• Students must be at least 14 ½ years old on the first day of class.

• Students must be currently enrolled in grades 9–12 and not have graduated from high school.

• Applications are age-restricted: if a student is under the required age or not in grades 9–12, the application will be locked.

• A program fee is required at the time of registration.

• Each Driver Education cohort involves 30 hours of classroom 6 hours of Behind the Wheel instruction in a district Driver Education vehicle
• Students must complete all modules with a minimum of 80% proficiency for each module as well as on the final exam. Modules are to be completed outside of the regular school day.
• The Driver Education course is usually 2-3 weeks in length and will take 30 hours to complete.

• Behind-the-Wheel (BTW) can occur 1-2 months after the passing of the coursework final exam and eye-screening.
• North Carolina requires that students have a minimum of 6 hours of driving in the BTW portion of driver education.
• Some students may sometimes require more than 6 hours of driving experience. If a DE instructor feels a student requires more driving experience, they must gain permission from the Driver Ed Coordinator. If after 8 hours of driving, the instructor does not feel comfortable passing the student, the student may be assigned a different instructor. This is only a recommendation and is ultimately a local, school based decision.
• Cell phone use or access is prohibited during BTW instruction and/or observation in the vehicle.
• Inclement weather may affect instruction time. 

A Driving Eligibility Certificate (DEC) is an official document issued by the school principal or their designee that confirms a student is currently enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress toward graduation.

The DEC is required for students applying for a North Carolina driver’s permit or license. To obtain or maintain a driver’s license or learner’s permit, students must meet the state’s academic progress standards.

Additionally, students must complete Driver’s Education—consisting of 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training—to be eligible for the DEC.

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