Driving Tests

New Hampshire Learner's Permit: Practice Driving at 15 1/2

informational·how to guide·Published September 2, 2026

Does New Hampshire have a learner's permit?

No. New Hampshire has no learner's permit for cars. Under RSA 263:25, a person who is 15 1/2 or older and has no license may practice with a licensed supervisor beside them: a certified driving instructor, parent, legal guardian, or licensed adult who is 25 or older. The learner carries proof of age. To get a license before 18, a teen also certifies 40 supervised hours, 10 at night.

Where the New Hampshire practice driving facts come from

The practice rule comes from RSA 263:25, the New Hampshire law on persons learning to drive. The age limits and the 40-hour rule come from RSA 263:16, RSA 263:14 and RSA 263:19. The papers for a minor come from rule Saf-C 1002.04 of the New Hampshire Department of Safety, in the Saf-C 1000 driver license 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.

How practice driving works in New Hampshire

New Hampshire does not issue a permit card for practice. RSA 263:25 lets a person who does not hold a driver's license drive while being taught to drive. A licensed person goes along and sits in the seat beside the learner.
RSA 263:16 makes it unlawful for a person under 18 to drive on New Hampshire roads, except in the cases that the law lists. Practice driving under RSA 263:25 is one of those cases. Thus a teen who drives without a supervisor and without a license breaks the law.

The rules for a New Hampshire practice drive

Age: the learner is 15 1/2 or older.
Seat: the supervisor sits in the seat beside the learner.
License: the supervisor holds a driver's license of the class and type that fits the vehicle.
Proof of age: the learner carries proof of age on every practice drive.
Liability: the supervisor is liable for each violation of the motor vehicle laws or rules that the learner commits.
Suspended or revoked: the rule does not cover a person whose driving privileges or license are suspended or revoked for cause.

Who can supervise: practice driving or the 40-hour log

Who can supervise: practice driving or the 40-hour log
Question	Practice driving (RSA 263:25)	The 40 certified hours (RSA 263:19)
Who can sit beside you	A certified driving instructor, parent, legal guardian, or a responsible adult who is 25 or older and is a licensed driver.	A licensed parent or guardian. If there is none, a licensed adult over 25. The Saf-C 1002.04 rule also names a step parent.
What it is for	Learning to drive before you hold a license.	Part of the proof that a person under 18 gives to qualify for a license.

Can a relative or family friend supervise you?

An uncle, an aunt, a grandparent, an older sibling or a family friend can supervise only as a "responsible adult": that person must be 25 or older and hold a driver's license. A relative who is 22 does not qualify, unless that person is your legal guardian or a certified driving instructor. Our free practice question on who may supervise a practice drive tests this case with a licensed uncle who is 30.
The supervisor is liable for each violation you commit, so choose someone who agrees to that duty.

Can you drive today? Check these cases

If you are less than 15 1/2

The practice rule does not cover you. Wait until you are 15 1/2. Our free question about the first date a teen may practice works out that date from a birthday.

If you are 15 1/2 or older and a qualified licensed supervisor sits beside you

You may drive, with your proof of age on you.

If the only adult available is a friend or relative under 25 who is not your parent, guardian or instructor

That person may not supervise your practice drive. Do not drive.

If your driving privileges or license are suspended or revoked for cause

The practice rule does not cover you.

The 40 supervised hours before a youth operator license

A person under 18 must certify 40 hours of additional supervised driving to qualify for a license under RSA 263:19. At least 10 of the 40 hours must fall from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.
The law names a licensed parent or guardian as the supervisor of these hours, or a licensed adult over 25 if there is no licensed parent or guardian. This list is shorter than the list for practice driving.
A person with a disability that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers may ask the commissioner of safety for a waiver of a requirement of RSA 263:19.

From practice driving to a youth operator license, step by step

1
Start practice at 15 1/2
Drive only with a qualified supervisor in the seat beside you, and carry proof of age.
2
Finish a driver education course
RSA 263:19 gives the course at least 30 hours of classroom, 10 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours of observation. Not more than 15 classroom hours can be online. Read our guide to New Hampshire driver education requirements for more.
3
Certify the 40 hours, 10 of them at night
Record the hours on form DSMV 509, "Certification of Additional Supervised Driving".
4
Get the parent or guardian form
Saf-C 1002.04 asks for a completed form DSMV 38, "Parent or Guardian Authorization Certificate". It can hold written permission from a parent, step parent or legal guardian.
5
Apply at 16 or older
New Hampshire issues a youth operator license to applicants who are 16 or older and under 21. An applicant under 18 gives the driver education certificate and the written consent of a parent or legal guardian.

What changes once you hold the youth operator license

The youth operator license expires on the 21st birthday. The holder may not drive from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., and may not carry more occupants than safety restraints. In the first 6 months, the holder may not drive with more than one passenger under 25 who is not a member of the family, unless a licensed responsible adult who is 25 or older is along. These limits do not apply to drivers who are over 18.
To see the next step in full, read about the New Hampshire youth operator license.

Key takeaways

New Hampshire has no learner's permit for cars. RSA 263:25 lets a person who is 15 1/2 or older practice while being taught to drive.
The supervisor sits in the seat beside you and is a certified driving instructor, parent, legal guardian, or licensed responsible adult who is 25 or older.
Carry proof of age. The supervisor is liable for each violation that you commit.
A person under 18 certifies 40 supervised hours, 10 at night, on form DSMV 509 before a youth operator license at 16 or older.
Next step: practice on the free New Hampshire non-commercial operator practice test.

New Hampshire practice driving: common questions

Can my older brother or sister teach me to drive?

Only if your brother or sister is 25 or older and holds a driver's license, or is a certified driving instructor. A sibling under 25 may not supervise your practice drive. A parent, a legal guardian or a certified driving instructor may also supervise, if that person holds a license for the vehicle.

What happens if I get a ticket while I practice?

Under RSA 263:25, the licensed person who rides beside you is liable for each violation of the New Hampshire motor vehicle laws or rules that you commit while you practice. Your supervisor must also hold a license of the class and type that fits the vehicle.

Can I drive alone at 15 1/2 or 16?

No. Each practice drive needs a licensed supervisor in the seat beside you. At 16 or older, you can apply for a youth operator license. Under 18, you need a driver education certificate, 40 certified hours and a parent or guardian form. With that license, you may drive without a supervisor, within the youth operator limits.

What counts as night driving for the 10 night hours?

Under RSA 263:19, II, at least 10 of your 40 supervised hours must fall between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise. Thus the night period starts and ends with the sun, not at a fixed clock time.

Can I practice driving a truck or other commercial vehicle?

Not at 15 1/2. To practice in a commercial motor vehicle, a person must be at least 18, hold a valid noncommercial driver's license and hold a learner permit under RSA 263:88. This is the only learner permit in the practice driving law.