New Mexico Road Signs Test

4.9 out of 5 (54 votes)
80% Passing score
10 Questions
2 Mistakes allowed
The New Mexico DMV road signs practice test gives you a focused way to study the sign, signal, and pavement-marking material that appears on the state’s regular permit knowledge exam. That detail matters, because for a standard New Mexico Class D permit, road signs are not usually handled as a separate road-sign-only test. They are folded into the main written test administered by the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division, better known as the MVD, along with traffic laws, right-of-way rules, safe driving habits, school-zone rules, speed limits, DWI laws, and questions about sharing the road with pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, emergency vehicles, and large trucks. This NM road signs drivers test keeps the attention where it belongs for this part of your prep. You’ll work through 20 multiple-choice questions covering the signs and markings New Mexico drivers are expected to recognize: regulatory signs, warning signs, guide signs, construction and work-zone signs, traffic signals, lane-use markings, and pavement markings. The designs follow the standard road sign patterns used in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, so the practice feels grounded in the same sign system you will see on real roads and in official study material. Not some weird guessing game, in other words, though yes, a few signs can still look more similar than they should. The official New Mexico permit knowledge test has 25 multiple-choice questions, with 18 correct answers required to pass. That is a 72% passing score, meaning you can miss up to 7 questions. This practice test sets the bar a bit higher with an 80% passing target, or 16 correct answers out of 20, because it is better to have some room to breathe before the real exam. And, well, because road signs are only one slice of the full test. The New Mexico Driver Manual also expects you to understand laws, safety rules, markings, and the little details people tend to skim when they are studying too quickly. Each question includes an explanation, and you can review your answers at the end, which is where the studying often becomes more useful than the score itself. Use the missed questions to clean up weak spots before you take the real New Mexico DMV permit test. The practice test works on desktop, tablet, and mobile, and it is updated for 2026 so your prep stays aligned with current New Mexico requirements.
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Sample New Mexico Permit Test Questions

Question 1

On a New Mexico highway, what colors are used for a standard destination guide sign directing motorists to cities or state lines?

  1. A Orange with black lettering
  2. B Green with white lettering
  3. C Yellow with black lettering
  4. D Red with white lettering

Correct answer: B – Green with white lettering

Standard destination guide signs use a green background with white lettering for ordinary route, direction, and distance information. These signs help motorists locate destinations such as cities, airports, and state lines. Brown guide signs are associated with certain recreational, historical, or cultural destinations.

Source: New Mexico Driver Manual — “Traffic Signs—Destination Signs”

Question 2

What does a yellow centerline normally separate?

  1. A Traffic moving in opposite directions
  2. B Lanes moving in the same direction
  3. C A travel lane from the right shoulder
  4. D A bicycle lane from motor-vehicle traffic

Correct answer: A – Traffic moving in opposite directions

Yellow centerlines separate lanes carrying traffic in opposite directions. A broken yellow line may be crossed for passing when the maneuver is permitted and safe. Solid and broken patterns indicate which side, if either, may cross for that purpose.

Source: New Mexico Driver Manual — “Pavement Markings—Yellow Lane Markings”

Question 3

A black right-turn arrow covered by a red circle and diagonal slash means:

This sign means:
  1. A U-turns are prohibited
  2. B Left turns are prohibited
  3. C Right turns are prohibited
  4. D All turns are prohibited

Correct answer: C – Right turns are prohibited

A red circle and diagonal slash prohibit the action pictured on a regulatory sign. Because this sign displays a right-turn arrow, drivers may not turn right at that location. Other movements may be made only when allowed by the remaining signs, signals, and lane markings.

Source: New Mexico Driver Manual — “Traffic Signs—Regulatory Signs”

Question 4

At a stop sign with a marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, where must a motorist stop?

  1. A After entering the crosswalk
  2. B Beside the stop sign
  3. C Before entering the crosswalk
  4. D Inside the intersection where traffic is visible

Correct answer: C – Before entering the crosswalk

New Mexico law requires a motorist at a stop sign to stop before entering the near-side crosswalk. If no crosswalk exists, the motorist stops at a clearly marked stop line. If neither is present, the stop must be made at the point nearest the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection.

Source: NMSA 1978 § 66-7-345(C) – Authority to Designate Through Highways and Stop and Yield Intersections

Question 5

At a New Mexico intersection, a steady yellow signal appears while you are approaching and can stop safely. What should you do?

  1. A Accelerate before the light changes
  2. B Yield without stopping
  3. C Stop before entering because a red signal is next
  4. D Continue at the same speed

Correct answer: C – Stop before entering because a red signal is next

A steady yellow signal warns that a red signal will appear immediately afterward. The driver manual instructs motorists to stop when they can do so safely. A driver already within the intersection when yellow appears should continue through rather than stop there.

Source: NMSA 1978 § 66-7-105(B) – Traffic-Control Signal Legend, New Mexico Driver Manual — “Traffic Signals”

Question 6

A yellow arrow appears as the protected right-turn phase is ending. What should you do?

  1. A Prepare to stop and watch for the next signal indication
  2. B Begin turning without checking the intersection
  3. C Remain stopped until every signal is turned off
  4. D Accelerate to enter before the arrow changes

Correct answer: A – Prepare to stop and watch for the next signal indication

A yellow arrow indicates that the protection provided by the green arrow is ending. Prepare to stop and obey the signal indication that follows. Do not accelerate merely to enter the intersection before the arrow changes.

Source: New Mexico Driver Manual — “Traffic Signals”

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