How to get a driver's license in New Mexico
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How to get a driver's license in New Mexico

Like many other states, New Mexico has a phased licensing program that requires all new drivers under the age of 18 to start driving under supervision to practice safe driving before getting a full driver's license. To get a student's initial permission, you must follow certain steps. Here is a simple guide to getting a driver's license in New Mexico:

Student permission

Any teenager over the age of 15 can begin the process of obtaining a permit to study in New Mexico. Drivers with a learner's license may only drive under the supervision of an adult who is at least 21 years old and has held the license for at least three years. This supervisor must be in the front passenger seat at all times while the student driver is driving the vehicle. While driving during the training period, parents or legal guardians must register the required 50 hours of driving practice in order to apply for their full driving license, which includes at least ten hours of driving at night.

Drivers who are at least 15 and a half years of age, who have held a learner's permit for at least six months, who have completed a driving education program and have completed the required number of supervised hours, may apply for a further license.

How to apply

To apply for a student permit in New Mexico, a driver must pass a written exam, pass an eye test, pay a $10 student permit application fee, and submit the following documents to the Department of the Interior:

  • A completed application signed by a parent or legal guardian.

  • Confirmation of enrollment or certificate of completion of driver training program

  • Proof of identity, such as a birth certificate

  • Social Security Card Verification

  • Two documents that serve as proof of residence in New Mexico, such as a bank statement or mailed bill.

Exam

The written exam that a driver must pass in New Mexico covers state traffic laws, safe driving rules, and road signs. The driver must answer at least 80% of the questions correctly to pass. The New Mexico Interior Ministry's procedural manuals have all the information you need to take the exam. To get extra practice and build confidence before taking the exam, there are several types of online practice exams that can be taken as many times as needed to study the information.

In 2011, the New Mexico State Senate added the following amendments to the Staged Traffic Violation License Program: to get a driver's license. Each violation of traffic rules extends the validity of the permit by 30 days. Traffic violations that include the use of any mobile device while driving, any possession or consumption of alcohol, or any minor in a vehicle not wearing a seat belt.

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