New Hampshire Permit Test Study Guide (2026)

Cover every topic on the New Hampshire DMV permit test, ranked by how often they show up on the real exam.

The New Hampshire Driver's Manual is the official source for every question on the state's written knowledge test. It covers traffic signs, right-of-way, DWI law, parking rules, and vehicle equipment. This study guide breaks the manual into smaller lessons so you can master one topic at a time before test day.

New Hampshire Speed Limits

Speed limits are one of the most-tested topics on the NH permit exam, and the questions usually test New Hampshire's statutory default limits -- what the speed is when no sign is posted. Under RSA 265:60, New Hampshire's defaults are 30 mph in a business or urban residence district, 35 mph in a rural residence district, 45 mph on an unimproved rural highway, and 55 mph elsewhere (65 mph on the interstate and certain 4-lane turnpikes). Posted school zones drop 10 mph below the usual limit for 45 minutes around opening and closing. Always obey the basic-speed law: never drive faster than is safe for current conditions.

Alcohol & BAC Limits

Expect at least one alcohol question on the New Hampshire permit test. Memorize the three BAC thresholds: 0.08% is the legal limit for drivers age 21 and older, 0.04% is the limit for anyone driving with a commercial driver license (CDL), and New Hampshire's zero-tolerance threshold for drivers under 21 is 0.02% (RSA 265-A:2) -- a single drink can put you over it. A clean-record first violation brings a 6-month administrative suspension; a criminal conviction is a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum $500 fine and at least a 1-year suspension. A BAC of 0.08% or higher brings full adult DWI charges instead.

Right-of-Way Rules

Right-of-way is the single most-missed topic across every state's permit test. The rules are simple once you memorize them. At a 4-way stop, the first vehicle to fully stop goes first; if two arrive together, the driver on the right has the right of way. At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to any vehicle already in the intersection and to the driver on your right. At roundabouts, yield to traffic already circulating and enter only when there is a safe gap. Always yield to pedestrians in any crosswalk, marked or unmarked, and to emergency vehicles with lights and sirens — pull right and stop. When turning left across oncoming traffic, you must yield to oncoming vehicles. Yield does not give you the right of way; it requires you to give it up.

Following Distance & Safety

New Hampshire's driver manual recommends a minimum 3-second following distance: pick a fixed point on the road, wait for the vehicle ahead of you to pass it, then count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three. Add a second for each risk factor present -- limited visibility, slippery roads, and so on.

Road Sign Colors & Shapes

Road signs on the NH permit test follow the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, so shapes and colors are consistent across the country. Memorize the shapes first: octagon always means stop, downward triangle means yield, diamond means warning, pentagon marks a school zone, round warns of a railroad crossing, and horizontal rectangle is a guide sign. Then learn the colors: red is stop or prohibition, yellow is general warning, orange is construction, green is directions and exits, blue is driver services, brown is recreation, and fluorescent yellow-green is for schools and pedestrians. Practice identifying signs by shape and color alone — see the full visual cheat sheet on our New Hampshire road-signs page.

Key New Hampshire Numbers to Memorize

If you only remember a handful of facts going into the test, make it these. Every one of them maps to questions that have appeared on the real NH exam.

Parking Rules

Parking questions on the New Hampshire permit test cover two patterns everywhere. For parallel parking, your wheels should be no more than 12 inches from the curb. For hill parking, the kerb rule decides which way your front wheels point: facing downhill (with or without a curb), turn the wheels toward the curb; facing uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb so they rest against it; facing uphill with no curb, turn the wheels toward the edge of the road. Always set the parking brake and leave the car in park (or in low gear with a manual).

New Hampshire's no-parking zones (RSA 265:69) you must memorize: within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing signal, stop sign, or traffic control signal, and within 50 feet of the nearest rail at a railroad crossing.

GDL Restrictions (NH)

New Hampshire's learner permit requires a licensed driver 25 or older beside you at all times -- older than most states' 21+ requirement -- and 40 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night. There's no curfew during the permit phase as long as your supervisor is present. Once you pass the road test and get your Youth Operator License, the curfew becomes 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. (waived with a licensed parent or guardian, or for verified work/school trips). Passenger restrictions: no more than one passenger under 25 outside your immediate family for the first year. All restrictions end at 18. Expect 1-3 GDL questions on the NH exam.

DUI & Drug Laws

DUI questions go beyond the BAC limits in Section 2. Three concepts you must know: implied consent means refusing a chemical test triggers automatic license suspension on top of any DUI charge. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can also impair driving — antihistamines, sleep aids, painkillers, and some cold medicines list "do not operate heavy machinery" warnings, and driving impaired by them is a DUI even if you have a valid prescription. Marijuana — even where state-legal — is treated like alcohol for driving: any detectable impairment can result in a DUI, and edibles can take 1–3 hours to peak. The only safe BAC and the only safe THC level for driving is zero. There is no quick way to sober up; only time will lower your BAC.

Now Test What You've Studied

Five questions pulled at random from our New Hampshire question bank — a mix of road signs, traffic laws, and right-of-way. Answer to see the correct choice and a short explanation. For a full timed exam, take the free practice test.

New Hampshire Study Guide FAQ