New Hampshire Teen Driving Laws, Insurance Requirements & Drivers License

Teen Driving in the State of New Hampshire

Teen drivers in New Hampshire may begin practice driving in a non-commercial vehicle when they have reached the age of 15 ½. The new driver must be accompanied by a licensed adult 25 years or older in the front passenger seat. The teen must carry identification that shows proof of age.

State of New Hampshire Youth Operator License

After the teen driver has reached the age of 16 they may apply for a State of New Hampshire Driver License.

• If qualified all applicants 16 years of age and under the age of 21 will receive a Youth Operator License.
• The Youth Operator License expires on the 21st birthday of the driver. If the applicant is 16 or 17 years of age, they must first pass a State of New Hampshire approved driver education course.
• Prior to receiving a license the teen driver must pass a vision screening, a written test and a driver road test.
• Teen drivers under the age of 18 must accrue 40 hours of supervised practice driving. 10 of the 40 hours must be night time driving . These hours must be documented in a driving log.

When a driver education licensing student applies for a license they must bring the following documents:

• A Licensing Certificate
• A Driver Log Sheet  Download
• A Signed Parent or Legal Guardian Authorization Certificate  Download
• An Original Birth Certificate Plus 1 Other Form of Legal Identification
• Social Security Number
• Check, Money Order or Cash for Driver License Fee

Under 18 Restrictions Youth Operator License

Teen drivers that hold a youth operator license and are under the age of 18 fall under the following restrictions:

• Driving between the hours of 1:00 AM 5:00 AM is prohibited
• Unless accompanied by a licensed adult that is a minimum of 25 years of age, the Youth License Holder may not drive with passengers under the age of 25 that are not immediate family members.
• May not drive with more passengers than there are safety belts in the vehicle.

State of New Hampshire Insurance Requirements

Unusually, the State of New Hampshire has no mandatory insurance law. This means you can legally drive without an insured vehicle. If you are in an accident, however, you may be held responsible for all damages to the other person's property, up to and including all medical bills.

New Hampshire 's financial responsibility law requires that the DMV suspends your license until a settlement has been reached. If you have an accident without insurance, you may be required to carry insurance for a time after the accident. Below are the financial responsibility limits.

• $25,000  Injury or Death of any 1 Person
• $50,000  Injury or Death of more than 1 Person
• $25,000  For the Property Damage of Others

You may be required to carry insurance if the following apply:

• you have been convicted of drunk driving
• you have been convicted of drugs
• you have been convicted of a hit & run
• you have been convicted of a homicide while operating a motor vehicle
• you have been a second conviction for reckless driving
• the courts have just cause to require it based on a review of a person's driving record for violations after a hearing

State of New Hampshire Source Links for This Information

State of New Hampshire Website - Bureau of Driver Licensing

State of New Hampshire Website - Driver Log Sheet

State of New Hampshire Website - Parent or Guardian Authorization Certificate

State of New Hampshire Website - Driver Manual (Download)

Other New Hampshire Information

New Hampshire Drunk Driving Laws, Penalties & Fines

New Hampshire Text Messaging Law