How to Pass the New Brunswick Knowledge Test (2026)

The New Brunswick Class 7(I) knowledge test is 20 multiple-choice questions, and you need 16 correct to pass (80%). Most new drivers who fail do so because they tried to memorise the handbook rather than understand it. Here's a step-by-step plan that gets most learners to a reliable 18/20 in a week or two.

Step 1: Read the handbook (once)

The New Brunswick Driver's Handbook is the official source for every question. Download it from the Government of New Brunswick's transportation portal and read it — or at least skim all the chapter headings — before touching any practice test. You're not trying to memorise it on this pass. You're building a mental map of what's in there.

Three chapters matter most:

Chapter 3 (Signs, signals and road markings) — about a third to half of the test is here.
Chapter 4 (Rules of the road) — speed limits, right-of-way, lane changes.
Chapter 7 (Penalties and impaired driving) — BAC rules, demerit points, fines.

Step 2: Take one mock exam early

Run the 20-question NB mock exam once, cold, before you drill. The score tells you where you stand and which topic is your weakest. Expect a 10/20 to 14/20 on the first attempt — that's normal. The point is finding your weak spot, not passing on the first try.

Step 3: Drill your weak side

Based on your mock results, drill the specific category that tripped you up:

If signs were the problem: the NB road signs test (90 questions) and the road signs cheat sheet.
If rules were the problem: the NB rules of the road test (100 questions).
If fines or GDL questions were the problem: the NB fines and demerits test (50 questions) and the NB GDL program explained page.

Drill the weak side until you're bored with it. Boredom is the sign that you've internalised the material.

Step 4: Warm up with Quick 10 daily

Use the NB Quick 10 every morning on the days leading up to your test. Ten questions, under five minutes. It keeps the material fresh and reveals any new weak spots.

Step 5: Mock exam — book when you reliably hit 18/20

Once you're consistently scoring 18/20 or better on the mock exam across three consecutive attempts, book the real test at Service New Brunswick. A single 16/20 isn't enough — it's a bare pass that can swing to a fail on the next bad draw. 18/20 or better across three mocks means you've got the margin.

Common traps that catch NB learners

The warning range vs. criminal BAC. 0.05 is the warning range (24-hour administrative suspension); 0.08 is criminal. GDL (Level I and Level II) is zero.
Level I midnight-to-5 a.m. Learners sometimes think the restriction is sunset-to-sunrise. It's not — it's a specific clock range: midnight to 5 a.m.
The 12 vs. 8 months Level I rule. It's 12 months by default, reducible to 8 months only with completion of an approved driver-ed course.
Supervising driver qualifications. The supervisor must have 4+ years of unrestricted driving experience — not just 'any adult'. A Class 5 driver with 2 years' experience doesn't qualify.
School-bus rule on divided highways. On an undivided road, both directions stop. On a divided highway with a physical median, oncoming traffic does not stop for the bus.
Right-on-red. Legal in NB after a full stop and when safe, unless a sign prohibits it. The rolling right-on-red is the ticketed version.
Four-way stop vs. uncontrolled intersection. First to arrive goes; right-of-way to right on simultaneous arrival. Same rule either way.

On test day

Arrive at Service New Brunswick with two pieces of ID, proof of NB residency, and the test fee (approximately $12-20).
Under 18? Bring your signed parental consent form.
If you wear corrective lenses, bring them — the vision screening is part of the sitting.
Read every question twice. The test is not timed — take your time.
Flag questions you're unsure of and come back to them.
If you fail, don't rebook the same day. Drill the weak side for a week, then come back.