New Hampshire driving lesson · License Types and Rules
Youth operator rules
A 3-minute lesson from the New Hampshire course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Drivers under 18 face extra limits on when they drive, who rides with them and phone use. Drivers under 20 can also lose an original license faster than adults. These limits are among the most tested NH rules.
A Youth Operator under 18 must NOT drive:
Between 1:00 am and 4:00 am
In the first 6 months, with more than 1 non-family passenger under 25, unless a licensed adult 25+ is along
With more passengers than seat belts or safety restraints in the vehicle
Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone or other mobile electronic device, hands-free or not, while driving or stopped in traffic, except to report an emergency to E-911 or a public safety agency.
Under RSA 263:14, the Director of Motor Vehicles may suspend or revoke any original license held by someone under 20, after a hearing. Three kinds of evidence can trigger it.
Driving that poses an immediate hazard to the driver or others' safety or property, or that, with other offenses, shows repeated disregard for public safety.
Drivers under 21 may not transport liquor or alcoholic beverages anywhere in a vehicle unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or legal-age spouse.
You're 17 and licensed for 3 months. Two school friends, both 16, want a ride. Without a licensed adult 25 or older in the car, you may carry only one of them.
Put it into practice
You're 17 and your phone rings through the car's Bluetooth. You may not answer, even hands-free. The only exception is calling 911 or public safety to report an emergency.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Between which hours may a Youth Operator under 18 generally NOT drive?
12:00 am and 5:00 am
1:00 am and 4:00 am
11:00 pm and 5:00 am
10:00 pm and 6:00 am
Answer: 1:00 am and 4:00 am
Youth Operators under 18 may not drive between 1:00 am and 4:00 am.
During the first six months of holding a license, how many passengers under 25 (who aren't family) may a Youth Operator carry without a licensed adult present?
No more than one
No more than three
None at all
No more than two
Answer: No more than one
A Youth Operator may carry no more than one non-family passenger under 25 in the first six months, unless a licensed adult 25+ is present.
A Youth Operator under 18 may carry more passengers than there are seat belts if a licensed adult 25 or older is in the vehicle.
True
False
Answer: False
A Youth Operator under 18 may not drive with more passengers than seat belts or safety restraints; the adult exception applies only to the passenger-count rule.