New Hampshire Permit Practice Test 1
This free New Hampshire practice test has 30 multiple-choice questions covering road signs, right-of-way, speed limits, and safe driving — the same topics the DMV tests. The real DMV Driver License Knowledge Test has 40 questions, and you need 32 correct (80%) to pass.
Question 1 of 30
1. When do reduced school zone speed limits typically apply?
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Correct answer: D. School zone limits usually apply during posted times, when the zone's beacons flash, or whenever children are present. Kids are small, quick, and unpredictable near schools. When you see the zone active, drop your speed and cover the brake.
2. You turn off a busy road into a quiet subdivision in New Hampshire and see no speed limit sign on the new street. Your maximum legal speed is now which value?
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Correct answer: D. Once you enter an unposted residential street in New Hampshire, the limit drops to the default of 30 mph. Slow down as you turn in; the quiet look of a subdivision hides driveways, cyclists, and children near the pavement.
3. At a crosswalk signal, what is the difference between the walking-person symbol and the raised-hand symbol?
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Correct answer: C. The walking-person symbol invites pedestrians to begin crossing, while the raised hand warns them not to start; a flashing hand means finish crossing if already in the street. Drivers should expect people in the crosswalk during these phases.
4. You see a police cruiser with blue lights stopped on the shoulder of a New Hampshire highway. Under Sherrill's Law, what should you do?
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Correct answer: A. Sherrill's Law (RSA 265:37-a) tells New Hampshire drivers to slow down, give wide berth, and vacate the blocked lane near emergency scenes or stopped vehicles with warning lights. Hook: see flashing lights, shift over and slow.
5. Your GPS routes you through a New Hampshire neighborhood of homes and parked cars with no posted speed limit. State law caps your speed there at what value?
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Correct answer: D. State law gives unposted residential areas in New Hampshire a default cap of 30 mph. Parked cars shrink your view of crossing pedestrians, which is exactly why the cap is low. Posted signs, where present, replace the default.
6. BAC measures the percentage of alcohol in a person's blood. For drivers 21 and older in New Hampshire, what BAC puts them at or over the legal limit?
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Correct answer: C. BAC stands for blood alcohol concentration. In New Hampshire, adult drivers reach the illegal level at 0.08%. Remember the rule as a hard line: at 0.08% you are over, and skills like reaction time fade even sooner.
7. At a railroad crossing you see a white X-shaped sign reading RAILROAD CROSSING, with no gates or flashing signals. How should you treat it?
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Correct answer: B. The crossbuck is a regulatory sign that legally works like a yield sign at the tracks. Trains cannot swerve or stop quickly, so you must give way every time. At passive crossings, your eyes and ears are the only warning system.
8. At the top of a ramp you see a square sign with a red circle and a white horizontal bar reading DO NOT ENTER. What does it mean?
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Correct answer: A. DO NOT ENTER marks a roadway where traffic flows toward you, such as an exit ramp or one-way street. Entering it risks a head-on crash. If you have already turned in and see WRONG WAY, pull over and turn around safely.
9. An officer stops an adult driver in New Hampshire and a breath test is given. At what BAC reading can that driver be charged with driving under the influence, even if their driving looked steady?
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Correct answer: C. A BAC of 0.08% or more is enough by itself for a DUI charge in New Hampshire. The law uses a fixed number because alcohol impairs everyone, and drivers are poor judges of their own impairment behind the wheel.
10. After passing a large truck, why is it dangerous to merge back quickly and then brake?
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Correct answer: B. A heavy truck needs far more stopping distance than a car, so cutting in close and braking leaves the trucker no room and no options. Merge back only when the whole truck appears in your rearview mirror.
11. You are heading to a party where you plan to drink. What is the safest plan for getting home?
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Correct answer: B. The safest plan is decided before the first drink: a sober designated driver, rideshare, taxi, or staying over. Once alcohol dulls your judgment, you cannot trust yourself to choose wisely. Plan the ride first, then the party.
12. Under implied-consent laws, what have you already agreed to simply by driving on public roads?
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Correct answer: D. Every state has an implied-consent law: by driving, you have already agreed to a breath, blood, or urine test after a lawful impaired-driving arrest. Driving is a privilege, and testing is part of the deal you accepted.
13. A 17-year-old in New Hampshire claims, 'I only need to stay under the adult limit.' Under zero tolerance, the BAC that actually applies to under-21 drivers is what?
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Correct answer: C. The adult limit is irrelevant for minors. New Hampshire's zero-tolerance law applies at 0.02% for drivers under 21, because any alcohol raises a new driver's crash risk. If you are under 21, drinking and driving simply never mix.
14. A yellow diamond sign ahead shows a plus symbol, like a small cross. What is this sign warning you about?
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Correct answer: A. The crossroad symbol warns that a full intersection is ahead, so vehicles may pull out or turn from the left or right. Slow down and scan both directions. Picture the plus sign as two roads meeting.
15. You merge onto an interstate in New Hampshire posted at the state's maximum speed limit. The fastest you may legally drive there is which speed?
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Correct answer: C. New Hampshire caps highway speed at 70 mph, its statewide maximum. Even on wide-open pavement, the posted number is the ceiling, and rain, fog, or traffic can make a much lower speed the only safe and legal choice.
16. What is the difference between a suspended license and a revoked license?
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Correct answer: A. A suspension parks your driving privilege for a set time or until you meet conditions, while a revocation cancels it entirely, usually forcing you to reapply later. Think of suspension as paused and revocation as erased.
17. Orange signs, cones, and barrels suddenly appear along the highway. What does the color orange always tell you?
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Correct answer: B. Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control, meaning construction and maintenance zones. Workers, machines, and lane shifts may appear with little warning, so slow down and stay alert. When you see orange, think people at work.
18. How does the law treat a driver who leaves the scene of a crash they were involved in?
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Correct answer: B. Fleeing a crash you were part of, often called hit and run, is a serious crime everywhere, with penalties that grow if anyone was hurt. Staying is a legal duty. Whatever the damage, driving away doubles the trouble.
19. A 17-year-old New Hampshire youth operator is convicted of driving more than 30 mph over the posted limit. What does this trigger?
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Correct answer: C. New Hampshire treats speeding more than 30 mph over the limit like DWI or reckless driving for youth operators: it stacks additional penalties on top of ordinary suspensions. Hook: thirty-over puts you in the most serious tier.
20. Besides nighttime, when should you turn on your headlights?
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Correct answer: D. Turn on your headlights whenever conditions cut visibility, including rain, fog, snow, dusk, or dawn, because lights help other drivers spot you as much as they help you see. Handy habit: wipers on or gray sky means lights on.
21. How should a lap and shoulder belt be worn so it protects you in a crash?
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Correct answer: D. Wear the lap belt low and snug over your hips and the shoulder belt across your chest, because those strong bones absorb crash forces safely. Belts on your belly or behind your back can cause serious internal injuries.
22. Your headlights suddenly go dark while you are driving at night. What should you do first?
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Correct answer: C. First flick the headlight switch and dimmer, since the problem may be a loose connection; then use parking, hazard, or turn lights to stay visible while you leave the road. Never keep driving blind hoping the lights return.
23. You come to an intersection where the signal is flashing red. How should you treat it?
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Correct answer: D. A flashing red light works exactly like a stop sign: stop fully, yield to traffic and pedestrians, then proceed when the way is clear. Flashing red still means red, so a complete stop is always required.
24. Under New Hampshire law, which vehicle occupants are actually required to wear a seat belt or safety restraint?
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Correct answer: B. New Hampshire law mandates safety restraints only for people under 18; adults are strongly urged, not required, to buckle up. Belts still prevent ejection and keep control. Hook: the legal line sits at your 18th birthday.
25. You reach a stop sign at an intersection that has a painted stop line. Where must you bring your vehicle to a complete stop?
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Correct answer: A. At a stop sign you must stop completely before the stop line; with no line, stop before the crosswalk or the intersection edge. Stopping short protects people in the crosswalk. If you need a better view, creep forward only after the full stop.
26. Why is it illegal to park on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk?
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Correct answer: B. Sidewalks and crosswalks are reserved walking space; a parked car there pushes pedestrians, strollers, and wheelchairs out into traffic lanes. The law keeps walking paths continuous and safe. If people walk there, your car never belongs there.
27. Before applying for a New Hampshire driver license at 16 or 17, how much supervised practice driving must you log beyond your driver education course?
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Correct answer: D. New Hampshire requires under-18 applicants to log 40 extra supervised hours, including at least 10 after dark, on top of driver ed. Night driving is riskier and needs practice. Hook: forty total, a quarter at night.
28. A 19-year-old is pulled over in New Hampshire after a party. Under the zero-tolerance law, what BAC is enough for an underage drinking-and-driving violation?
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Correct answer: D. For drivers under 21 in New Hampshire, a violation begins at 0.02%. Zero-tolerance laws exist because young, inexperienced drivers face high crash risk with any alcohol. If you are underage, the only legal amount is none.
29. You are passing a slow truck on a New Hampshire highway posted at the state's maximum limit. Even while passing, your legal ceiling stays at which speed?
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Correct answer: B. Passing grants zero extra speed allowance; in New Hampshire the ceiling on those top-posted highways stays 70 mph. If you cannot complete the pass within the limit, wait for a better gap. The limit binds every maneuver, always.
30. You are turning left at an intersection on a green light while an oncoming car heads straight toward the intersection. What is the rule?
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Correct answer: C. A driver turning left must yield to oncoming vehicles going straight or turning right, crossing only when there is a safe gap. Straight traffic keeps its speed and path, so the turning driver waits. Left turn equals lower priority.
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