North Carolina

North Carolina Trucking Schools

Truck driving careers in North Carolina are numerous. By being on the open road, you can explore the beaches, the mountains and the metropolitan cities that the state has to offer. With so many industries requiring truck drivers, you can easily find a career that suits your needs.

Obtaining a Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) in North Carolina requires the driver to meet specific criteria in order to qualify for this type of license. The license requirements and examinations are set forth by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A driver seeking this type of license in North Carolina will need to have documents to prove their identity, pass a number of examinations and provide proof of liability insurance to obtain a Class A CDL.

Documents

Anyone applying for a Class A CDL in North Carolina must be a North Carolina resident and at least eighteen years of age, unless the license is for carrying hazardous material. Those who want to carry hazardous materials must be 21.

A person can show proof of identity and residency with a number of documents including:

• • Social security card

• • Military papers

• • Naturalization papers

• • Valid passport

The driver applying for the license must also have a clean personal driving record. Proof of liability insurance will also have to be submitted before a driver can take the exams to get a CDL. If the department suspects a medical issue that could prevent a person from acquiring a CDL, a medical report may have to be submitted by the driver’s physician.

Examinations

The first test required to earn a CDL in North Carolina is the written test. In order to pass the test, a driver must score at least an eighty percent. The written exam covers all of the basic topics required for driving commercial vehicles including specific endorsements, inspections and general driving knowledge.

Once the written test is passed, the driver will then have to conduct a full safety inspection of the vehicle with a department of transportation inspector. This inspection must be completed fully to pass. After the inspection, the driver will take the road test. The road test shows inspectors that the driver has the basic controls skills for operating the vehicle, such as backing up, maneuvering and braking.

After all tests are completed and passed, a driver will have earned their CDL in North Carolina. This allows them to drive certain commercial vehicles. Additional endorsements can also be earned for specialty vehicles such as those that haul hazardous materials.

North Carolina is part of the International Registration Plan (IRP) which authorizes registration of over 1.7 million commercial vehicles. Under the Plan, your apportioned vehicles may conduct both interstate and intrastate operations. The Plan does not, however, prevent the need to register with other state agencies (such as the Fuel Tax Division) or to have appropriate intrastate authority from each state’s regulatory commission to conduct intrastate for-hire operations. To find out more about the IRP in North Carolina, click here.

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