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New Hampshire DMV · Department of Safety

There is no New Hampshire permit test

New Hampshire is the state that skips the learner's permit. There's no permit card and no permit test. At 15½, you can start practice driving with the right adult beside you. The written test comes at the license stage, and it's 40 questions with an automatic cutoff. This page explains how that works.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · New Hampshire Driver's Manual (current DMV PDF; edition year not printed)

Most states

Permit test → permit → practice → license

New Hampshire

Practice at 15½ (no card) → driver ed → 40-question knowledge test + road test → Youth Operator License

Practice driving without a permit

From 15½, you can drive with a parent or guardian, or with a licensed responsible adult 25 or older. You don't need to visit the DMV first. That freedom comes with a duty: the adult beside you is your permit, so make sure they meet the rule.

If you're 16 or 17 when you apply for a license, driver education is required (RSA 263:19):

  • 30 hours of classroom
  • 10 hours driving with an instructor
  • 6 hours of observation
  • Plus 40 supervised hours with a parent or responsible adult, 10 at night

The knowledge test has a cutoff

Forty questions, forty minutes, on a touch screen. The machine ends the test the moment you pass 8 wrong answers, so the ninth mistake ends it. Here's your whole margin for error:

12345678END

32 correct = 80%. Languages: English, ASL, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi and Mandarin Chinese, written and audio, plus an oral test with headphones.

New Hampshire DMV practice test

Scored at New Hampshire's 32-of-40 standard. Our bank has 25 questions from the NH manual, so you'll see all of them.

Free quiz · no sign-up

New Hampshire DMV knowledge practice test

Questions
25
To pass
80%
About
17 min

Instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.

Preview the 25 free questions

  1. Does New Hampshire issue learner's permits?

    • Yes, at 15
    • Yes, at 15½
    • No
    • Only with driver ed

  2. At what age may you start practice driving?

    • 15
    • 15½
    • 16
    • 14

  3. How old must a non-parent practice supervisor be?

    • 18
    • 21
    • 25
    • 30

  4. How many questions are on the New Hampshire knowledge test?

    • 25
    • 30
    • 40
    • 50

  5. What is the time limit?

    • 20 minutes
    • 30 minutes
    • 40 minutes
    • 60 minutes

  6. The test ends automatically once you've missed more than:

    • 5
    • 6
    • 8
    • 10

  7. How many classroom hours does NH driver ed require?

    • 20
    • 24
    • 30
    • 40

  8. How many hours of driving with an instructor?

    • 6
    • 8
    • 10
    • 12

  9. How many observation hours?

    • 4
    • 6
    • 8
    • 10

  10. How many supervised hours with a parent or responsible adult are required?

    • 20
    • 40
    • 50
    • 60

  11. How many of those hours must be at night?

    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 20

  12. What is the Youth Operator curfew?

    • 11 p.m.–5 a.m.
    • Midnight–5 a.m.
    • 1–4 a.m.
    • 1–5 a.m.

  13. In the first six months, how many non-family passengers under 25 may a youth operator carry?

    • 0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

  14. What are the phone rules for drivers under 18?

    • Hands-free is OK
    • No use at all, except to report an emergency
    • Texts at lights
    • Allowed

  15. At what BAC is a driver under 21 legally intoxicated?

    • .00
    • .02
    • .04
    • .08

  16. What is the minimum fine for a first DUI?

    • $250
    • $500
    • $750
    • $1,000

  17. How far from a stopped school bus must you stop?

    • 10 feet
    • 20 feet
    • 25 feet
    • 50 feet

  18. When don't you have to stop for a school bus?

    • When going the opposite direction
    • When a physical barrier separates you
    • When you're in a hurry
    • When the bus is yellow

  19. How soon must you report a qualifying crash to the DMV?

    • 5 days
    • 10 days
    • 15 days
    • 30 days

  20. What damage threshold makes a crash reportable?

    • $500
    • $1,000
    • $1,500
    • $2,000

  21. Motorcycle riders and passengers must wear helmets if they're under:

    • 16
    • 18
    • 21
    • Any age

  22. Can you use a hand-held device while stopped at a red light?

    • Yes
    • No
    • Only for calls
    • Only for GPS

  23. Which of these is NOT a New Hampshire test language?

    • French
    • Farsi
    • German
    • Portuguese

  24. What is the first-offense fine for negligent driving?

    • $100–$250
    • $250–$500
    • $500–$1,000
    • $50

  25. How many passengers may a youth operator carry?

    • Unlimited
    • No more than there are seat belts
    • 5
    • 2

Test day

Book a DMV appointment, and bring identity and residency documents plus your driver ed certificate. You'll take a vision test first. If you fail it, you'll need an eye exam with a doctor's recommendation. Then come the 40 questions, then a road test with a Licensing Examiner. No coaching from the passenger seat.

The manual doesn't list license or test fees, the retake wait, or whether an online test exists, and its edition year isn't printed. We left those out.

The Youth Operator License

Until you turn 18:

  • No driving from 1:00 to 4:00 a.m., a shorter curfew than most states.
  • First six months: at most one non-family passenger under 25, unless a licensed adult 25+ is along. That age cap is unusually high.
  • No more passengers than seat belts.
  • No phones or electronic devices, even hands-free, except to report an emergency (RSA 265:79-b).

New Hampshire rules on the test

No insurance mandate

New Hampshire has no mandatory insurance law, but you must be able to show financial responsibility. Report a crash to the DMV within 15 days if anyone was killed or hurt, or damage was over $1,000, unless police investigated.

Hand-held devices

Banned for all drivers, even when you're stopped in traffic (RSA 265:79-c).

School buses

Stop at least 25 feet away from any direction. Only a physical barrier excuses you.

Alcohol and fatigue

Legally intoxicated at .08, or .02 under 21. A first DUI is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of at least $500, 9 months to 2 years without a license, and impaired-driver education. The manual also warns that 18 hours awake impairs you about as much as a .05 BAC, and 24 hours about as much as .10.

Also

  • Riders and passengers under 18 on motorcycles must wear helmets. Under-18 car occupants must be belted or in a child seat, with exceptions.
  • Negligent driving: $250–$500 for a first offense.
  • Never stop inside a roundabout for an emergency vehicle. Exit, then pull right.

Next door

Maine (30 questions, 70 practice hours), Vermont and Massachusetts (permit at 16) all use a standard permit. Compare them with the question-count guide.

New Hampshire permit and knowledge test FAQ

Is there a permit test in New Hampshire?

No. New Hampshire doesn't issue learner's permits, so there's no permit test. Teens can practice drive from 15½ with a qualified supervisor. The written knowledge test comes later, when you apply for your license.

How many questions are on the New Hampshire DMV knowledge test?

40 multiple-choice questions with four answers each, on a touch screen, in 40 minutes. The test stops automatically once you get more than 8 wrong, so you need 32 correct (80%).

Who can supervise practice driving in New Hampshire?

A parent or guardian, or a licensed responsible adult 25 or older.

Do I need driver's ed in New Hampshire?

If you're 16 or 17, yes (RSA 263:19): 30 classroom hours, 10 hours driving with an instructor and 6 hours of observation, plus 40 supervised hours (10 at night).

What languages is the NH test in?

English, ASL, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi and Mandarin Chinese, in written and audio form. An oral version with headphones is also available.

Is car insurance mandatory in New Hampshire?

The manual says New Hampshire has no mandatory insurance law, but it does require financial responsibility.

Keep studying

Source: New Hampshire Driver's Manual (PDF); NH DMV. Not affiliated with the NH Department of Safety.