New Brunswick’s SNB Knowledge Test: What to Expect
New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province, and that carries right through to your New Brunswick learner’s licence test — the knowledge test is offered fully in both English and French. Service New Brunswick (SNB) runs the process. Here’s what it actually covers.
New Brunswick’s demerit system trips people up because it works backwards from what they expect: new drivers start with a fixed number of points and lose them for infractions, rather than accumulating points toward a limit. Know which direction you’re counting before test day.
The Test Format
The Class 7 knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions split between road signs and rules of the road, and you need at least 32 correct (80%) to pass. It’s administered at any Service New Brunswick centre — confirm current details like timing and fees directly with SNB, since these can change. Expect questions covering:
- Traffic signs, shapes, and colours
- Right-of-way and intersection rules
- Speed limits and safe following distance
- Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving laws
- New Brunswick’s own Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) restrictions
- Sharing the road with cyclists, pedestrians, and school buses
A Study Method That Actually Sticks
The Driver’s Handbook is the final word here — if a practice question and the handbook ever disagree, trust the handbook. A cycle works better than reading it once cover to cover: learn a rule, test yourself on it, review anything you got wrong, understand why the correct answer is correct, and come back to it again a few days later.
Learn the rule
Read the handbook section and understand the reasoning, not just the fact.
Test yourself
Answer practice questions without checking the answer first.
Review your mistakes
Find every question you got wrong and figure out why.
Understand why
Know why the correct answer is correct, not just which letter it was.
Test yourself again, later
Coming back a few days later is what actually moves it into long-term memory.
A Study Plan
- Days 1–3: Read the Driver’s Handbook by topic — signs first, then rules of the road, then the GDL rules themselves.
- Days 4–5: Practice questions on each section as you finish it.
- Day 6: Go back to the handbook for every topic that gave you trouble.
- Day 7: A short, mixed review — not a new cram session the night before.
What a Class 7 Licence Does & Doesn’t Allow
Passenger limits during Stage 2 (Intermediate) are more flexible than Stage 1, but still capped — check current SNB rules for the exact number.
New Brunswick’s Two-Stage GDL Worth knowing
New Brunswick’s demerit system works in reverse from what many new drivers assume: rather than accumulating points toward a suspension threshold, a newly licensed driver (under 4 years) starts with a fixed number of credited points and loses them for infractions — reaching zero, rather than reaching a ceiling, triggers consequences. It’s the same underlying idea as other provinces’ demerit systems, just counted in the opposite direction.
Class 7 (Learner)
Pass the knowledge test and vision check. Hold for at least 12 months before the road test.
Class 5 Probationary
After passing the road test, hold for at least 2 more years with restrictions still in place.
Class 5 (Full)
Full driving privileges, no GDL restrictions remaining.
An approved driving course can reduce the required Class 7 holding period from 12 months to 9.
How You’ll Know You’re Ready
- You can explain why an answer is correct, not just pick it out
- Your results on practice questions are consistent across several sessions, not just one strong run
- You know your GDL restrictions well enough to explain them, not just recognize them on a quiz
- You understand which direction New Brunswick’s demerit points move — down from a starting total, not up toward a limit
Test-Day Advice
- Bring valid ID and, if under 18, parental consent
- Choose English or French when you book — both are fully supported
- Work at a pace that lets you think clearly rather than rushing
- Watch for words like must, always, and unless — they often signal an exception
The Bottom Line
New Brunswick’s knowledge test is 40 questions, 80% to pass — offered in both official languages with no fuss. Study the actual Driver’s Handbook, know your GDL restrictions cold, and remember your demerit points count down, not up.
Ready to see what you know?
Try a free New Brunswick practice test and let your results guide what to study next.
★ Start Free Practice TestRelated guides
Canadian Road Signs · Right of Way Rules · Impaired Driving · Demerit Points