• You must attend a school (public, private, charter, or home school) registered in Union County.  This includes students in Middle School who meet the age requirements listed below.  Residency in Union County does not determine Driver Education enrollment eligibility; the county in which the registered school (that the student attends) is in is the determining factor.
• You must be at least 14 ½ on the first day of class. A student 18 or older who attends school in Union County is eligible for the classroom portion but must secure an Adult Driving Permit from the DMV before they are eligible to complete the Behind the Wheel/driving portion of the course.
• You must not have previously been enrolled in the UCPS (or in any school district in NC) Driver Education program.

If a student lives in Union County, but attends school (public, private, charter, and home school) outside the county, the student is NOT eligible to receive Driver Education instructional (classroom and/or behind-the-wheel) training in Union County Public Schools.

What if I am 18 years old or older, yet have met the other UCPS DE Program enrollment eligibility requirements; may I take the UCPS DE Course? 

A student who is 18 years old or older who attends a school in Union County is eligible for the classroom portion but must secure a Learner Permit from the DMV before they are eligible to complete the driving portion of the class.  At the age of 18, you will need to visit the local DMV office to apply and pay for your Adult Driving Permit. If you then, want to do the driving portion of the Driver Ed Program through UCPS, you can do so upon providing a copy of your permit to the Driver Education instructor. At 18 years old, North Carolina does not require the completion of a Driver Education program.

Are middle school students eligible to take Driver Education?

Middle School students who are attending a public, private, charter, or home school registered in Union County ARE eligible to take Driver Education as long as they are the legal age (14 ½) on the first day of class and have met the other requirements. The middle school student/family will have to make arrangements to attend the vision screening at their designated cluster high school.  

UCPS has an Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, accommodation process in place. If accommodation is needed to complete either portion of the program, contact the UCPS Drivers Education Coordinator to begin the interactive process.