# Title 37 — Department of Transportation

## Article 37-08 — Visual Requirements for Operators Licenses or Permits

## Chapter 37-08-01 — Visual Requirements

### § 37-08-01-01. Definitions.

The definitions provided in North Dakota Century Code title 39 shall apply to this article, except:
1. "Corrective visual device" means glasses or contact lenses.
2. "Field of vision report" means a report measuring peripheral vision arrived at by use of a static
or kinetic visual field testing device in the ophthalmologic or optometric profession which
checks peripheral and central visual field, excluding tangent screen and confrontation devices.
3. "Medical advisory board" means driver license medical advisory board consisting of North
Dakota licensed physicians or optometrists appointed by the director for the purpose of
advising the director concerning the medical aspects of licensing.
4. "Outside mirrors" means one unobstructed mirror attached to each side of the vehicle within
easy view of the driver.
5. "Road test" means a driving demonstration.
6. "Special visual devices" means use of telescopic bioptic resulting in a vision acuity of 20/130
in each eye through the carrier lens and 20/40 in the bioptic lens and having a full field
peripheral view in both eyes.
7. "Vision specialist" means a North Dakota licensed physician or optometrist.
History: Effective December 1, 1988; amended effective July 1, 2000.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 39-06-03(7)
### § 37-08-01-02. Correction only by corrective or special visual device.

When correction is needed, only the use of a corrective or special visual device is permitted.
History: Effective December 1, 1988.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 39-06-03(7)
### § 37-08-01-03. Visual acuity requiring road test.

Visual acuity less than 20/60 requires a road test regardless of the corrective or special visual
device being used.

History: Effective December 1, 1988; amended effective May 1, 1994; July 1,2000.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 39-06-03(7)
### § 37-08-01-04. Medical advisory board review.

Whenever the visual acuity is less than 20/80 or field of vision less than 105 degrees, the medical
advisory board may, upon request of the drivers license and traffic safety division, review the case and
make their recommendations to the director of the department of transportation or the director's agent.
History: Effective December 1, 1988; amended effective July 1, 2000.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 39-06-03(7)
### § 37-08-01-05. Minimum vision requirements and restrictions.

Applicants and operators requesting or maintaining a North Dakota license or permit and who meet
the following minimum vision standards, as established by the drivers license and traffic safety division,
shall comply with the associated requirements and restrictions (which are nonexclusive):
Minimum visual acuity Requirements and
restrictions with or
without corrective or
special device.
1. 20/40
for person having one-eyed vision (f, h).
2. 20/50
for person having one-eyed vision (a, b, d, f, h).
3. 20/60
for person having one-eyed vision (a, b, d, f, h).
4. 20/40 each eye (f).
5. 20/50 each eye (a, b, f).
6. 20/50 better eye
20/60 or less other eye (a, b, d, f).
7. 20/60 better eye
20/60 or less other eye (a, b, d, f).
8. 20/70 better eye
20/80 - 20/100 other eye (a, b, c, e, f, g).
9. 20/80 better eye
20/80 - 20/100 other eye (a, b, c, e, f, g).
10. Requirements and restriction code:
a. Daylight driving only.
b. Vision specialist recommendations.
c. Vision recheck within one year.

d. Vision recheck within two years.
e. Road test.
f. Field of vision report:
Horizontal visual field of 105 degrees or better. Can be obtained by totaling the temporal
readings of both eyes or temporal plus nasal in one eye.
g. Report any eye disease or injury.
h. Outside mirror.
11. Except as provided in North Dakota Century Code section 39-08-21, the driver of a
commercial class A, B, or C motor vehicle shall comply with the federal motor carrier
regulations, pursuant to 49 CFR section 391.41(b)(10).
History: Effective December 1, 1988; amended effective March 1, 1992; May 1,1994; July 1, 2000.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 39-06-03(7)
