New Hampshire permit practice tests 2026

How to pass in 5 steps

1. Learn the signs. Shapes and colors first, then the road sign tests. Or swipe through the New Hampshire permit test flashcards.
2. Work through the practice tests. Every answer links to the handbook page it comes from.
3. Drill your weak topics. Practice one topic or take a weak-spot test.
4. Fix every mistake. Review my mistakes until each one sticks on 3 separate days.
5. Pass the simulator, then book your test. The exam simulator follows New Hampshire’s real format: 40 questions, 32 correct to pass (80%), 40-minute limit. Pass it two or three times on different days.

Drill one topic

New Hampshire study tools

• New Hampshire flashcardsFull-screen cards you flip and swipe. The road-signs deck is free, and so are the first cards of every New Hampshire deck.
• New Hampshire numbers to knowThe distances, speeds, BAC limits, fines and deadlines people miss most, each with its source, plus a free numbers quiz and flashcards.
• After the permit: the New Hampshire road testWhat’s on the driving test, how it’s scored, the 11 automatic failures and what to bring, each quoted from official sources.
• Supervised driving logNew Hampshire requires 40 supervised hours, 10 at night. Track them as you go.
• New Hampshire cheat sheet and study sheetsThe New Hampshire rules worth knowing, and a road-signs chart and road-test checklist to print.Read the cheat sheet Study sheets to print

New Hampshire rules that catch people out

These come from the questions learners find hardest. Each links to the handbook page it comes from.

• Driver education in New Hampshire includes 30 hours of classroom instruction with a certified instructor, plus 10 hours of practice driving and 6 hours of observation. Under RSA 263:19, applicants who are 16 or 17 must complete an approved program before getting a license.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 7

• During the first six months, a youth operator under 18 may not carry more than one passenger under 25 who is not a family member, unless a licensed responsible adult 25 or older is present. Young passengers are a major source of distraction for new drivers.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 10

• Applicants with two working eyes need 20/40 vision, but a person with sight in only one eye must meet the stricter 20/30 standard. If glasses or contacts are needed to pass, a "B" restriction is added and the lenses must be worn while driving.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 8

• Under New Hampshire's "Under 20" law, the Director can suspend an original license after a hearing. Suspensions grow with each offense: 20-40 days, then 45-90 days, then 90-180 days plus a driver attitude program.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 12

• If a hearing finds a person is a Habitual Offender, the Director revokes their privileges for 1 to 4 years. Driving after that declaration can bring one to five years in prison.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 12

• Some serious convictions require you to prove future insurance with an SR-22 certificate to get privileges back. The list includes DUI, failing to stop and report after a crash, vehicular homicide and a second reckless driving offense.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 39

• A first DUI conviction is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of at least $500, possible loss of privileges for 9 months to 2 years, and a required impaired driver education program. Penalties grow for second and later convictions.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 15

• Under RSA 265:79-c, holding a phone or other voice device in the immediate proximity of your ear while the vehicle is moving is presumed to be engaging in a call. That makes it a violation of the hand-held ban.

  New Hampshire Driver's Manual, page 14

Questions about the New Hampshire permit test

Didn’t pass? What to do next in New Hampshire