If you failed to appear in court for being cited for driving without a license (DWL)then likely in your absence you were found guilty of being unlicensed and had penalties placed against you.

North Carolina statute 20-7 states that to drive a motor vehicle on a highway, a person must be licensed by the Division of Motor Vehicles to drive the vehicle and must carry the license while driving the vehicle.

NC Statute 20‑35 discusses the penalties for violating the law and driving without a license. Here it states that this offense is a violation of this Article of law and is a Class 2 misdemeanor. A Class 2 misdemeanor in North Carolina usually comes with a fine and/or jail time. It is our understanding that it is up to 6 months in jail and or up to a $500 fine, if you were cited for this offense though you could contact the court or a lawyer to find out for certain.

If you are an unlicensed driver that was ticketed in NC and did not show up for your court day then you should contact the court immediately to find out what occurred on your court date. If you were ordered to pay fines and/or received jail time but were not there to comply then you may have an arrest warrant out for you. We are not lawyers however so we would advise you obtain legal counsel to find out the ramifications for driving without a license and not appearing in court.

For more information on the penalties for driving without a license in North Carolina you may also want to check with the NC Department of Transportation.