16 NCAC 06E .0302 Driver education INSTRUCTORs

(a) To serve as a driver education instructor for the driver education program administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction under G.S. 115C-215, a person must meet the following qualifications:

(1) Be at least 21 years of age and have graduated from high school or hold a high school equivalency certificate;

(2) Never have been convicted of a felony and not have been convicted of a misdemeanor in the past ten years;

(3) Not have had convictions of moving violations totaling five or more points in the three years preceding the date of hire as an instructor;

(4) Have at least four years of experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle;

(5) Not have had a revocation or suspension of his or her driver's license in the five years immediately preceding the date of hire; and

(6) Have completed one of the following driver education instructor courses:

(A) The Safety and Traffic Education Program administered by the Department of Public Instruction.

(B) The Driver Education Instructor Training Program administered by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

(C) An instructor training program administered by a commercial driver training school in accordance with 19A NCAC 03I .0307.

(D) A driver education instructor training program administered by the division of motor vehicles or equivalent agency in another state or United States territory.

(b) A person who meets the qualifications in Paragraph (a) of this Rule may qualify for a teacher license in Safety and Driver Education under 16 NCAC 06C .0304 if the person otherwise qualifies for a professional educator license under Subchapter 06C, Section .0300 of this Chapter and:

(1) Has completed an educator preparation program in driver education or an equivalent license area; or

(2) Holds a teacher license in another license area and applies to add Safety and Driver Education as an additional license area under 16 NCAC 06C .0307.

A person who qualifies for a Safety and Driver Education license pursuant to Subparagraph (b)(1) of this Rule is exempt from the course requirements in Subparagraph (a)(6) of this Rule. To obtain a teacher license in Safety and Driver Education, a qualified instructor shall apply to the State Board of Education in accordance with 16 NCAC 06C .0334.

(1) An instructor who holds a teacher license in Safety and Driver Education shall follow the requirements of 16 NCAC 06C .0360.

(2) An instructor who does not hold a teacher license in Safety and Driver Education shall complete at least eight continuing education requirements (CEUs) once every five years, consisting of the following:

(A) Four CEUs focused safety and driver education; and

(B) Four CEUs focused on pedagogy and classroom instruction.

The five-year renewal cycle shall begin on the date the instructor completed the driver instructor course required by Subparagraph (a)(6) of this Rule. For instructors who completed the course on or before July 1, 2026, the renewal cycle shall begin on that date.

(3) An instructor who holds a commercial driver training instructor license issued by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing education requirement as long as that instructor license remains active.

(d) Each public school unit shall ensure that driver education instructors in its employment meets the qualifications and continuing education requirements in this Rule. Each public school unit shall report to DPI the status of each of its driver education instructors no later than July 1 of each year. A public school unit shall notify DPI within 30 days if it learns that a driver education instructor in its employment has lost the privilege to drive in North Carolina or any other state.

History Note: Authority G.S. 20-88.1; 115C-215; 115C-216;

Filed as a Temporary Adoption Eff. August 12, 1991 For a Period of 180 Days to Expire on February 7, 1992;

Eff. March 1, 1992;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 2026.