I arrived in the US in December last year. At first, I never thought of getting a DL since my husband and I are always together. He is working in his office at home and he takes me wherever he go private and or business.

I didn't have a car and never drove in Japan since I lived in a convinient city where trains, subways and buses were busy running.

Now, I am planning to take some classes, make friends and eventually find a job , so, I will need a DL and decided to get one probably next month.

Is there anyone here who got NC DL recently? What are the steps? Are the tests difficult?

Advice and Infos will be highly appreciated.

Thank you,

We just got my 16yo son his DL.

First step would be to get a learner's permit. To do that you present your GC, SS card and proof of residence in NC (bring one utility bill with your name and address). You take the sign, vision and written test. You have to get 22 (of 25) questions correct in order to get a permit.

After learning/practicing to drive and you feel ready to get your DL, you go back to the DMV. In my son's case we called DMV ahead and set an appointment for his driving test. We presented his learner's permit + proof of insurance.

eau_xplain

Salamat Po! I appreciate.

Dejima

Agree with Xenia! ..... I know a filipina around Charlotte she failed the driving test 6X she keeps coming back week after week to try again, gosh NC DMV officers are tough boy.... me I failed once hehehehe

You might want to consider taking some professional driving lessons. I guess it depends on how good of a teacher your husband is and how much time he'd have to go with you to practice, though. I didn't get professional lessons when I learned, but then I...did kind of keep crashing into things just a little bit that first six months or so You might be in a bigger town than me so it might be a bigger deal if you do that

I'm in upstate SC, about ten minutes' drive from the NC border. I know that here, the difficulty of the tests at the DMV varies wildly and so does the quality. If I were you I'd ask around to try to find out the reputation of each DMV, which has more professional tests and which have a reputation as being easier/harder. But in general I don't think the test is very hard, I passed it first time when I was 15 after learning for about 3 months so...yeh. I totally totally had no business driving but they let me anyway

It's quiet a while. I started working and didn't have time to open and browse my PC.

Fish and Snowy Tater thanks for posting. I actually got my license after consecutive days of driving practice. Knowledge test was confusing and tricky but with the help of the DMV handbook it just went fine. DMV officers were nice too...

Thanks again.

Congrats on getting your driver's license!!
Omedetou~~

Congrats on getting your driver's license!!
Omedetou~~

Kokorusan,

Arigato, Nihongo mada oboetemasuka?
O genki de, itsu ka aetara ii desu ne!

Dejima

I'm getting ready to apply for my DL here in Raleigh as soon as my new Social Security card arrives.

This is what I don't understand. Having a car insurance is required to apply for a DL; since I don't have a car yet I'll have to have my husband put me on his insurance as the 2nd driver. BUT suppose I was here alone, without my husband, say on a student visa? What's the right sequence of actions? First of all get a car, insure it, then apply for DL? But how to get a car and insure it without a DL? Looks like a vicious circle.

There are types of Non-owner's Insurance but they will charge you a high price. What you need is a Liability Insurance to apply for a DL, they call it DL123 and after getting the DL your husband can apply a separate Insurance for you as a second driver.

Hope this helps. Goodluck

Hello all.

When I lived in Mexico I did not drive a lot. So here after my SS arrived I've got a learners permit. I do not have a car but my husband had me in his car insurance policy. He have been my driving instructor and have leave me drive the car on the weekends and during the week after he arrives from work. We live in Durham, NC and I have asked for driving classes, but I did not like the cost for those ($365), and for these classes they require you to have a learner's permit.