Driving Tests

Moving to New Hampshire? Get Your Driver's License Within 60 Days

informational·how to guide·Published May 11, 2026

How long do you have to get a New Hampshire driver's license after you move?

If you hold a valid license from another state, you have a maximum of 60 days from the date you establish residency in New Hampshire to get a New Hampshire license (RSA 263:35). H-2A temporary agricultural workers who qualify have 300 days. You surrender your old license, take the tests that the rule lists, and get a 60-day temporary paper license until your new license comes by mail.

Where these New Hampshire license facts come from

The deadline comes from RSA 263:35, with RSA 263:35-a for H-2A workers. The record checks come from RSA 263:5-a and the penalties from RSA 263:1. The tests, the temporary licenses and the DSMV 90 step come from the Department of Safety rule Saf-C 1000. The fees come from RSA 263:42, and the Real ID conditions from RSA 263:14-b. The law wins over the rules. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.nh.gov) before you drive.

Who must get a New Hampshire license within 60 days

The 60-day rule is for a driver who holds a valid license from another state or jurisdiction and then establishes a bona fide residency in New Hampshire. The 60 days start on the date your residency was established. For example, if New Hampshire becomes your home on March 1, your 60 days end on April 30. Try this case on our free practice question about the new resident license deadline.
If your old license expires, or you give it up, after you become a resident, you must tell the DMV director.

Which tests you take when you move to New Hampshire

If you surrender a valid license from another state, or one that expired no more than 12 months before you surrender it

The rule lists a vision exam and then a knowledge exam. It lists the road skills exam only if the DMV director finds that your old state's licensing standards do not comply with the New Hampshire rules, or that you might be a hazard to public safety because of an apparent physical or psychological impairment.

If your license expired more than 12 months before you surrender it, or you have no license from another jurisdiction

You complete the vision, knowledge and road skills exams, in that order.

If you are not a United States citizen

The rule for a first New Hampshire license for a non-United States citizen lists the vision, knowledge and road skills exams, in that order, and a 45-day temporary permit instead of the 60-day paper license. Prepare for all three exams, and ask the DMV which rule applies to you.

What the New Hampshire knowledge test is like

The rule says the knowledge examination has up to 50 multiple choice questions. You have up to 60 minutes. You pass if 80% of the answers are correct, and a passed knowledge examination is valid for one year. For the retest rules and more about the exam, read our guide to the New Hampshire written driving test.

What happens to your old license, step by step

1
Surrender your old license
The DMV director checks that each license you surrender is valid. The rule says the director checks that it is genuine, was actually issued to you, and is not under suspension or revocation.
2
The state checks your record
The director gets a certified copy of your motor vehicle record from each jurisdiction where you held a license in the past 10 years, for example through the National Driver Record Repository or the problem driver pointer system. Your new New Hampshire record includes a conviction from another jurisdiction if it would be on a New Hampshire record.
3
Get a 60-day temporary paper license
With a completed form DSMV 450 and the license fee, you get a 60-day temporary paper license. The director may refuse a temporary license to a person who is under suspension or revocation in another jurisdiction. This 60-day paper license is not the same as the 60-day residency deadline.
4
Receive your New Hampshire license by mail
When the director finds that your old license is not under suspension or revocation and that you have no pending actions, the director mails your New Hampshire license. It is valid for the remainder of the 5-year license period.
5
Do not give false information
A person who gives false information on the application is subject to RSA 260:10 and RSA 263:12.

If you have no license card to surrender

Your old license may be lost, or you may not have the card to give up. The rule says you are not eligible for a New Hampshire license until the DMV director finds that your old license was actually issued to you, is not under suspension or revocation, and that you have no pending actions in any other jurisdiction. You also submit form DSMV 90 (rev. 03/22) or a similar form.
On form DSMV 90, an official of the agency that issued your license states whether you hold or held a license there, and whether it is under suspension or revocation. Start early: the 60-day deadline still applies.

New Hampshire license fees for new residents

New Hampshire license fees for new residents
License or service	Fee	Good to know
Real ID compliant license	$60	The fee for an original license and examination, or a renewal. Your first New Hampshire license counts as an original license, also when you move from another state.
Standard license (not Real ID)	$50	The same fee line. It does not cover commercial or motorcycle licenses.
Enhanced driver's license	$80	A separate fee in RSA 263:42.

Refunds, missed appointments and the Real ID

Fees are not refunded once you take an examination or get a license, except as RSA 263:43 provides. If you miss your appointment, the application is kept 12 months, and then it is destroyed and the fee is forfeited.
The state issues a Real ID compliant license to a resident who pays the fee, holds no other license or nondriver photo ID, and agrees that the department keeps the facial image, signature and social security number. The law says you must show documents for your identity, United States citizenship, social security number and New Hampshire residency. For the cost of each license, see our New Hampshire driver's license cost guide.

Key takeaways

New residents who hold a license from another state have a maximum of 60 days from the date residency was established to get a New Hampshire license. H-2A workers who qualify have 300 days.
For a valid license, or one expired 12 months or less, the rule lists the vision and knowledge exams, and the road test only in two cases. Confirm your case with the DMV.
If your license expired more than 12 months before you surrender it, or you have none, plan for all three exams.
With form DSMV 450 and the fee, you get a 60-day temporary paper license. Your New Hampshire license then comes by mail.
Next step: practice on the free New Hampshire non-commercial operator practice test.

Moving to New Hampshire: common questions

What if I leave New Hampshire before the 60 days end?

If you stop being a New Hampshire resident within 60 days of establishing residency, and you have no New Hampshire license yet, you must notify the DMV director that you left the state. This rule is for drivers who hold a valid license from another jurisdiction.

What happens if I miss the 60-day deadline?

The DMV director must send a notice to a person who is more than 30 days past the deadline, to the in-state address and to the out-of-state address if available. The director may grant an extension of the deadline for good cause shown, so contact the DMV before your 60 days end if you need more time.

Can an H-2A worker drive on a foreign license?

An H-2A worker may drive with a valid license or permit from another U.S. jurisdiction. With a valid license from outside the United States, the worker must be at least 18, lawfully present, and in the United States for less than one year. If that license is not written in English, the worker also needs an international driving permit.

What is the penalty for driving without a valid license?

A person who drives with a license that expired not more than 12 months ago commits a violation, and a second or later offense is a class B misdemeanor. A person who drives in New Hampshire and has never had a license commits a class B misdemeanor.

Can I drive in New Hampshire on an out-of-state license for undocumented immigrants?

No. A license that another state issues only to undocumented immigrants is invalid in New Hampshire and does not allow the holder to drive here. The law tells the department to keep a list of these out-of-state license classes on its website and to update it at least once a year.