Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
New Hampshire has no learner’s permit, so the “permit test” is really the NH DMV knowledge test you take when you apply for your first license. It is multiple choice, and NH DMV says knowledge exams need a passing grade of 80%. This page gives you 30 original practice questions, starting with the New Hampshire rules that national quizzes get wrong. They are unofficial and are not NH DMV questions.
New Hampshire knowledge test: key facts
- 40 multiple-choice questions on a touch screen, with 40 minutes to finish.
- Pass mark: 80%. The test ends once you get more than 8 wrong, so you need 32 of 40 (Driver’s Manual, Rev. 07/24).
- If you fail, you can ask for a retest appointment no sooner than 10 days later.
- Under 18, you take it after driver education and your 40 supervised hours, before the road test.
What to bring and how the appointment works: New Hampshire written driving test explained.
Part 1: New Hampshire rules (questions 1 to 10)
Get these right first. They are specific to New Hampshire and come straight from state law.
1. How does a 15½-year-old practice driving on public roads in New Hampshire?
- A. With a learner’s permit card from NH DMV
- B. Only in a driving school car
- C. With a qualifying adult in the car and proof of age on hand, because NH has no permit
- D. Practice on public roads is not allowed before 16
Answer: C. New Hampshire issues no permit. Carry proof of age every time you drive. See how teen practice driving works in New Hampshire. Topic: minors.
2. If your supervisor is not your parent or legal guardian, they must be a licensed adult aged at least:
- A. 18
- B. 21
- C. 30
- D. 25
Answer: D. A responsible licensed adult 25 or older. Topic: minors.
3. How many supervised hours must an under-18 applicant log before a New Hampshire license?
- A. 40, including 10 at night
- B. 20, including 5 at night
- C. 50, including 10 at night
- D. 60, including 15 at night
Answer: A. 40 hours on top of the 10 driving hours in driver education, with at least 10 at night. Topic: minors.
4. A Youth Operator license holder may not drive between:
- A. Midnight and 5 a.m.
- B. 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.
- C. 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- D. 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Answer: B. RSA 263:14 sets 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. and lists no work exception. See Youth Operator restrictions. Topic: Youth Operator license.
5. For the first 6 months of a Youth Operator license, how many non-family passengers under 25 may you carry with no licensed adult 25+ in the car?
- A. None
- B. Two
- C. One
- D. Three
Answer: C. One, unless a licensed adult aged 25 or older is with you. Family members do not count. Topic: Youth Operator license.
6. A Youth Operator license expires:
- A. On your 21st birthday
- B. After 6 months
- C. On your 18th birthday
- D. After 1 year
Answer: A. It is issued at 16 to under 21 and runs to the 21st birthday. Topic: Youth Operator license.
7. A 17-year-old New Hampshire driver wants to make a hands-free phone call while driving. This is:
- A. Legal with Bluetooth
- B. Legal at red lights
- C. Legal on highways only
- D. Illegal, except to report an emergency to 911 or another public safety agency
Answer: D. Under RSA 265:79-c, drivers under 18 may not use any device, hands-free or not, even when stopped in traffic. Hands-free GPS directions are allowed. Topic: distracted driving.
8. For adult drivers in New Hampshire, the device law bans:
- A. Nothing
- B. Hand-held use while driving
- C. Only texting on highways
- D. Radios
Answer: B. Hand-held use is banned for every driver. A first offense is a $100 fine plus penalty assessment. Topic: distracted driving.
9. A Youth Operator may carry how many people in the car?
- A. No more than there are seat belts
- B. Up to 6
- C. Any number if they are family
- D. Any number after 6 months
Answer: A. Occupants may never exceed the number of seat belts. Everyone under 18 must be belted, including the driver. Topic: Youth Operator license and seat belts.
10. An NH driver under 18 who collects 6 demerit points in one calendar year can face:
- A. No action until 12 points
- B. A warning letter only
- C. Suspension of up to 3 months
- D. A permanent ban
Answer: C. From 18 to under 21 the first threshold is 9 points. A driver improvement course reduces the points counted by 3. Topic: demerit points.
Part 2: Signs, signals and markings (questions 11 to 18)
11. A sign with eight sides always means:
- A. Yield
- B. Stop
- C. School zone
- D. Railroad
Answer: B. Only stop signs are octagons. Topic: signs.
12. Black-on-yellow diamond signs are:
- A. Warning signs
- B. Guide signs
- C. Service signs
- D. Speed limit signs
Answer: A. They warn of curves, hills, merges and other changes ahead. Topic: signs.
13. Orange signs and barrels mean:
- A. A recreation area
- B. Hospital ahead
- C. A school crossing
- D. A work zone, so slow down and watch for workers
Answer: D. Orange is the color for construction and maintenance areas. Topic: signs.
14. A solid yellow line on your side of the center line means:
- A. Passing is allowed with care
- B. You must turn left
- C. Do not cross it to pass
- D. Bus lane
Answer: C. You may pass only where the broken line is on your side and it is safe. Topic: pavement markings.
15. A steady yellow light means:
- A. The light is about to turn red, so stop if you safely can
- B. Speed up to clear the intersection
- C. Yield to pedestrians only
- D. Proceed at normal speed
Answer: A. Do not try to beat it. Topic: signals.
16. A flashing yellow left-turn arrow means:
- A. Left turns are banned
- B. Your turn is protected
- C. Stop, then wait for green
- D. You may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
Answer: D. Oncoming traffic may have a green light, so find a safe gap. Topic: signals.
17. A round yellow sign with a black X and RR warns of:
- A. A railroad crossing ahead
- B. A road closure
- C. An intersection
- D. A rest area
Answer: A. Slow down, look and listen. Topic: signs, railroad crossings.
18. Traffic lights are out at an intersection because of a power failure. You should:
- A. Drive through at normal speed
- B. Treat it as an all-way stop
- C. Yield only to trucks
- D. Honk and go
Answer: B. Stop, then go in turn when it is safe. Topic: signals.
Part 3: Right of way and rules of the road (questions 19 to 25)
19. Two cars reach an uncontrolled intersection at the same time. Who yields?
- A. The car on the right
- B. The faster car
- C. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
- D. Whoever honks first goes
Answer: C. Yield to the vehicle on your right when you arrive together. Topic: right of way.
20. At a roundabout you should:
- A. Yield to traffic already in the circle and drive counterclockwise
- B. Stop inside the circle
- C. Drive clockwise
- D. Pass large trucks inside the circle
Answer: A. Slow down, yield on entry, and signal as you exit. Topic: right of way, roundabouts.
21. A school bus stops ahead with red lights flashing. Traffic behind it must:
- A. Pass on the left slowly
- B. Stop only if children are visible
- C. Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing and the bus moves on
- D. Sound the horn
Answer: C. Traffic behind a stopped bus with flashing red lights always stops. In New Hampshire, traffic from any direction must stop at least 25 feet away unless a physical barrier separates the roadway. Topic: school buses.
22. An ambulance with siren and lights approaches. You should:
- A. Speed up
- B. Pull to the right and stop, keeping clear of intersections
- C. Stop in your lane immediately
- D. Follow closely behind it
Answer: B. Let it pass, then check before rejoining traffic. Topic: emergency vehicles.
23. You are turning right and a pedestrian is crossing the street you are turning into. You must:
- A. Go first because you have a green light
- B. Honk to warn them
- C. Swing around them
- D. Yield to the pedestrian
Answer: D. Pedestrians in the crosswalk have the right of way, marked or unmarked. Topic: pedestrians.
24. The road is wet and visibility is poor. The legal speed is:
- A. The posted limit
- B. 10 mph over to clear the area
- C. A speed that is reasonable and safe for the conditions, which may be below the limit
- D. 25 mph on every road
Answer: C. Posted limits are for good conditions. Topic: speed.
25. A simple way to check your following distance is to:
- A. Count seconds from when the car ahead passes a fixed point until you reach it
- B. Keep one car length at any speed
- C. Follow close enough to read the car ahead’s plate
- D. Use your horn
Answer: A. Leave more time at higher speeds, at night and on slippery roads. Topic: space management.
Part 4: Alcohol, emergencies and winter (questions 26 to 30)
26. Which is true about alcohol and drivers under 21?
- A. The 0.08 adult limit applies to them
- B. A much lower limit applies, so any drinking before driving can cost you your license
- C. Beer does not count
- D. It only matters after a crash
Answer: B. In New Hampshire the limit under 21 is 0.02, compared with 0.08 for adults. See zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21. Topic: alcohol.
27. What actually sobers a person up?
- A. Coffee
- B. A cold shower
- C. Food
- D. Time
Answer: D. The body removes alcohol at a steady rate that nothing speeds up. Topic: alcohol.
28. Your car starts to skid on an icy curve. You should:
- A. Ease off the gas and steer gently where you want to go
- B. Brake hard
- C. Turn the wheel sharply the other way
- D. Accelerate
Answer: A. Smooth inputs help the tires regain grip. Topic: emergencies, winter driving.
29. A tire blows out at highway speed. What should you do first?
- A. Brake hard at once
- B. Pull straight onto the shoulder
- C. Hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas and slow down gradually
- D. Turn off the engine
Answer: C. Keep the car straight, then pull off when you are under control. Topic: emergencies.
30. When should you use low beams instead of high beams at night?
- A. Never on rural roads
- B. When oncoming vehicles approach or you are following another vehicle
- C. Only in rain
- D. Only in towns
Answer: B. Dip your lights so you do not dazzle other drivers, and use low beams in fog and snow. Topic: night driving.
How did you do?
| Score out of 30 | What it means against the 80% standard |
|---|---|
| 27 to 30 | Ready for the real test |
| 24 to 26 | At the 80% line. Review your misses. |
| Under 24 | Below 80%. Reread the manual, Part 1 rules first. |
Any wrong answer in Part 1 matters most: those rules apply to you every time you drive as a Youth Operator. After you pass, the road test comes next; the steps are in the New Hampshire guide linked below.
Common questions
Are these the real NH DMV questions?
No. These are original, unofficial practice questions. Study the current New Hampshire Driver’s Manual, which the real test is based on.
How many questions are on the New Hampshire knowledge test?
40, according to the Driver’s Manual (Rev. 07/24). You have 40 minutes and need 80%, so the test ends once you get more than 8 wrong.
Do I need a permit to take the NH knowledge test?
No. New Hampshire has no permit. You take the test as part of applying for your license.
What happens if I fail?
The test ends automatically if you run out of time or miss too many questions. You can ask for a retest no sooner than 10 days later.
Can I take the test in another language?
NH DMV offers the knowledge test in several languages and provides interpreters for some others. Ask when you book.
Where are practice tests for other states?
See US permit practice tests. The full New Hampshire route is in learning to drive in New Hampshire.
Sources
- New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Licensing Testing Requirements” (dmv.nh.gov)
- New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Licensing Requirements for Minors” (dmv.nh.gov)
- New Hampshire General Court, “RSA 263:14, Youth Operator License” (gc.nh.gov)
- New Hampshire General Court, “RSA 265:79-c, Use of Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving” (gc.nh.gov)
- New Hampshire General Court, “Saf-C 1000, Driver License” (gc.nh.gov)
- New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, “New Hampshire Driver’s Manual” DSMV 360, Rev. 07/24 (dmv.nh.gov)