you’re authorized to do so yourself
- Within a block of a fire or fire truck inside city limits
- Within 400 feet of a fire or fire truck outside city limits
North Carolina speeding laws
One of the most important ways to stay safe when driving on North Carolina roads is to follow speeding laws.
In fact, speeding was a contributing factor in 25% of fatal crashes in North Carolina in 2021 and accounted for 424 deaths.
The first (and most obvious) step is to follow posted speed limit signs on public roadways, but there may be times when you need to adjust your speed below those limits—such as if it’s raining, there’s heavy traffic, or you’re experiencing limited visibility conditions.
Then, on the flip side, while driving above the speed limit is always a no-go, driving too slow in some circumstances can create dangerous situations, too, especially when other traffic is traveling at faster speeds. This is why you’ll see minimum speed limits posted on interstates.
Again, though, sometimes weather conditions might still require that you temporarily slow down below those legal limits.
Speed limits
Unless otherwise posted, these are North Carolina’s maximum speed limits on different road types:
- Cities and towns: 35 mph
- Outside city limits: 55 mph
- Interstates: 70 mph
- Maximum speed for school buses: 45 mph
If you get caught driving beyond legal speeding limits, you could face costly tickets, driving record points, and even license suspension after repeat offenses, among other consequences.
Move over laws
As previously mentioned, you’ll need to move over to make room for emergency vehicles on North Carolina roads when their lights and sirens are on.
Whenever possible, you’ll need to pull off on the right side of the road and come to a complete stop until the emergency vehicle passes through—or until a traffic officer gives you permission to move on.
When emergency vehicles are stopped on the side of the road, you’ll need to slow down to a safe speed until you’ve passed them. On roads with two traffic lanes for one direction, you should move into the lane that’s farther away to give them additional room.
If you’re near an accident or another type of emergency, avoid parking within 100 feet of the emergency vehicle so responders can move in and out quickly as needed.
Failure to follow North Carolina’s move over laws will result in a $500 fine, and if injuries or death occurs as a result, you could also face felony charges.
North Carolina car accident laws
Certain North Carolina laws dictate how drivers should respond in the event of an accident. Any crash that involves a death, personal injury, or property damage of $1,000 or more must be reported to the nearest possible law enforcement officer or agency.
Additionally, any driver of a vehicle who knows or “reasonably should know,” as the law states, that they’ve been in an accident and/or injuries or deaths have occurred must stop at the scene of the accident without obstructing other traffic whenever possible. Drivers must remain at the scene of the accident until they’re dismissed by law enforcement.
In the event that someone is injured in the accident, others involved must offer reasonable assistance efforts, including calling for medical assistance if it appears necessary or is requested by the injured person.
Additionally, drivers must give the following information to other drivers or occupants involved in the crash, as well as to any individuals who might have had property damaged as a result of the crash:
- Name
- Address
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number of the vehicle
Even if you think you’re at fault for an accident, or at least partially at fault, it’s important you remain at the scene of the accident. Doing so can dramatically increase the severity of the consequences, which could include additional fines and misdemeanor or felony
hit-and-run charges
. Penalties are most severe when serious injuries and fatalities are involved.Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Failure to stop (1st offense) | Class 1 misdemeanor |
Failure to stop (1st offense) with bodily injury | Class H felony |
Failure to stop (1st offense) with serious bodily injury or fatality | Class F felony |
In the event that you hit a parked, unattended vehicle, North Carolina law requires that you notify law enforcement immediately if the circumstances deem it reportable. Regardless of the severity of the accident, you’ll also need to report the accident to the owner, either verbally or in writing, within 48 hours of the incident.
You’ll have to include the following information:
- Time, date, and location where the accident took place
- Your name, address, and driver’s license number
- Your license plate number
MORE: The top 5 causes of car accidents
North Carolina DUI laws
Here’s another serious rule: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in North Carolina comes with serious consequences.
North Carolina’s DWI laws
make it illegal to drive with a blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher.At minimum, you could face a fine of up to $200 and 24 to 30 days’ jail time, while the maximum punishment is a fine of up to $4,000 and imprisonment from 30 days to two years.
And when you’re caught driving impaired, your license will be revoked for at least one year.
There are five levels of DWI misdemeanors in North Carolina, with Level 1 being the most serious. Levels 1 and 2 are designated for repeat offenses and the most serious circumstances, including driving with young children or injuring another person.
Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Refusal of chemical analysis | 1 year license suspension or revocation |
Level 5 DWI | 1 year license suspension or revocation, fine up to $200, 24 hours to 60 days in jail |
Level 4 DWI | 1 year license suspension or revocation, fine up to $500, 48 hours to 120 days in jail |
Level 3 DWI | 1 year license suspension or revocation, fine up to $1,000, 72 hours to six months in jail |
Level 2 DWI | 1 year license suspension or revocation, fine up to $2,000, seven days to one year in jail |
Level 1 DWI | 1 year license suspension or revocation, fine up to $4,000, 30 days to two years in jail |
DWI (3rd and subsequent offenses) | Permanent license suspension, minimum one year imprisonment, felony charge, and additional penalties |
As for drivers under 21 years old, there can’t be any traces of alcohol or illegal drugs in their system at all, and they’d be subject to a 30-day license revocation ahead of any trial, and they may face a Class 2 misdemeanor charge for a provisional DWI. Even when not behind the wheel, attending to buy an alcoholic beverage while underage could result in a one-year license suspension.
If you’re convicted for a DWI while your license is already suspended for a previous DWI conviction, it’s possible the court could order for your vehicle to be seized and sold.
In the event that someone is killed or injured by an intoxicated driver, additional charges and their respective penalties will also apply.
North Carolina distracted driving laws
A lot can happen in the span of a few moments, which is why driving is a task that needs to have your full attention. When you’re distracted, you have less time to respond to the unexpected.
That’s why texting and driving is illegal in North Carolina. For drivers under 18 years old, any cell phone use while driving is against the law—except to call 911 in an emergency.
But cell phone usage isn’t the only type of
distracted driving
that’s dangerous. Anything that takes your attention away from the road or your hands off your steering wheel can become a safety risk for you and others. Other examples of distracted driving include:- Eating and drinking
- Reading
- Daydreaming
- Adjusting radios or other devices
- Self-grooming
- Interacting with pets
- Playing audio so loud that it limits your ability to hear the rest of your surroundings
While these types of distracted driving aren’t necessarily illegal, avoiding them will keep you and others safe on the road.
As for illegal phone usage behind the wheel, here are some of the consequences that can accompany them.
Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
Cell phone use by drivers under 18 (1st offense) | $25 fine |
Texting or emailing while driving (1st offense) | Fine of $100 |
Just like with other offenses, however, if your distracted driving leads to an accident, especially one that results in injuries or fatalities, you could face far more serious consequences.
North Carolina seat belt laws
Using seat belts is required of anyone riding in a motor vehicle in North Carolina.
Front-seat passengers could be subject to a $25.50 fine plus court costs, while passengers in rear areas of a vehicle could be fined $10. The driver of the vehicle is considered responsible for themselves as well as any passengers under 16, while those 16 and older are considered responsible for themselves.
For those who aren’t set big enough to wear a seat belt safely, North Carolina requires that children who are 8 years old and weigh less than 80 pounds must be secured in an appropriate safety seat for their size until they’re eventually old enough to wear an adult safety belt themselves.
If the person without a seat belt is a child younger than 16 years old, the driver of the vehicle could face a fine of up to $250.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a helpful guide for
selecting the right car seat
for your child based on their age and size.“I signed up for a new policy withJerry’shelp. I ended up saving $236 a month after my switch. Thank you Jerry!” —Adelaide C.
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FAQs
Is it illegal to drive with no shirt on in North Carolina?
Not necessarily, but under certain circumstances it might be classified as indecent exposure.
Is it illegal to eat and drive in North Carolina?
While there’s currently no law on the books against eating and driving in North Carolina, it’s still a form of distracted driving that can take your attention off the road and limit your ability to respond quickly when you need to.
How long does a DWI stay on your record in North Carolina?
After a DWI conviction in North Carolina, the “look-back period” when determining punishments for subsequent DWIs is seven years, or ten years with a felony conviction.
Is North Carolina strict on DUI?
DWI convictions in North Carolina have serious consequences, especially for subsequent offenses. Prison time is mandatory for first offenses, and third and subsequent offenses within a seven-year period are escalated from misdemeanors to felonies.
Can you speed while passing in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, exceeding the speed limit is illegal and could cause you to end up with a ticket—even while attempting to pass another vehicle.
