Free · 28 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
New Hampshire Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the New Hampshire Driver's Manual that matters for the written test, cut down to the rules and exact numbers you need. Each point links to the manual text it comes from, with the page, and ends with questions from our free New Hampshire practice test.
28 lessons in handbook order
Read one lesson, answer its 3 check questions, then drill that topic in the practice test. Most lessons take about 5 minutes.
- Lesson 1Section 1: Driving in New HampshireLaws and paperwork
Driver education and practice driving
New Hampshire does not issue learner permits, but it lets you practice drive at 15 and a half with a qualified adult. Applicants who are 16 or 17 must first finish an approved driver education program.
8 key points · 9 numbers · Handbook pp. 1 to 3
- Lesson 2Section 1: Driving in New HampshireLaws and paperwork
The vision, knowledge and road tests
To get a New Hampshire license you must pass a vision test, an automated knowledge test and a road test. Knowing the test format and the retest wait helps you plan.
8 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 2 to 3
- Lesson 3Section 2: Driver's License and Non-Driver ID InformationLaws and paperwork
Youth Operator license, restrictions and renewal
Drivers who are at least 16 and under 21 hold a Youth Operator license, with extra rules while they are under 18. Every license expires on your birthday every 5 years.
8 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 4 to 5
- Lesson 4Section 2: Driver's License and Non-Driver ID InformationLaws and paperwork
Suspensions, points and habitual offenders
Young drivers face suspensions that grow longer with each offense, from 20 to 40 days for a first offense up to 90 to 180 days. Test refusals, demerit points and Habitual Offender status can also cost any driver the privilege to drive.
8 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 5 to 6
- Lesson 5Section 3: Dangerous DrivingSafe driving
Vision, fatigue, emotions and hot vehicles
Wear your corrective lenses, rest before you get too tired and calm down before you drive, and never leave a child alone in a vehicle. New Hampshire gives specific numbers for sleep, breaks and how fatigue compares to alcohol.
9 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 7 to 10
- Lesson 6Section 3: Dangerous DrivingLaws and paperwork
Hand-held devices and distraction
New Hampshire bans hand-held phones and devices for every driver, even when stopped at a light. Drivers under 18 may not use any phone at all, hands free or not.
6 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 7 to 8
- Lesson 7Section 3: Dangerous DrivingAlcohol and DUI
How alcohol and drugs affect driving
Alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce judgment, vision and reaction time, starting with the first drink. Only time reduces the effects of alcohol.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 8 to 9
- Lesson 8Section 2: Driver's License and Non-Driver ID InformationAlcohol and DUI
BAC limits, under 21 rules and DUI penalties
New Hampshire treats a BAC of .08% as legally intoxicated, or .02% for drivers under 21. A first DUI conviction brings a fine of at least $500 and a possible loss of license of 9 months to 2 years.
6 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 6 to 9
- Lesson 9Section 4: Before DrivingSafe driving
Vehicle checks, seating and restraints
Before you drive, check your tire pressure, adjust your seat and head rest, and make sure everyone is properly restrained. New Hampshire also requires you to clear snow and ice and secure any load.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 11 to 19
- Lesson 10Section 5: Basic DrivingRight of way
Yielding the right of way
New Hampshire law says who must yield at intersections, starting with the vehicle on the left yielding to the one on the right. The rules cover left turns, four way stops, driveways, people still in the intersection and funerals.
7 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook p. 14
- Lesson 11Section 5: Basic DrivingSpeed limits
Speed limits
New Hampshire speed limits are the maximum for ideal conditions. Learn the default limits by district and highway type, the interstate minimum and the school zone rule.
8 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook p. 15
- Lesson 12Section 5: Basic DrivingSafe driving
Signals, headlights, horn and stopping distance
Other road users need to know where you are and what you plan to do. New Hampshire sets exact distances for signaling and headlight use, and explains how speed stretches your stopping distance.
7 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 15 to 16
- Lesson 13Section 5: Basic DrivingSafe driving
Lane changes, passing, backing and road conditions
Check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes, pass only where it is safe, and look behind the vehicle before backing. Slow down in the rain or on pooled water to avoid hydroplaning.
8 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 16 to 17
- Lesson 14Section 5: Basic DrivingSafe driving
Rural roads and night driving
Rural roads bring gravel, narrow bridges and uncontrolled intersections, and night driving calls for careful use of high and low beams. New Hampshire adds extra following time for night driving.
7 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook p. 18
- Lesson 15Section 6: Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Traffic signals and officers
New Hampshire signals tell you when to stop, go or turn, and a police officer directing traffic overrules them all. Flashing lights and arrows each have their own rules.
8 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook p. 20
- Lesson 16Section 6: Rules of the RoadRoad signs
Sign shapes, colors and warning signs
In New Hampshire, a sign's shape and color tell you its type before you can read it. Learn the standard shapes, the color code, and what stop and yield signs require.
9 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook p. 21
- Lesson 17Section 6: Rules of the RoadRoad signs
Regulatory, guide, work zone and railroad signs
Regulatory signs state laws you must obey, while guide signs point you to places and services. Work zone and railroad signs warn of special dangers with their own rules.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 22 to 23
- Lesson 18Section 6: Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Pavement markings
Painted lines tell you which way traffic moves and whether you may pass or change lanes. Stop lines, crosswalks and shared center lanes each carry their own rules.
8 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 23 to 24
- Lesson 19Section 7: General Driving and ParkingSafe driving
Toll lanes, turns, U-turns and intersections
New Hampshire expects careful positioning for every turn and a full check before entering an intersection. If you miss an exit, never back up.
8 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 25 to 26
- Lesson 20Section 7: General Driving and ParkingRight of way
Roundabouts and school buses
In a multi-lane roundabout, watch the signs and markings before entering, yield on entry and never pass. For a stopped school bus with flashing red lights, New Hampshire requires you to stop at least 25 feet away.
6 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook p. 27
- Lesson 21Section 7: General Driving and ParkingParking
Parking rules and distances
Secure your vehicle when you leave it, and pull as far off the road as you can when you must stop along it. New Hampshire lists places you may not park, with exact distances from hydrants, crosswalks, signs, fire stations and railroad tracks.
9 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 27 to 29
- Lesson 22Section 8: Driving SafelySafe driving
Visual search and following distance
New Hampshire asks for a following distance of at least 4 seconds and more on slippery roads or behind large vehicles. Turn your head before you turn the wheel, and avoid staying in another driver's blind spot.
7 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 30 to 31
- Lesson 23Section 9: Accidents and Financial ResponsibilityLaws and paperwork
Crashes, reports and financial responsibility
After a crash you must stop, call 911 if anyone is hurt and help the injured. New Hampshire has no mandatory insurance law, but an uninsured crash you cannot pay for can cost you your license, and some convictions require SR-22 proof.
8 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 32 to 33
- Lesson 24Section 10: Driving EmergenciesEmergencies
Emergency braking, swerving and skids
When a collision threatens, you can brake, steer around the problem or speed up. Know how to use ABS, how to steer out of a skid and how to get back onto the pavement safely.
6 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook p. 34
- Lesson 25Section 10: Driving EmergenciesEmergencies
Brake failure, blowouts and breakdowns
Vehicle failures each have a set response in the New Hampshire manual. Learn what to do for brake failure, a blowout, a dead engine, failed headlights, a breakdown and a stuck accelerator.
8 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook p. 35
- Lesson 26Section 11: Sharing the RoadRight of way
Pedestrians and bicyclists
Collisions with pedestrians cause nearly 20 percent of traffic deaths, and bicyclists have the same rights and duties as drivers. New Hampshire requires a full stop for blind pedestrians and at least 3 feet of room when passing a bicyclist at 30 mph or less.
8 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 36 to 37
- Lesson 27Section 11: Sharing the RoadSafe driving
Motorcycles, large trucks and slow vehicles
Motorcycles are small and easy to miss, and large trucks have big blind spots and long stopping distances. An orange and red triangle marks a slow moving vehicle that needs extra care.
8 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 37 to 39
- Lesson 28Section 11: Sharing the RoadEmergencies
Emergency vehicles, Sherrill's Law and traffic stops
Pull right and stop for an emergency vehicle using a siren or flashing lights, and Sherrill's Law requires you to slow down and give a wide berth at roadside emergencies. In a traffic stop, turn off the engine, turn on the hazard flashers and keep your hands on the wheel.
8 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook p. 40
Read, check, then practice
- Read a lesson. Open any point's source to see the exact manual wording and page.
- Answer the 3 check questions at the end without looking back.
- Drill that topic in the free New Hampshire practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the New Hampshire cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the New Hampshire Driver's Manual (DSMV 360, Rev. 11/25). Lessons are plain English summaries, not the law itself; where they differ, the manual and the statute govern. Every quote on these pages is checked against our saved copy of the manual. Last checked 2026-09-27.