New Mexico · Permit testFree and paid study options
| Option | Price | Free to use | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official and free | |||
NM Practice Driving TestOfficial · app for iPhone and AndroidThe practice exam from the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), released in August 2021 for people preparing for the permit knowledge test. The App Store lists it in English and Spanish, with 4.7 stars from 73 ratings. | Free | The whole app | |
New Mexico Driver ManualOfficial · PDFMVD’s manual for the car knowledge exam, from the license stages to sharing the road with motorcycles. It has no sample questions, so use it with the app. | Free | The whole manual, in English or Spanish | |
CDL manual and New Mexico addendumOfficial · PDFThe car manual doesn’t cover commercial driver’s license (CDL) tests. MVD posts a separate CDL manual and a two-page addendum with New Mexico’s classes, endorsements and test rules. | Free | Both documents | |
| Apps and websites | |||
DMV-Permit-Test.comWebsiteEach question has a short explanation, and there’s a Spanish section. The site says the real exam has 25 questions with 18 right to pass; that’s its own figure, since MVD doesn’t publish a count and its rule is 70%. | Free tests, optional Premium | 20 New Mexico car practice tests, plus motorcycle and CDL tests | |
ZutobiWeb and app · all statesSays it has 600+ New Mexico questions in short lessons and videos, aligned with the New Mexico Driver Manual. The app has 4.7 stars from about 239,000 App Store ratings. | Free to try, then Zutobi PLUS (App Store prices from $4.99) | A free start on the New Mexico course | |
DMV GenieApp · all statesCar, motorcycle and CDL practice in one app; pick New Mexico when you start. Check the plan length before you pay. It has 4.8 stars from about 184,000 App Store ratings. | Free to download, Premium in the app (App Store prices from $7.99) | Practice tests and quizzes. The exam simulator and cheat sheets need Premium | |
| Required courses | |||
None for the Road study guideOfficial · online or printed workbookRequired for first-time drivers 18 to 24. The University of New Mexico’s continuing education division sells the guide, which ends with a practice exam and the payment number you take to MVD for the final exam on driving while intoxicated (DWI). There’s a Spanish workbook too. | $25, no refunds | Not listed | |
Approved driver education schoolsCourse · private schools around the stateThe New Mexico Traffic Safety Center lists every approved in-person school by town, with its course type (37 or 56 hours), address and contact details. Some schools also have a contract with MVD to give the written and road tests. | Set by each school, up to $800 under state rules | Not listed | |
High school driver educationCourse · public high schoolsPublic high schools must offer driver education, according to the Traffic Safety Center, and usually run the 56-hour classroom program with no driving hours. The center posts a list of approved high school programs. | Set by each school | Not listed | |
Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
Is there an official New Mexico DMV practice test?
Yes. MVD released the NM Practice Driving Test app in August 2021, free for iPhone and Android phones. MVD says it’s for people preparing for the knowledge test that new drivers pass to get a learner’s permit, and for licensed drivers who want to check what they know about driver safety.
The driver manual itself has no sample questions, and MVD doesn’t publish its exam questions. MVD lists the manual and the app together as its materials for the knowledge test.
A study plan for the knowledge exam
- Read the whole driver manual once, from the license rules at the front to the motorcycle section at the end.
- Go back over the traffic signals, signs and pavement markings, which take up pages 3 to 8.
- Write down the numbers you have to know: speed limits, parking distances, following distances, blood alcohol limits and the insurance minimums.
- Take tests in MVD’s app, and look up every rule you miss in the manual.
- Get your referral card from your driver education school before you book the exam, since you need it for the permit.
Choosing an app or website
Pick one set up for New Mexico, so its questions follow the New Mexico Driver Manual and not another state’s rules. Some websites say the real exam has 25 questions with 18 right to pass. MVD doesn’t publish a question count, and its own rule is a score of 70% or better, so treat those numbers as the website’s.
Zutobi and DMV Genie both list weekly plans in the App Store. Check the price before you start a free trial.
Practice for the road test, a commercial license or a motorcycle
The road test needs time behind the wheel, not more quizzes: teens log 50 hours of practice driving, 10 of them at night, before the provisional license. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants study a separate manual, and motorcycle riders have their own course on this site.
Sources: New Mexico MVD · Apple App Store and 4 more. Checked October 2026.
- New Mexico MVD: MVD releases new practice driving test (August 5, 2021, PDF) ↗
- New Mexico MVD: MVD Procedures Manuals, materials to study for the knowledge test ↗
- Apple App Store: NM Practice Driving Test, by New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division ↗
- New Mexico MVD: Driver Procedures Manual, Chapter 11, Road and Written Test Requirements ↗
- New Mexico MVD: New Mexico Driver Manual (PDF) ↗
- New Mexico MVD: Apply for a Learner’s Permit ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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