Motorists who are younger than 18 years of age may apply for a learners permit in New Mexico by enrolling in a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) System for getting a driving credential. The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (NM MVD) issues a drivers permit to individuals who satisfy the imposed requirements, such as: presenting a mandatory documentation, passing a series of examinations and paying the applicable fees.

To obtain a drivers learners permit in New Mexico, applicants need to complete these requirements which are part of the first step of the GDL program. Moreover, after getting a DMV learners permit, drivers will have to obey certain rules and driving restrictions. For more information about how to get a New Mexico learning license credential, continue reading the sections below.

New Mexico Learners Permit Eligibility Guidelines

NM residents must satisfy certain drivers permit requirements if they want to obtain the corresponding learner driving permit. Most importantly, applicants for a DMV learners permit must be at least 15 years of age. In addition, to qualify for a permit, motorists must either be enrolled in a drivers education course or have already completed one.

However, they also need to remember that in order to proceed to the second stage of the GDL program they will have to complete and pass the drivers ed program, as well as a TSB-approved driver ed course that includes three hours dedicated to driving while intoxicated (DWI). And finally, applicants who want to qualify for a drivers permit in New Mexico must also prepare a set of required documents, which may vary depending on their specific situation and on the type of credential they apply for.

How to Apply for a Learners Permit in New Mexico

Once applicants satisfy the eligibility criteria for getting a learners permit in New Mexico, they may begin completing the requirements that must be fulfilled as part of the application procedure. At first, minor applicants must be at least 15 years of age and prepare one proof of identity and age, and two proofs of NM residency, if they are applying for a driving authorization card.

However, when applying for a Real ID driver’s license, motorists will also have to provide proof of identification number in addition to the proofs of identity and NM residency. The documents needed to apply for learner permit must be presented at a nearby MVD office after enrolling in or completing a driver education program. Once applicants visit a local NM MVD branch in person, they will have to complete the following steps:

• Submit the mandatory documents according to their specific situation.
• Complete and sign an application form (or have a parent or legal guardian to do that)
• Pass a vision exam.
• Pass an MVD written knowledge test.
• Provide a referral card from an approved driver education school.
• Pay the applicable instructional permit fee.

After completing the above-listed requirements for getting learners permit, applicants need to complete and pass a drivers education program, as well as a TSB-approved driver ed course that includes three hours on driving while intoxicated (DWI). In addition, motorists who want to proceed to Stage Two of the GDL program need to first hold the permit for at least six months and to maintain a clean driving record for 90 days before proceeding to the second stage.

Furthermore, the teenage applicants for a drivers permit will be required to complete 50 hours of supervised driving (10 of which at night), accompanied by an adult who is 21 years of age or older and who have had a license for at least three years.

The New Mexico Drivers Permit Test

A part of the New Mexico learners permit application procedure is the requirement for taking and passing a written knowledge test at the NM MVD. The DMV permit test is mandatory for applicants who want to gain driving privileges and who want to proceed to the subsequent stage of the GDL program. The test is comprised out of questions that are taken from the content of the NM MVD Driver’s Manual. To pass the given questions on the written knowledge test, motorists need to answer correctly questions connected with road rules and traffic signs.

To get a passing score on the drivers permit test in New Mexico, applicants must get well prepared before visiting the testing center at a local NM MVD branch. For that reason, they are encouraged to take a permit test and get prepared for the mandatory exam.

The learners permit practice test contains similar questions to the ones that the applicants will have to answer on the actual exam. Therefore, they are encouraged to practice their knowledge as much as they need, in order to make sure that they are ready for the exam date.

New Mexico Driving Permit Rules and Restrictions

Minor drivers will be required to follow certain New Mexico driving permit rules and obey the corresponding restrictions, after obtaining a new permit for driving. In other words, the learners permit rules and restrictions set by the NM MVD are the following:

• Motorists must operate their vehicles accompanied by an approved instructor, or a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age and who has had a driver’s license for three years minimum.
• Motorists must hold the learners permit for at least six months before proceeding to the next stage of the GDL program.
• Motorists must complete a drivers education program.
• Motorists must complete 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of which at night.
• Motorists must keep a clean driving record for the 90-days period before advancing to the next stage of the GDL program.

After the minor applicants obey these driving permit rules and restrictions, they may proceed to the second stage of the GDL system, which might have a different set of restrictions that apply in specific situations. Contact the NM MVD and inquire about more details regarding learners permits and when you will be able to apply for an unrestricted license in New Mexico.

New Mexico Learner Permit Fees

New Mexico has one standard fee for DMV Permits, which is a $10 charge for an Instructional learner’s permit.

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