New Hampshire Road Test (2026) What’s on the Driving Test, Scoring & Tips

Who can take the New Hampshire road test

Pass the vision and knowledge tests first, then book the road test by appointment. Applicants aged 16 or 17 must first complete approved driver education (30 hours classroom, 10 hours behind the wheel with an instructor, 6 hours observation) plus 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent, guardian or responsible adult, 10 of them at night. New Hampshire issues no learner's permit; from age 15 1/2 you may practice with a licensed adult 25 or older. 1Official source 1gc.nh.gov“Each applicant for an original driver license shall satisfactorily complete the following in the order reflected: (1) The visual acuity examination set forth in Saf-C 1004.01; (2) The knowledge examination set forth in Saf-C 1005.01; and (3) The road skills examination set forth in Saf-C 1006.01.”“Upon receipt of a completed application, an applicant who is required to complete a road skills examination shall schedule an appointment at any driver licensing office during regular business hours.”Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked October 4, 20262Official source 2gc.nh.gov“A driver's license may be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter to a person under the age of 18 years who has attained his or her sixteenth birthday, if such person shall present a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course”“An approved driver education course licensed under this chapter, shall consist of not less than 30 hours of classroom instruction, not less than 10 hours of behind the wheel driver training and not less than 6 hours of observation”“a person under the age of 18 shall also certify the completion of 40 hours of additional supervised driving time under the supervision of a licensed parent or guardian”“and that at least 10 of the hours of additional supervised driving time were during the period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.”“This exception shall not apply to persons whose driving privileges or driver's licenses have been suspended or revoked for cause, persons less than 15 1/2 years of age”Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked October 4, 2026

What to bring on test day

Vehicle requirements

The examiner checks your car before you drive. If it fails, you usually can’t take the test that day.

• You provide the test vehicle
• NH-registered vehicles must meet all NH inspection laws (current inspection); out-of-state-registered vehicles must be in safe operating condition
• Size, weight and equipment must match the license class
• A permanently attached seat for the examiner with access to the vehicle controls
• Only the applicant and examiner (and an examiner in training) may ride

How the New Hampshire road test is scored

Automatic failures

If you fail the New Hampshire road test

You are told the reasons and given a retest no sooner than 10 days later; no further tests that day. After 3 failures you need 5 hours of behind-the-wheel training at an approved NH driving school plus 10 hours of logged supervised driving before 3 more attempts; after 6 failures, 10 hours of school training and 20 hours supervised. An immediate-failure result also requires 10 hours of school training and 20 hours supervised before retesting. After 9 failures you are barred for 3 months. Missing an appointment without 24 hours' notice pushes the next one out at least 30 days. No retest fee is published. 1Official source 1gc.nh.gov“The director shall also designate a subsequent date for a reexamination, which shall be no sooner than 10 days after failure of the examination”“In the event an applicant fails to complete an examination prescribed herein, no further examinations shall be administered on that date unless the director designates otherwise”“If an applicant fails the road skills examination 3 times, no further road skills examinations shall be scheduled until the applicant has documented evidence of completing 5 hours of behind the wheel training with an approved NH driving school and 10 hours of documented supervised driving”“In the event an applicant fails the road skills examination an additional 3 times, no further road skills examinations shall be scheduled until the applicant has documented evidence of completing 10 hours of behind the wheel training with an approved NH driving school and 20 hours of documented supervised driving”“In the case of an applicant who has failed a road skills examination pursuant to Saf-C 1006.02(b), no further road skills examinations shall be scheduled until the applicant has submitted documented evidence of completing 10 hours of behind the wheel training with an approved NH driving school and 20 hours of documented supervised driving”“Any applicant that has failed the road skills examination pursuant to Saf-C 1003.01, 9 times, shall be denied any further road skills examinations for a period of 3 months.”“In the event an applicant fails to give the division at least 24 hours notice of their inability to appear for a scheduled appointment, the appointment shall be rescheduled no sooner than 30 days after the date of the initial failure to appear.”Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked October 4, 2026

Didn’t pass? What to do next, including the New Hampshire permit (knowledge) test retake rules.

Waivers and third-party testing

Only DMV Licensing Examiners give the road test; no driving-school or third-party testers are published. Drivers moving in with a valid out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 12 months) usually skip the road test unless the director decides their state's standards fall short or they may be a safety hazard. 1Official source 1gc.nh.gov“Each applicant who surrenders a valid driver license issued by another jurisdiction or a driver license issued by another jurisdiction which has expired no more than 12 months prior to the date of its surrender shall satisfactorily complete the following in the order reflected:”“The road skills examination set forth in Saf-C 1006.01, in the event the director determines that: a. The licensing standards of the jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed does not comply with the standards set forth in these rules”Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked October 4, 20262Official source 2gc.nh.gov“All license examinations shall be conducted by department of safety personnel and shall include knowledge questions regarding distracted driving, driving under the influence, and driving during poor weather conditions.”Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↗Checked October 4, 2026

New Hampshire road test questions