Driving Tests

New Hampshire Driver's Ed Requirements: Hours, Online Class and Log

informational·how to guide·Published June 1, 2026

Does my teen need driver's ed in New Hampshire, and how many hours is it?

Yes, for a license under age 18. A teen who has turned 16 must show a certificate for an approved course: at least 30 hours of classroom, 10 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours of observation. No more than 15 classroom hours can be online. The teen also certifies 40 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night.

Where these New Hampshire driver's ed facts come from

The course hours, the 40-hour log and the out-of-state rule come from RSA 263:19 and RSA 263:20. The hardship license comes from RSA 263:21 and Saf-C 1002.06. The course rules come from the New Hampshire Department of Safety Saf-C 3100 driver education rules. The forms come from Saf-C 1002.04, and the practice driving rule comes from RSA 263:25. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.nh.gov) before you drive.

What a New Hampshire driver's ed course must include

What a New Hampshire driver's ed course must include
Part of the course	Minimum	Good to know
Classroom instruction	At least 30 hours	No more than 15 of these hours can be an online course.
Behind the wheel	At least 10 hours	Lessons are up to 1 hour a day. After the first 6 hours, 2-hour lessons are allowed for hours 7 to 10.
Observation	At least 6 hours	The rules call for observation in a dual control vehicle.
Motorcycle safety	45 minutes, inside the classroom hours	A nationally recognized course that the director approves.
Tractor-trailer awareness	45 minutes, inside the classroom hours	A nationally recognized safety and awareness course that the director approves.

Who needs driver's ed and who teaches it

To get a New Hampshire license before age 18, a person who has turned 16 must show a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course. Each applicant under 18 sends this certificate to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The instructor issues it on form DSMV 210, Certificate of Completion, to a student who keeps a passing grade and finishes the on-the-road hours.
A public or nonpublic secondary school can give the course, or a licensed motor vehicle drivers' school can. The New Hampshire Department of Safety sets the quality standards for both. The free practice question on what the course must include checks the hours.

Course rules from Saf-C 3100 to check before you enroll

Start age: a student must be at least 15 years and 9 months old on or before the first classroom session, or turn 16 on or before the last classroom session.
Proof of age: bring an official birth certificate or a valid passport.
Vision: every student must pass a vision test of 20/40 with both eyes. A student who is legally blind in one eye needs 20/30 in the other eye.
Driving privilege: a student whose privilege is suspended or revoked cannot enroll until it is restored. A student whose privilege is suspended or revoked during the course must stop and retake the entire course later.
Late start: no one can enroll after the course has started.

How a New Hampshire teen gets through driver's ed to a license

1
Enroll before the course starts
Pick a school course or a licensed drivers' school course. The student must meet the start age and vision rule, and no one can join late.
2
Finish the classroom, behind-the-wheel and observation hours
The course must reach the minimums in the table above. The behind-the-wheel part cannot be finished in less than 5 weeks.
3
Log 40 hours of supervised driving
A licensed parent or guardian supervises. If there is no licensed parent or guardian, a licensed adult over 25 can supervise. The DMV rule also names a step parent. At least 10 of the 40 hours must be at night, from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. The hours are certified on form DSMV 509, Certification of Additional Supervised Driving. The free practice question on the 40 supervised hours checks this step.
4
Collect the minor's forms
A minor applicant also needs a completed form DSMV 38, Parent or Guardian Authorization Certificate.
5
Send the certificate and apply
The certificate of an approved driver education program goes to the DMV with the application, together with the 40-hour certification.

Practice driving before you have a license

New Hampshire has no learner's permit for cars. A person who is 15 1/2 or older can drive while being taught, when a licensed person sits in the seat beside. That person is a certified driving instructor, a parent, a legal guardian, or a responsible licensed adult who is 25 or older. The learner carries proof of meeting the age requirement. This 15 1/2 rule is separate from the course start age of 15 years and 9 months. For the full practice rules, read the guide to driving at 15 1/2 in New Hampshire.

Special cases: hardship, another state, motorcycle and disability

If a 16- or 17-year-old cannot finish driver's ed because of hardship

The director can allow a license limited to use to and from school and school assignments. Two conditions apply: there is no readily available transportation to and from school, and the driver's ed requirement would cause undue hardship. A parent, step parent or legal guardian sends a letter with the reasons to the director at the DMV, Attn: Driver Education. The director also checks that the hardship is not outweighed by the importance of driver education. All other license requirements still apply.

If your teen took a course in another state

RSA 263:20 allows a license with proof of a course that the other state approved, if the commissioner finds it essentially equivalent to New Hampshire's minimum standards. The commissioner makes rules on how to ask for this recognition, so ask the DMV how to submit your request.

If your teen wants a motorcycle endorsement

The 40 hours of practice driving are not required. The teen must complete a program under RSA 263:34-b.

If your teen has a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act

The teen can ask the commissioner for a waiver of a requirement of RSA 263:19. The commissioner or agents decide at their discretion. If a physical or mental disability prevents the 6 observation hours, the course can use behind-the-wheel instruction instead.

Key takeaways

A teen under 18 needs a driver education certificate for a New Hampshire license, unless the hardship license applies.
The course has at least 30 classroom hours, 10 behind the wheel and 6 of observation. No more than 15 classroom hours can be online.
The 40 supervised hours include 10 at night and are certified on form DSMV 509.
A student can start the course at 15 years and 9 months, or later if the 16th birthday comes before the last class. Practice driving can start at 15 1/2.
Next step: practice on the free New Hampshire non-commercial operator practice test.

New Hampshire driver's ed: common questions

How long does driver's ed take in New Hampshire?

At least five weeks if 17 or fewer students are enrolled, and six weeks if 18 to 30 are. A classroom session cannot be longer than 2 hours a day, and there are no more than 6 classroom hours a week. Absences for good cause cannot be more than 4 hours.

When can behind-the-wheel lessons happen?

Not before 6:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., unless a parent or legal guardian consents to driving after 9:00 p.m. During daylight saving time, instruction can continue until 10:00 p.m. for night driving lessons. In no event can instruction happen after 10:00 p.m. A lesson is up to 1 clock hour per student per day, and 2-hour lessons are allowed for hours 7 to 10.

What happens if my teen stops driver's ed before the end?

The student can resume a like program within 6 months of the last class attended, at the same school or at a different school. At a different school, the student needs a letter from the first program that gives the student's achievement and the classroom, behind-the-wheel and observation hours completed.

Do hours from before we moved to New Hampshire count?

Yes. Classroom, behind-the-wheel and observation hours that a student completed before becoming a New Hampshire resident count toward RSA 263:19. A letter or certificate from the previous program or government agency that shows the hours goes to the New Hampshire Department of Safety and to the current instructor.

Does time on a driving simulator count in New Hampshire driver's ed?

Yes, in part. Four hours on a simulator count as one hour of driving a dual control vehicle. No more than 12 simulator hours, equal to 3 hours of actual driving, can replace on-the-road time. Simulator time does not count as classroom time.