New Hampshire DMV Test 2026: 40 Questions, 80% to Pass

Key facts

At a glance

Who runs it: The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), part of the Department of Safety
Where you take it: At a DMV driver licensing location, by appointment, on a touch-screen computer
What it covers: Rules of the road and general driving conditions. State law says license exams include questions on distracted driving, driving under the influence, driving in poor weather and safety around blind pedestrians
Vision test: Taken first: you need to read the 20/40 line with both eyes

How it works

How the New Hampshire DMV test works

Knowledge test · 32 to pass

32 to pass

To pass you need 32 of 40 right.

You ask the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for an appointment for a Driver License Knowledge Test, through its Appointments and Services page. All its tests are by appointment only.
The vision test comes first. If you fail it, an eye doctor has to certify that you see well enough to drive before testing can go on.
The knowledge test runs on a touch screen, and no computer skills are needed: each question shows its answers, and you touch the letter of the one you choose.
The test is multiple choice and specific to the type of license you’re applying for.
Pass both, and the road test comes last.

Topics

What the Driver’s Manual covers

The manual’s 11 study sections in eight groups, with some of the rules each one teaches.

Practice driving, tests and youth operators

Sections 1 and 2 of the manual cover practice driving, the three license tests, license types and restrictions, and the rules for youth operators.

Key points (4)

A “B” restriction on a license means you must wear glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive.
Demerit points come from violations such as speeding, running a traffic light, improper passing and not obeying a stop sign, and excessive points may cost you your license.
Traffic violations in other states may be reported to New Hampshire and count on your driving record.
A driver found to be a Habitual Offender loses driving privileges for 1 to 4 years.

Fatigue, distraction, alcohol and drugs

Section 3 covers vision, fatigue, distractions, aggressive driving, alcohol, other drugs and emotions.

Key points (4)

After 18 hours awake, a driver performs about like someone with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%, and after 24 hours, like 0.10%.
Alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce judgment, vision and reaction time, and vision is affected at 0.02 BAC for any driver.
Nothing but time clears alcohol from the body, and each ounce takes about an hour.
On long trips, plan a stop at least every 2 hours.

Before you drive

Section 4 covers checking the car, setting the seat and mirrors, safety belts, child seats, air bags, loads, trailers and clearing snow and ice.

Key points (4)

Keep 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel, with the top of the wheel no higher than your shoulders.
Set the head restraint so it touches the back of your head, not below your ears.
Wear the shoulder belt across your shoulder and chest, never under your arm or behind your back, and the lap belt low and snug across your hips.
The manual recommends a tire pressure check once a month.

Steering, right-of-way, signals and passing

Section 5 covers hand position, who yields, speed and stopping distance, signals, lane changes, passing, backing and adjusting to the road.

Key points (4)

Hold the wheel at 9 and 3 or at 8 and 4, with your knuckles and thumbs on the outside.
Turning left, yield to vehicles coming the other way that are in the intersection or close to it.
Signal at least 100 feet before a turn, and at least 500 feet before changing lanes or exiting on a highway.
At 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, braking can take about 158 feet.

Signals, signs and pavement markings

Section 6 explains traffic lights and arrows, what each sign color and shape means, and how lines and other markings work.

Key points (4)

A police officer directing traffic overrules any traffic light or sign.
At a flashing red light, stop completely, then go on when it’s safe, yielding the right-of-way.
When a train is coming, stop behind the stop line, or between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.
A solid white line between lanes means no lane changes or passing, and a broken line lets you pass when it’s safe.

Turns, roundabouts, school buses and parking

Section 7 covers toll lanes, turns and turnarounds, intersections, multi-lane roundabouts, school buses and parking.

Key points (4)

Turn right from the right-most part of your lane and left from the left-most part.
Stop at least 25 feet from a school bus with its red lights flashing or its stop arm out, from either direction, unless a physical barrier divides the road.
In a multi-lane roundabout, yield to traffic in both lanes as you enter, keep your lane and don’t pass.
Don’t park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection or 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal.

Space, crashes and emergencies

Sections 8 to 10 cover looking ahead, following distance, what to do after a crash, financial responsibility and handling emergencies.

Key points (4)

Keep at least four seconds behind the vehicle ahead, and more on slippery roads, behind large vehicles and at night.
With anti-lock brakes (ABS), press the brake and keep the pressure on, even if the pedal vibrates.
Never swerve to the left to avoid a crash.
If your car breaks down, turn on the emergency flashers and, if you have them, set flares or reflectors 200 feet in front of and behind it.

Sharing the road

Section 11 covers pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, slow-moving vehicles, large trucks, emergency vehicles, traffic stops and work zones.

Key points (4)

Stop completely for a person crossing with a white cane or a guide dog, and never honk or yell at them.
When you pass a bicyclist, leave at least 3 feet at 30 mph or less, plus a foot for every 10 mph above that.
Leave at least four seconds behind a motorcycle, and never share its lane.
If police stop you, stay in the car with your belt on and your hands on the wheel, and at night turn on the interior lights.

Road signs

Road signs in the New Hampshire Driver’s Manual

The manual sorts signs by color and shape. Red prohibits, yellow warns, orange marks road work, white states a law, and green, blue and brown guide you; an eight-sided sign means stop.

Stop: come to a full stop behind the stop line or crosswalk
Yield: slow down and let traffic with the right-of-way go first
Do not enter
One way: traffic flows only in the direction of the arrow
Shared center lane, for left turns from either direction
No passing zone, on the left side of the road
Railroad crossing ahead: slow down, look and listen
Crossbuck: marks where a railroad crossing is
School zone or school crossing
Flagger ahead: follow the flagger’s directions
Slippery when wet
Slow-moving vehicle, going under 25 mph

Free practice test

20 practice questions from the Driver’s Manual

These 20 questions are written from the New Hampshire Driver’s Manual. The DMV’s knowledge test has 40 questions and a passing grade of 80%, and the bar here is the same 80%: 16 of 20. Four questions show a sign. Pick an answer to see why it’s right, and ask the tutor to put it another way if it doesn’t click.

Question 1 of 20

You’re practicing with your aunt, who is 30 and licensed, in the seat beside you. You roll through a stop sign. Who does the law hold liable for the violation?

20 practice questions in the style of the knowledge test.

Test day

What to bring to your test appointment

A completed Application for Driver License (DSMV 450), with your legal name, date of birth and Social Security number
Proof of identity and residency from the DMV’s list for the license you want: REAL ID compliant (DSMV 634A) or not REAL ID compliant (DSMV 634B)
Payment for the license fee, by MasterCard, VISA, Discover or American Express card, cash, personal check, money order or traveler’s check
Any driver’s license you hold from another state
Under 18: the original green Driver Education Completion Certificate from your instructor, a Parent or Guardian Authorization Certificate signed by a parent or guardian, and your Driver’s Out-Of-Class Log Sheet signed by a parent or guardian, or the Parent’s Supervised Driving Program’s record instead

Before you go

Study the Driver’s Manual, using the study plan on the driver’s ed page.
Under 18, finish driver’s ed and your supervised driving log first. You can’t apply until both are done.
Under 18, the DMV’s page says you pay the license fee and have your picture taken before the testing starts.

Read the first-license stepsThe DMV’s page lists what every first-time applicant needs and links to its appointment requests.

Study options

Where to study

Start with the free Driver’s Manual. Under 18, you also take an approved driver’s ed course before you can apply.

Option	Price	Free to use	Links
Official sources
New Hampshire Driver’s ManualOfficial · PDFThe DMV’s manual for people learning to drive, in 11 study sections from licensing to sharing the road, then a 12th of fill-in questions.	Free	The whole manual, as a PDF	Download the manual (PDF) ↗
DMV page on learning to driveOfficial · web pageSets out who can supervise your practice before you’re licensed and which learners must take driver’s ed.	Free	The practice driving rules and why driver’s ed matters	Read the practice rules ↗
In person
Approved driver education coursesIn person · driving schools and some high schoolsRun by commercial driver education schools and some public high schools, licensed by the DMV. Classes fill quickly, so the DMV suggests asking several months ahead.	Set by each school	Nothing free	Read the driver’s ed page ↗
Motorcycle rider education coursesIn person · state-approved rider trainingOpen to residents with a valid license of any class or who are eligible for a motorcycle permit. Finishing one can take the place of the permit test.	Tuition set by each course, up to a state limit	Nothing free	Read the rider course law ↗

Prices and ratings checked November 2026.

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FAQ

Common questions

How many questions are on the NH DMV test?

40, each with four possible answers. You need 32 right, so the test ends on its own the moment you get a ninth question wrong, and it also ends if you run out of time.

Is there a permit test in New Hampshire?

Not for a car learner’s permit, because New Hampshire doesn’t issue one. What people call the NH permit test is this knowledge test, which you take when you apply for your license at 16 or older. Before that, you can practice driving from 15½ under the rules on the learner’s permit page. Motorcycles are different: they have a learner’s permit with its own knowledge test.

Can I take the New Hampshire DMV test online?

No. The DMV’s pages describe only an in-person test, given on its touch-screen system at a driver licensing location. You can study online, though, because the Driver’s Manual is a free PDF.

What languages can I take it in?

English, American Sign Language, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi and Mandarin Chinese. There’s also an optional audio version through headphones; tell the licensing representative when you arrive if you want it.

What happens if I fail the knowledge test?

You wait 10 calendar days, then book another appointment to retest. The questions are drawn at random, so you won’t see the same exam again.

All 20 practice questions with answersA printable list of the practice test above

You’re practicing with your aunt, who is 30 and licensed, in the seat beside you. You roll through a stop sign. Who does the law hold liable for the violation?
Your aunt, as the adult with you Under New Hampshire’s Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) 263:25, the adult who accompanies a person learning to drive is liable for any motor vehicle violation the learner commits. That’s one reason the adult must hold a valid license and sit beside you.
You hold a Youth Operator License and get your second speeding ticket in your first two years of driving. What will you be required to get?
An SR-22 insurance policy for three years A youth operator with two or more speeding tickets in the first two years of the license must get an SR-22 insurance policy. It lasts three years from the date of the second hearing.
You’re 17 and driving alone. When may you use your phone while driving, hands-free or not?
To report an emergency to 911 Drivers under 18 may not use a phone or other mobile electronic device while driving, hands-free or not, even when stopped in traffic. The one exception is reporting an emergency to 911 or another public safety agency.
You’ve been awake for 18 hours in a row. The manual compares your driving to someone with which blood alcohol concentration?
0.05% The manual says a driver who has been up for 18 hours straight typically performs like someone with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%. After 21 hours it’s like 0.08%, and after 24 hours like 0.10%.
You took an allergy pill and aren’t sure it’s safe to drive. What does the manual tell you to do?
Read its label and ask your doctor or pharmacist Over-the-counter drugs for colds, hay fever or other allergies can make you drowsy. Before you drive, read the label for warnings, and if you’re unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects.
A 6-year-old who is 50 inches tall rides with you. How must the child be secured?
In a child passenger restraint New Hampshire law requires a child under 7 who is less than 57 inches tall to be fastened in a child passenger restraint that meets U.S. Department of Transportation standards. A 6-year-old at 50 inches meets both conditions.
How should you set your head restraint?
Touching the back of your head, not below your ears Head restraints are there to prevent whiplash in a crash. The manual says to adjust yours so it touches the back of your head, but not below your ears.
You’re turning left at an intersection with no light or sign. A car coming the other way is close to the intersection. What must you do?
Yield, and let it pass before you turn RSA 265:29 says a driver turning left must yield to any vehicle coming from the opposite direction that is in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. Wait for it to pass, then turn when it’s clear.
You’re driving at night on a road you’ve never driven before. How should you change your following distance?
Add at least two seconds to it The manual says to add at least one extra second to your following distance at night, and at least two extra seconds on unfamiliar roads at night. Your headlights limit how far ahead you can see.
When should you slow down for a curve?
Before you enter it The manual says to slow to a safe speed before entering a curve, so you can keep a slight, steady acceleration through it. Hard braking after you’re in the curve could make the tires lose traction.
You see this sign beside the road ahead. What should you do?
Slow down and look and listen for a train This sign stands along the road before a railroad crossing. It tells you to slow down or stop, and to look and listen for a train before you go on.
You pass this sign as you drive into a work zone. What should you do?
Slow down and do as the flagger directs This sign warns of a flagger ahead. In a work zone, a person with a sign or flag may tell you which way to go, to slow down or to stop, and you must follow their instructions.
A lane on the road you’re on is marked with this sign. What may you use that lane for?
Turning left, from either direction This sign marks a shared center lane reserved for vehicles turning left from either direction. It isn’t for through traffic or for passing other vehicles.
A hay wagon pulled by a tractor shows this on its back. What does it tell you?
It’s traveling at less than 25 mph The manual says this emblem on the rear of farm equipment, construction equipment or animal-drawn vehicles means the vehicle is traveling at less than 25 mph. Approach with caution and pass only when it’s safe.
You’re inside a multi-lane roundabout when an emergency vehicle with its siren on comes up. What should you do?
Exit first, then pull over to the right The manual says never to stop inside a roundabout when an emergency vehicle approaches. Move through, exit, then pull over to the right and let it pass.
You want to park near a railroad crossing. How close to the nearest rail may you park?
No closer than 50 feet The manual lists places where parking is illegal even without a sign, and one is within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing. Others include within 15 feet of a fire hydrant and on any bridge.
Your car starts to skid, and the rear is sliding to the right. Which way should you steer?
Right, the way the rear is sliding If your car skids, ease up on the accelerator and steer in the direction the rear of the car is sliding. That lets the car go straight instead of sideways.
Your right wheels drop off the edge of the pavement onto the shoulder. What should you do?
Ease off and steer back once it’s safe Uneven drop-offs can cause serious crashes if you react the wrong way. Avoid panic steering back onto the pavement: slow down gradually and turn back on when it’s safe.
You’re passing a bicyclist while driving at 50 mph. How much space does New Hampshire law treat as reasonable?
At least 5 feet The law presumes at least 3 feet is reasonable at 30 mph or less, plus one more foot for every 10 mph above 30. At 50 mph, that’s 3 feet plus 2, or 5 feet.
You’re driving beside a large truck and can’t see the driver’s face in its side mirror. What does that tell you?
The driver can’t see you either Large trucks have big blind spots, called No-Zones, on both sides. If you can’t see the truck driver’s face in the side mirror, the driver can’t see your car, so don’t stay alongside longer than you need to.

Sources: New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles · New Hampshire General Court and 3 more. Checked November 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

New Hampshire DMV test: the knowledge test for your license

At a glance

How the New Hampshire DMV test works

What the Driver’s Manual covers

Practice driving, tests and youth operators

Fatigue, distraction, alcohol and drugs

Before you drive

Steering, right-of-way, signals and passing

Signals, signs and pavement markings

Turns, roundabouts, school buses and parking

Space, crashes and emergencies

Sharing the road

Road signs in the New Hampshire Driver’s Manual

20 practice questions from the Driver’s Manual

You’re practicing with your aunt, who is 30 and licensed, in the seat beside you. You roll through a stop sign. Who does the law hold liable for the violation?

What to bring to your test appointment

Before you go

Where to study

Everything else, in one place

Common questions

Related exams