The New Jersey road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC): who the test is for, what to bring, how it is scored, and what a retake really costs.
The rule that decides your path
The New Jersey road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the NJ MVC gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the New Jersey driving test at 17, after logging 50 hours of supervised driving. The drive includes parallel parking.
New Jersey sets a specific pre-license education step every new driver has to clear. New Jersey uses a five-step graduated licensing program. Drivers under 21 must bring the BA-CSD Certification of Supervised Driving to the road test.
Below you'll find the full New Jersey road test requirements: who qualifies, what to bring, how examiners score the drive, and the retake rules if you don't pass the first time. On our Driving Index, New Jersey's written knowledge test ranks tied for 7th-hardest of 51.
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Supervised hours before the New Jersey road test
These are hours you spend driving with a licensed adult, usually a parent, before you can take the test. Keep a log as you go, on paper or in an app, because the state can ask to see it. Practice in a mix of conditions, day and night, highways and quiet streets, rain and clear weather, and get the night hours in early, since those are the ones most people leave to the last minute.
What to bring to the New Jersey road test
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Documents
Your vehicle must have
Who comes with you. A licensed driver valid for the vehicle type stays in the vehicle. Per the road-test page: New Jersey-licensed, 21 or older, and licensed at least 3 years.
If you fail the New Jersey road test
Here's how a retake works in New Jersey: At least 14 days.
Beyond any fee, a retry usually means another day off work or school, another ride to the office, and another car to borrow, so failing costs far more than it looks on paper.
Passing on the first try is the cheapest way through. A first license runs $24 (basic auto, initial).
How the New Jersey road test is scored
New Jersey doesn't publish a point system or a set passing score, so the examiner simply judges whether you drive safely and follow the rules. In general, you fail for dangerous driving, breaking a traffic law, causing a crash, or not following the examiner's directions. Small mistakes add up too, so drive smoothly and predictably.
Before the road test
Pass the New Jersey written test on your first try
Nearby road-test guides.
Six more states, neighbours first, then the closest matches on test difficulty.
Test specifications, fees and laws change. This guide was last verified July 2026; always confirm current requirements with the NJ MVC (nj.gov) before booking a test. DMV IQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with any state DMV, DPS, MVD, or BMV.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] and we'll get it corrected.
Sources for this guide (4 official NJ MVC pages)
- Eligibility: https://nj.gov/mvc/license/firstlic.htm
- What to bring: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/license/roadtest.htm
- Test format: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/license/roadtest.htm
- Scoring: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/pdf/license/drivermanual.pdf
- Retakes: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/license/roadtest.htm
- Fees: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/license/licfees.htm
- Handbook (Revised 09/25): https://www.nj.gov/mvc/pdf/license/drivermanual.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official New Jersey sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.