Last Updated on November 4, 2025 4:23 pm
Building on recent expansions to online services under Senate Bill 245, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) today announced the launch of a new online option for eligible teen drivers to upgrade from a Level 2 Limited Provisional License to a Level 3 Full Provisional License.
Previously, teens that have held their Level 2 license for at least six months without moving violations were required to visit a driver license office in person to advance to the Level 3 Full Provisional License. Now, eligible drivers can complete the upgrade process entirely online.
The online upgrade is a two-step process, one step completed by a parent or guardian and the second step completed by the teen. The parent/guardian begins by logging in to NCDMV's online payment portal and entering their own information and giving consent for their teen driver to advance from Level 2 to Level 3. Then the teen driver will receive an email notification that their parent/guardian has completed the first part of the transaction. The teen driver will then log in with their information to complete the transaction and receive a temporary driving certificate to use until their new Level 3 Limited Provisional License arrives in the mail.
“Parents and teen drivers no longer have to take time off work or school for a simple upgrade. It's now available at their fingertips online,” said NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine. “This builds on our recent online renewal expansions enabled by Senate Bill 245 and keeps us moving toward becoming an exceptional customer service organization.”
This rollout follows the successful implementation of consecutive online renewals for non-REAL ID driver licenses on Oct. 7 and REAL ID licenses on Oct. 20, which have processed more than 32,000 transactions in just four weeks.
Consecutive online renewals for state ID cards are expected to launch by the end of the year, completing the remaining provision of Senate Bill 245, signed into law by Gov. Josh Stein on Sept. 30.
Together, these SB 245 enhancements are projected to enable up to 400,000 additional online transactions annually, reducing in-office visits and improving service for all North Carolinians.
Note: At age 18, a teen driver can upgrade to a regular Class C license online.
