North Carolina Driving Laws for Seniors and Older Drivers

While the rules and regulations of the road as administered by the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) apply to drivers of all ages and experience levels, the NCDMV has some special requirements and restrictions for older drivers. A number of these rules focus on identifying and accommodating elderly drivers who may have medical restrictions that make driving unsafe.

North Carolina Driver's License Renewal Term for Seniors

The NCDMV doesn't have an age limit on renewing your driver's license. But senior drivers must renew their driver's license more often than younger drivers do. While drivers ages 18 to 65 can renew their licenses every eight years, drivers aged 66 and older must renew their licenses every five years. You can apply to renew your driver's license no earlier than 180 days (six months) before your license expires.

How Can Senior Citizens Renew an NC Driver's License?

Eligible North Carolina residents of any age, including seniors, can renew their driver's licenses online at the state's official myNCDMV.gov website. However, you can only renew online every other time you renew your license. So if you're 66 years old and renew your license on the myNCDMV website this year, when your license expires in eight years (at 74 years old), you'll need to go in person to a DMV office to renew again.

DMV appointments can be scheduled up to 90 days in advance using the NCDMV Driver Service Appointment Scheduler. Keep in mind that appointments are only available in the mornings—afternoons are reserved for walk-in customers.

Using Self-Service NCDMV Kiosks to Renew a Driver's License

In addition to the DMV offices, North Carolina allows residents to renew their driver's licenses at self-service kiosks located in grocery stores across the state. The kiosks are open Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., so they're a convenient option if you aren't required to renew in person.

As with online renewal, however, you can only renew your license via kiosk every other time your license is set to expire. If you renewed by using a kiosk last time, you'll need to go to the DMV to renew it once more.

I Made an NCDMV Appointment, Do I Need to Take a Vision Test?

Yes. Vision tests are required at all in-person driver's license renewals, whether or not you're a senior driver. DMV employees can conduct a vision test or drivers can have an exam performed by an outside ophthalmologist or optometrist, who must complete a Certificate of Examination by Vision Specialist form.

NC Driver's License Restrictions

If you take a vision test during your in-person license renewal that reveals potential difficulty seeing objects and road signs, the NCDMV can place restrictions on your driver's license as a condition of renewal. In North Carolina, the most common restriction for older drivers is to require corrective lenses while driving, such as glasses or contacts.

Other qualifications senior drivers may encounter when renewing their license following a vision test may include:

• speed restrictions (such as no interstate driving or no driving faster than 45 miles per hour)
• time-of-day restrictions (such as daylight driving only)
• radius restrictions (such as no travel farther than a certain distance from the home)
• restrictions against driving without another licensed passenger in the car, and
• mechanical restrictions (such as driving an automatic transmission only).

Seniors who have medical conditions that require them to avoid bright light may only be able to see well enough to drive if they have window tinting that exceeds the regulatory limits. The NCDMV can accommodate these restrictions if you provide a completed Tinted Window Waiver Application Form for your vehicle. You'll need a physician to sign off on the medical necessity for the tinted windows and return the form to the NCDMV's Medical Unit.

Requesting an Unsafe Driver Investigation in North Carolina

The NCDMV accepts information from other state DMVs, family members, doctors, law enforcement officers, and others concerned about seniors who might no longer be safe to drive. Those who wish to have a driver evaluated must complete a Medical Request for Driver Re-Examination and return it to the Medical Review Program address printed at the bottom of the form. Anonymous or unsigned requests won't be processed—and "advanced age" alone isn't considered a good reason for re-examination.

Personnel at the Medical Unit will review each request and determine whether an individual driver's license should be restricted or canceled. In some cases, a doctor will be required to conduct an additional examination and complete a detailed Medical Report Form. For information on how to get back a license that has been suspended or revoked following a re-examination, make an appointment at your local DMV office.

Parking Placards or License Plates for Disabled Drivers

North Carolina provides disabled person parking placards and license plates to drivers who are unable to walk without assistance or have mobility impairments caused by lung disease, defective vision, or cardiac, arthritic, neurological and orthopedic conditions. In order to obtain a parking placard, you'll need to have an authorized medical provider complete and submit the Medical Certification for Application & Renewal of Disability Parking Placard form.

"Total and permanent" disability parking placards are valid for five years after they're issued. You'll need to have a doctor re-certify your medical qualifications for the placard in order to renew. "Temporary" disability parking placards can last for a period of one to six months, with an extension possible if medically necessary.

Placards must be displayed from your vehicle's rearview mirror. You can also get a disability license plate, which allows the same parking privileges provided to drivers with a placard, by having a medical provider submit an Application for Disability License Plate. Disability license plates must be renewed annually by sticker. You can learn more at NCDM's Frequently Asked Questions about disability placards or plates.

Keep Updated on Rules for Senior Drivers With the NC Driver Handbook

While the basic "rules of the road" rarely change, many administrative concerns—such as the license renewal schedule and what tests are required to renew a driver's license—are subject to periodic legislative adjustments. Licensing requirements for seniors vary between states, so if you move out of (or into) North Carolina, you'll want to be aware of the ways in which your new state's regulations differ from what you're used to.

The North Carolina Driver Handbook is a good resource that includes a summary of the road rules and sample driver tests. You can also keep up on news, check renewal fees, and find out about any regulatory changes affecting senior drivers at myNCDMV.gov or by calling the DMV weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 919-715-7000.

Where to Find a Lawyer for Help

Senior drivers generally are at an increased risk of involvement with traffic-related injuries. Age-related loss of vision and slower reaction times can contribute to a higher chance of an automobile collision. If you're dealing with the aftermath of a collision or driving infraction, you may want to contact an attorney to help you fight your traffic ticket or handle your car accident claim.