Drivers Education Modifications.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 939

Short Title: Drivers Education Modifications. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Hise (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
April 30, 2026
*S939-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT REQUIRING THE DIVISION OF MOTOR V EHICLES TO PROVIDE P RINTED 2
COPIES OF DRIVERS LI CENSE HANDBOOKS TO T HE DEPARTMENT OF 3
INSTRUCTION, MODIFYI NG THE LAWS RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF 4
COMMERCIAL DRIVER TR AINING SCHOOLS AND INSTRUCTORS, AND 5
APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES. 6
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-88.1(d) reads as rewritten: 8
"(d) The Division shall prepare a driver license handbook that explains the traffic laws of 9
the State and shall periodically revise the handbook to reflect changes in these laws. The 10
Division, in consultation with the State Highway Patrol, the North Carolina Sheriff's Association, 11
and the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, shall include in the driver license 12
handbook a description of law enforcement procedures during traffic stops and the actions that a 13
motorist should take during a traffic stop, in cluding appropriate interactions with law 14
enforcement officers. At the request of the Department of Public Instruction, Instruction (DPI), 15
the Division shall provide free printed copies of the handbook to that Department for use in the 16
program of driver education offered at public high schools. The Division shall annually report to 17
the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Transportation and the Joint 18
Legislative Oversight Committee on Education on the number of printed handbooks requested 19
by DPI and the number of printed handbooks it provided." 20
SECTION 2. G.S. 20-322(d) reads as rewritten: 21
"(d) In addition to regulations adopted by the Commissioner under subsection (c) of this 22
section, commercial driver training schools providing courses t o prepare an individual for a 23
limited learner's permit or another provisional license through the public schools must meet shall: 24
(1) Meet all requirements set in G.S. 115C-215 for the program of driver 25
education offered in the public schools. 26
(2) Maintain current copies of all contracts entered into by the school and make 27
them available for inspection at the request of the Division." 28
SECTION 3.(a) G.S. 20-323 reads as rewritten: 29
"§ 20-323. Licenses or permits for instructors necessary; regulations as to requirements. 30
(a) No person shall act as an instructor on or after July 1, 1965, unless such person applies 31
for and obtains from the Commissioner a license or a temporary instructor's permit in the manner 32
and form prescribed by the Commissioner. 33
(a1) The Commissioner may issue a temporary instructor 's permit to an applicant. The 34
permit shall be valid for a period not to exceed 12 months and shall authorize the applicant to 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 939-First Edition
provide instruction subject to supervision and evaluation conditions est ablished by the 1
Commissioner. 2
(b) Regulations adopted by the Commissioner shall state the requirements for both an 3
instructor's license, license and a temporary instructor 's permit , including requirements 4
concerning moral character, physical condition, knowledge of the courses of instruction, 5
knowledge of the motor vehicle laws and safety principles, previous personal and employment 6
records, and such other matters as the Commissioner may prescribe, for the protection of the 7
public." 8
SECTION 3.(b) G.S. 20-324 reads as rewritten: 9
"§ 20-324. Expiration and renewal of licenses; fees.continuing education; fees. 10
(a) Renewal. – A license issued under this Article expires two four years after the date 11
the license is issued. To renew a license, the license holder must file an application for renewal 12
with the Division. The Division shall offer remote renewal of licenses issued pur suant to this 13
section. 14
(a1) Continuing Education. – The Division shall establish continuing education 15
requirements for the renewal of licenses issued to instructors pursuant to this Article. The rules 16
for continuing education requirements shall: 17
(1) Require no more than 24 credit hours of continuing education every four 18
years. 19
(2) Permit courses accredited by the North Carolina Driver & Traffic Safety 20
Education Association (NCDTSEA), the North Carolina Private Commercial 21
Driving Schools Association (NCPCDSA) , and NC Driving School, Inc. , to 22
count toward the continuing education credit hour requirement. 23
(3) Permit up to two driver education instruction related courses annually to count 24
toward the continuing education credit hour requirements. Subjects 25
permissible pursuant to this subdivision include first aid or courses addressing 26
pedagogical methods. 27
(4) Permit in-person, live online, and verified asynchronous training courses to 28
count toward the continuing education credit hour requirement. 29
(5) Direct the Commissioner to review any forms required to satisfy license 30
renewal or continuing education requirements every two years and simplify, 31
clarify, and modernize those forms as needed. The Commissioner shall 32
consult with the Department of Public Instruction, NCDTSEA, NCPCDSA, 33
and NC Driving School, Inc., during this review. 34
(b) Fees. – An application for an init ial license or the renewal of a license must be 35
accompanied by the an application fee for the license. The application fee for a school license is 36
eighty dollars ($80.00). The application fee for an instructor license is sixteen dollars ($16.00). 37
license set by the Commissioner. The application fee for a license is not refundable. Fees 38
collected under this section must be credited to the Highway Fund." 39
SECTION 3.(c) The Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, 40
shall adopt rules to implement this section. 41
SECTION 3.(d) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section become effective January 1, 42
2027, and apply to licenses issued or renewed on or after that date. 43
SECTION 4.(a) There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of 44
Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) 45
in nonrecurring funds for the 2026 -2027 fiscal year to be used for costs associated with 46
complying with the requirements of this act. 47
SECTION 4.(b) This section becomes effective July 1, 2026. 48
SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 49
law. 50