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RSA 263:19 · Driver Education

Title
XXI: MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter
263 · DRIVERS' LICENSES
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
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263:19 Driver Education. –

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I.

A driver's license may be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter to a person under the age of 18 years who has attained his or her sixteenth birthday, if such person shall present a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course given by a public or nonpublic secondary school and approved by the department of education in cooperation with the department of safety or given by a motor vehicle drivers' school licensed under the provisions of this chapter. An approved driver education course licensed under this chapter, shall consist of not less than 30 hours of classroom instruction, not less than 10 hours of behind the wheel driver training and not less than 6 hours of observation, in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, published by the commissioner of safety, such standards to be not less than those presently required. The classroom instruction shall include 45 minutes of a nationally-recognized motorcycle safety education course approved by the director and 45 minutes of a nationally-recognized tractor-trailer safety education and awareness course approved by the director. No more than 15 hours of the classroom instruction may be satisfied through the completion of an online driver education course. The commissioner may enter into contracts for assistance in developing, assisting, and conducting an online driver education course. The department of safety, by the nature of its function, shall be held ultimately responsible for setting and maintaining the quality standards for driver education in the state. This authority shall apply uniformly over both secondary school courses and private motor vehicle drivers' school courses.

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II.

To qualify for a driver's license under this section, a person under the age of 18 shall also certify the completion of 40 hours of additional supervised driving time under the supervision of a licensed parent or guardian, or, if there is no licensed parent or guardian, under the supervision of a licensed adult over the age of 25, and that at least 10 of the hours of additional supervised driving time were during the period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. The commissioner shall adopt rules relative to the method of certification.

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III.

Any person who wishes to obtain a motorcycle endorsement shall not be required to complete the 40 hours of practice driving time specified in paragraph II, but shall successfully complete a program authorized pursuant to RSA 263:34-b, except that no such endorsement shall be required for the operation of an autocycle.

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IV.

Any person wishing to qualify for a driver's license who submits proof that the person has a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act may request a waiver of a requirement of this section from the commissioner. The commissioner or his or her agents may approve such requests at their discretion. Source. RSA 261:6-a. 1965, 339:2. 1981, 146:1. 1999, 157:2; 290:4; 297:6-8. 2002, 83:4. 2006, 59:1. 2009, 6:1. 2010, 368:27, eff. Dec. 31, 2010. 2014, 273:1, eff. Sept. 26, 2014. 2015, 222:4, eff. July 1, 2015. 2019, 62:1, eff. Aug. 4, 2019.

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Source note

Source. RSA 261:6-a. 1965, 339:2. 1981, 146:1. 1999, 157:2; 290:4; 297:6-8. 2002, 83:4. 2006, 59:1. 2009, 6:1. 2010, 368:27, eff. Dec. 31, 2010. 2014, 273:1, eff. Sept. 26, 2014. 2015, 222:4, eff. July 1, 2015. 2019, 62:1, eff. Aug. 4, 2019.

Source history

  • 1965, 339:2
  • 1981, 146:1
  • 1999, 157:2; 290:4; 297:6-8
  • 2002, 83:4
  • 2006, 59:1
  • 2009, 6:1
  • 2010, 368:27, eff. Dec. 31, 2010
  • 2014, 273:1, eff. Sept. 26, 2014
  • 2015, 222:4, eff. July 1, 2015
  • 2019, 62:1, eff. Aug. 4, 2019
  • RSA 261:6-a

Related materials

Bill relationships

  • 2026 HB1111 amend

    s to request accommodations and to verify eligibility, including provision for documentation review and notification of decision. 3 New Section; Retest Suspension Reform. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 7-a the following new section: 263:7-b Retest Suspension Reform. I. Any applicant who fails the driving portion of the license examination 3 or more times shall be subject to an administra

  • 2026 HB1111-FN amend

    s to request accommodations and to verify eligibility, including provision for documentation review and notification of decision. 3 New Section; Retest Suspension Reform. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 7-a the following new section: 263:7-b Retest Suspension Reform. I. Any applicant who fails the driving portion of the license examination 3 or more times shall be subject to an administra

  • 2026 HB1452 amend

    RSA 263:17 or furnishes written consent from the applicant's parent or legal guardian and either a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course as provided in RSA 263:19 or a waiver as provided in RSA 263:19, V. 2 New Paragraph; Driver Education. Amend RSA 263:19 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph: V. The commissioner may waive the driver education course

  • 2026 HB1452-FN amend

    RSA 263:17 or furnishes written consent from the applicant's parent or legal guardian and either a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course as provided in RSA 263:19 or a waiver as provided in RSA 263:19, V. 2 New Paragraph; Driver Education. Amend RSA 263:19 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph: V. The commissioner may waive the driver education course

  • 2026 HB414 reference

    n offense under the provisions of this title, after [due hearing] a hearing where the driver had reasonable notice of the possibility of license suspension prior to the hearing, for any cause not prohibited in RSA 263, which he or she may deem sufficient. 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage. LBA 25-0886 1/2/25 HB 414-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS INTRODUCED AN ACT prohibiting the division of motor ve

  • 2026 HB414-FN amend

    otor vehicle. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; License Suspension; Failure to Pay Fines and Fees. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 56-g the following new section: 263:56-h License Suspension Prohibited for Unpaid Towing or Storage Fees. I. Under no circumstances shall the director suspend, revoke, or fail to renew a d

  • 2026 HB452 add

    ions specified in paragraph I, the person shall forthwith return the license to the director and the license shall become invalid. 3 New Section; Driver's License Issuance to Nonresident Aliens: Asylees. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 263:39-b the following new section: 263:39-c Driver's License Issuance to Nonresident Alien Asylees. Notwithstanding RSA 263:39-a, the commissioner shall not issue a driver's license

  • 2026 HB452-FN amend

    e person shall forthwith return the license to the director and the license shall become invalid. 3 New Section; Driver's License Issuance to Nonresident Aliens: Asylees. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 263:39-b the following new section: 263:39-c Driver's License Issuance to Nonresident Alien Asylees. Notwithstanding RSA 263:39-a, the commissioner shall not issue a driver's license to a p

  • 2026 SB39 amend · effective 2026-01-01

    ve to establishing an alternative driver education program. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Driver Education. Amend RSA 263:19, I to read as follows: I. A driver's license may be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter to a person under the age of 18 years who has attained his or her sixteenth birthday, if such person shall present a

  • 2026 SB39 amend · effective 2026-01-01

    state. This authority shall apply uniformly over both secondary school courses and private motor vehicle drivers' school courses. 2 New Section; Driver Training Program. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 19 the following new section: 263:19-a Driver Training Program. I. A driver's license may be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter to a person under the age of 18 years who ha

  • 2026 SB39 reference · effective 2026-01-01

    f safety or given by a motor vehicle drivers' school licensed under the provisions of this chapter, or completes the requirements as outlined in the program authorized pursuant to RSA 263:19-a. An approved driver education course licensed under this chapter, shall consist of not less than 30 hours of classroom instruction, not less than 10 hours of behind the wheel driver training and not less than 6 hours of

  • 2026 SB39-FN reference · effective 2026-01-01

    f safety or given by a motor vehicle drivers' school licensed under the provisions of this chapter, or completes the requirements as outlined in the program authorized pursuant to RSA 263:19-a. An approved driver education course licensed under this chapter, shall consist of not less than 30 hours of classroom instruction, not less than 10 hours of behind the wheel driver training and not less than 6 hours of