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NH DMV Knowledge Test study materials
NH DMV Knowledge Test study resources

NH DMV Knowledge Test: Driver Licensing and Identification Requirements

NH DMV Knowledge Test · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Driver Licensing and Identification Requirements

What this domain tests

New Hampshire knowledge questions in this domain check the path from learner permit to junior operator license (JOL) to full license, the restrictions that apply to young drivers, and the identity documents the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires. The DMV issues learner permits, JOLs, full driver licenses, and non-driver identification cards.

Core rules

  • A learner permit requires a minimum age of 15½ and enrollment in or completion of an approved driver education course: 30 classroom hours, 10 behind-the-wheel hours, and 6 observation hours.
  • A JOL is available at 16 after holding the permit for 6 months, completing driver education, and passing the road test.
  • During the first 6 months of a JOL, the driver may carry no more than one passenger under 25 who is not a family member. A hands-free or handheld phone restriction applies to drivers under 18, and a 1 a.m.–5 a.m. curfew applies unless a licensed adult 25 or older is in the vehicle.
  • A full license is available at 18. New residents must obtain a New Hampshire license within 60 days and surrender their out-of-state license.
  • The knowledge test is separate from the road test; passing one does not waive the other. Vision screening is required.

Worked example

A 16-year-old has held a permit for seven months, completed driver education, and passes the road test. On her first weekend she drives two 16-year-old friends to a movie at 9 p.m. Is this legal? No. During the first six months of the JOL, she may carry no more than one non-family passenger under 25. The 9 p.m. hour is not the issue; the passenger count is.

Traps that cost marks

Do not confuse a learner permit with a JOL: a permit holder must drive with a licensed adult. Do not assume a JOL can drive alone at 2 a.m.; the curfew applies. Do not think a standard license is invalid for driving-it still authorizes driving, but not federal identification purposes.

Key points

  • Permit age: 15½ with approved driver education.
  • JOL age: 16; permit held 6 months.
  • First 6 months: one non-family passenger under 25.
  • Curfew: 1 a.m.–5 a.m. without an adult 25+.
  • New residents: license within 60 days.