Office of International Programs

F-1 students and J-1 Exchange Visitors who wish to obtain a North Carolina driver’s license may be able to do so.

The documents you will need to present to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are:

• Passport
• Social Security card or W-2 form (optional but highly recommended)
• Print out of your I- 94 record
• Form I-20 or Form DS-2019
• Proof of residency.  If you live off campus, an official document showing your physical address, such as a utility bill, will do.  If you live on campus, please come see ISSSO and we can provide you with an official letter verifying your address.
• Proof of liability insurance unless planning to drive only rental vehicles.  This means that you must have car insurance if you are planning to drive your own private car.  Without car insurance, you will ONLY be able to obtain a driver’s license for driving rental vehicles.
• Social Security card or W-2 form (optional but highly recommended)

The closest DMV office is located:

4469 Bamboo Road
Boone, NC 28607

For more information about their hours and other policies and procedures, please visit their website.

Please see https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/driver-licenses/new-drivers/Pages/default.aspx for more information about the requirements of obtaining a driver’s license.  This page also includes a link to the North Carolina Driver’s Handbook, which you will need in order to prepare for the driver’s license examination.

You can find additional driving information for new residents of North Carolina athttp://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/moving/ and information about vehicle registration athttp://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/vehicle/ for those who own a car.