Free · 18 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
North Dakota Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License 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 North Dakota practice test.
18 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 1Your Operator's LicenseLaws and paperwork
Instruction permits and licenses for minors
North Dakota permits start at 14, and the holding period depends on your age. A 15 year old gets a restricted license limited to family vehicles and daytime hours, and it becomes unrestricted at 16.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 3 to 6
- Lesson 2Your Operator's LicenseLaws and paperwork
Residency, license classes and insurance
New residents may drive on another state's license for 60 days, and you must report a name or address change within 10 days. A Class D license covers single vehicles under 26,001 pounds, and every vehicle must carry liability insurance.
9 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 2 to 27
- Lesson 3Your Operator's LicenseLaws and paperwork
Points, texting and other penalties
At 12 points North Dakota moves to suspend your license, with 7 days for 12 points and 7 more for each point over 11. Texting, entering closed roads and littering each carry set fines.
9 key points · 9 numbers · Handbook pp. 4 to 40
- Lesson 4Signs, Signals, and Road MarkingsRoad signs
Regulatory and guide signs
Regulatory signs give mandatory instructions and are usually white with black letters or red with white. Guide signs give directions and services, with green, blue and brown backgrounds.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 9 to 14
- Lesson 5Signs, Signals, and Road MarkingsRoad signs
Warning, school and work zone signs
Warning signs are yellow with a black legend and flag hazards ahead, while school and pedestrian signs may be fluorescent yellow green. Orange signs mark work zones, where speeding while workers are present carries an $80 minimum fee.
9 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 11 to 25
- Lesson 6Signs, Signals, and Road MarkingsSignals and markings
Traffic signals and arrows
Red means stop and wait for a clear intersection, flashing red is a stop sign, and flashing yellow means proceed with caution. When signals are dark, stop and yield to any vehicle in the intersection.
9 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 15 to 16
- Lesson 7Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Pavement markings and passing
Broken yellow center lines on two lane roads may be crossed only to turn left or pass, and a solid line on your side means no passing. Never pass within 100 feet of an intersection, railroad crossing or tunnel.
9 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 16 to 21
- Lesson 8Rules of the RoadRight of way
Right of way rules
Right of way rules keep traffic orderly, but you must always be ready to yield to drivers who ignore them. Know who yields at unsigned intersections, T intersections, four way stops, driveways and ramps.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 19 to 24
- Lesson 9Rules of the RoadEmergencies
Emergency vehicles and school buses
When an emergency vehicle flashes its lights or sounds a siren, stop at the right hand edge until it passes. Drivers from both directions must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights.
9 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook p. 20
- Lesson 10Rules of the RoadEmergencies
Move over and crash reporting
On interstates and multi lane highways, move over a lane for parked emergency or NDDOT vehicles with lights flashing, and for stranded vehicles with hazards on. Report crashes with injury, death or at least $4,000 in damage.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 20 to 32
- Lesson 11Rules of the RoadSpeed limits
North Dakota speed limits
Posted limits are maximums for ideal conditions, and you must slow down when conditions call for it. North Dakota sets 20 mph near obstructed crossings and schools, up to 80 mph on rural interstates.
9 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 13 to 20
- Lesson 12Rules of the RoadSafe driving
Following distance, lane changes and headlights
Keep at least three seconds behind the vehicle ahead, and more in bad conditions. Make sure a lane is clear and signal before changing, and dim your lights 500 feet before meeting and 300 feet when following.
9 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 21 to 25
- Lesson 13Rules of the RoadSafe driving
Night, winter and deer
At night you can see only as far as your headlights, so slow down and watch for deer at dawn and dusk. In winter, double your following distance, stay back from snowplows and stay with your vehicle if stranded.
10 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 24 to 29
- Lesson 14Driving Skills and Emergency SituationsEmergencies
Skids, blowouts, equipment failure and railroad crossings
Most skids come from driving too fast for the road, and the fix depends on which wheels drive your car. If you are ever stuck on the tracks, get out and walk toward the oncoming train at a 45 degree angle, then call the ENS number and 911.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 18 to 30
- Lesson 15Driving Skills and Emergency SituationsSafe driving
Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians
A loaded tractor trailer may need more than 400 feet to stop, and trucks have large No Zones. Give motorcycles a full lane, give bicyclists at least three feet, and watch for pedestrians everywhere.
9 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 31 to 38
- Lesson 16Driving Skills and Emergency SituationsSafe driving
Seat belts, child seats and heatstroke
Everyone in every seat must buckle up, and children under eight need a car seat or booster unless they are at least 57 inches tall. Never leave a child in a car, since heatstroke can begin within minutes even on a mild day.
9 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 33 to 35
- Lesson 17Drinking, Drugs, and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
Alcohol, BAC and implied consent
Drinking even a little makes a crash seven times more likely, and only time removes alcohol. You are under the influence at .08%, or .02% under 21, and refusing a test brings a revocation of 180 days to three years.
9 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 35 to 37
- Lesson 18Drinking, Drugs, and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
DUI license suspensions and court penalties
A first DUI brings a 91 day suspension and a $500 fine, and penalties climb with each offense in seven years and with a BAC of .16 or .18. Driving while suspended after an alcohol violation means at least four days in jail.
8 key points · 11 numbers · Handbook pp. 36 to 37
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 North Dakota practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the North Dakota cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual (Revised 2025). 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.