Driving Tests

New Mexico Permit Test Languages: Which Languages the MVD Offers

informational·how to guide·Published June 15, 2026

Can you take the New Mexico permit test in Spanish or another language?

Yes. The New Mexico MVD procedure manual lists eight languages for the knowledge (written) exam that you pass for a permit: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Italian, German, French, Vietnamese and Chinese. The list is in Chapter 11, dated December 8, 2017. The MVD also offers a Spanish Driver's Manual. Confirm your language with the MVD before your visit.

Where the New Mexico test language facts come from

The language list comes from Chapter 11 of the MVD Driver Procedures Manual (Section E, December 8, 2017) and the MVD policy page Knowledge (Written) Examination Changes (revised May 26, 2016). The manuals come from the MVD download manuals page. The translation rules come from the MVD driver's license page. This guide is current as of 2026, and the language list is from 2016 and 2017 texts. Confirm the rules with the New Mexico MVD (mvd.newmexico.gov) before you drive.

The eight languages of the New Mexico knowledge exam

English
Spanish
Tagalog
Italian
German
French
Vietnamese
Chinese

How current is the MVD language list?

The MVD gave the same list in two texts. A May 2016 policy page says customers can take the knowledge exam in these languages, and Chapter 11 of the procedure manual repeats the list with the date December 8, 2017. The 2016 page also says the MVD updated the Spanish exams to improve the translation.
Both texts say the MVD has no plans to add more languages. Because the texts are old, ask the MVD field office which languages it offers on the day that you plan to test.

Can a New Mexico driving school translate the permit test for you?

No. The MVD tells driving schools not to use their own translation methods, so a spoken or written translation by the school is not an MVD option. Choose one of the eight MVD languages instead, and ask the school which of them it gives.
For the topics and the steps of the test itself, read how the New Mexico permit test works.

Documents in another language need a certified English translation

The MVD does not accept a document in another language without an English translation that the translator certifies as full and complete.
Bring each original document together with its written English translation.
An abstract (a short summary) is not a full translation, and the MVD does not accept it.
You do not have to translate seals, but the translation must note where each seal is, and it must note all signatures.

If your driver's license is not in English

You have a current license from another country

You must take the written test. The test is required in any case, so plan to take it in one of the eight languages.

The MVD office cannot translate your license to check your name, date of birth, class, expiration date and restrictions

You take the written test and the road test, unless you bring a certified translation.

You bring a certified translation of the license

You still take the written test. Read the New Mexico foreign driver's license rules for the rest of the steps.

Is the New Mexico Driver Manual in Spanish?

Yes. The MVD manuals page lists an English Driver's Manual and an En Español Driver's Manual, both as PDF downloads, under the heading for materials to study for the knowledge test. The MVD Driver's License Manuals page lists the same two.
The English PDF file is the 2019 version. Download the manual from the MVD page shortly before you study, so that you get the newest file.

Is our free practice test in English only?

Yes. Our free New Mexico Class D practice questions are in English only. To study in Spanish, read the MVD Spanish manual first, then use the English questions to check what you learned. For example, our question on the tests for a first permit shows that a teen passes a knowledge test and a vision test. These are practice questions, not the questions of the MVD exam.

Before you visit the New Mexico MVD for the knowledge exam

1
Choose your exam language
Pick one of the eight languages. Ask the MVD field office, or the driver education school if you use one, to confirm that it offers that language.
2
Study with the right manual
Download the English or the Spanish Driver's Manual (PDF) from the MVD site and study it before the test.
3
Get your documents translated
Have a translator certify each document that is not in English, and check that the translator signed the statement.
4
Arrive early in the day
State offices typically do not allow the written test after 3 p.m., so that you have enough time to finish it. Plan to arrive earlier in the day.

Key takeaways

The MVD lists eight knowledge exam languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Italian, German, French, Vietnamese and Chinese.
The list is dated 2016 and December 8, 2017, so confirm it with the MVD before you go.
Driving schools should not use their own translation methods, and the MVD offers a Spanish Driver's Manual.
A document that is not in English needs a full, certified English translation.
Next step: practice on our free New Mexico Class D practice test.

New Mexico permit test languages: common questions

Where can I take the New Mexico permit test in Spanish?

A teen can take the knowledge exam at an MVD field office or at an MVD-contracted driver education school. Before your visit, ask the office or the school if it gives the exam in Spanish on that day. If you use an MVD Partner (private) office for your visit, it charges administrative fees on top of the MVD fees.

What if my language is not on the list?

Call or visit an MVD field office before your test day and ask what it can offer you. The MVD lists only eight knowledge exam languages, and a driving school should not translate the exam in its own way. You can study with the English or the Spanish Driver's Manual and practice in English with our free questions.

Can I read the New Mexico MVD website in Spanish?

The MVD website has a Google translation feature, but the MVD says that the translation is for information only. For study, download the MVD Spanish Driver's Manual (PDF). For a rule that affects your test or your documents, confirm it with an MVD field office before your visit.

Does the translator of my documents need a special license?

No. The MVD says that the translator needs no specific credentials. The translator must give a printed name, contact information and a signed statement that the translation is a full and complete translation of the document. Check these three items before you take the translation to the MVD.