Yes, you can take the NJ permit test in French. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) gives the knowledge test in 13 languages, including French and Spanish, and offers an oral version in English and Spanish. If you are searching for a DMV practice test in French for NJ, though, know this first: there is no official French edition of the New Jersey Driver Manual, so most French speakers study from the English or another translated manual.
We have taught new drivers in New Jersey since 2008, many of them studying in a second language. This guide covers every language the MVC offers, what to do if yours is not on the list, and how to study when the manual is not in your language.
Which languages is the NJ permit test offered in?
The MVC's knowledge test page on nj.gov/mvc lists these languages for the written test:
| Written test | Oral test |
|---|---|
| English | Yes |
| Spanish | Yes |
| French | No |
| Arabic | No |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | No |
| Korean | No |
| Polish | No |
| Portuguese | No |
| Russian | No |
| Japanese | No |
| Hindi | No |
| Albanian | No |
| Turkish | No |
The test is the same in every language: the same rules, signs and safe driving topics from the New Jersey Driver Manual. You choose the language when you take it.
CDL tests are different
If you are going for a commercial license, the MVC says CDL knowledge tests are only in English and Spanish, and the Hazmat endorsement test is in English only.
Is there a DMV practice test in French for NJ?
The MVC publishes the New Jersey Driver Manual in nine languages on nj.gov/mvc: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Gujarati, Korean, Arabic, Haitian Creole and Portuguese. French is not one of them, even though the test is offered in French.
That gap matters. A question in French will use French traffic words, and you may have learned the rules in English. Here is what we suggest to students in that situation:
- Read the English manual, one chapter at a time. Keep a two-column list of key terms in English and French, such as right of way (priorité), yield (céder le passage) and following distance (distance de sécurité).
- If you read Haitian Creole well, the official Haitian Creole manual is another option. Use whichever language you understand best for the rules themselves.
- Take practice tests in English to check what you know, then review your term list so the French wording on test day does not surprise you.
- Learn road signs by shape and color. A stop sign is an octagon in any language.
Numbers do not need translating. Write every distance, age and point value from the manual on one page and learn them as numbers.
A note on DMVZone practice tests
Our free New Jersey practice tests are in English. We do not offer a French or Spanish version yet, and we would rather tell you that than send you to a page that pretends otherwise. Our questions are original practice questions based on the official New Jersey Driver Manual, not real MVC test questions.
Taking the permit test in Spanish in New Jersey
Spanish speakers have the most options. The permit test in Spanish is available as a written test and as an oral test, and the MVC publishes the full driver manual in Spanish. If reading on a screen is hard for you, ask for the oral test when you book.
If your language is not on the list
The MVC says that if your language is not offered, you may use an interpreter obtained by the MVC through a state contract. You request one at your permit appointment, and appointments with an interpreter are typically scheduled within four to six weeks. Plan for that wait if you are on a deadline.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, the MVC pays the interpreter's fees for the knowledge test. The interpreter must be certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and listed with the New Jersey Division of the Deaf, or evaluated and approved by that division.
For other MVC visits, the agency announced in February 2026 that every agency and mobile unit now has translation devices that support two-way conversation in over 80 languages. Those help at the counter, but the release does not say they are used for the knowledge test.
What else to know before the NJ permit test
- Adults buy an examination permit ($10 on the MVC fee page) at a driver testing center with their 6 Points of ID, then make an appointment for the knowledge test.
- Teens 16 and up in the special learner path usually take the knowledge test at their driving school.
- If you fail, the MVC says you can retest in 7 days.
- Documents for your 6 Points of ID that are not in English may need a certified translation, so check the MVC's ID rules before you go.
FAQ
Is there a DMV practice test in French for NJ?
The MVC gives the real knowledge test in French, but there is no official French driver manual. Most French speakers study the English manual with a term list. DMVZone's free NJ practice tests are in English.
Can I take the NJ permit test in Spanish?
Yes. The written test is offered in Spanish, and Spanish is one of only two languages, with English, offered for the oral test. The driver manual is also available in Spanish.
How many languages is the NJ permit test offered in?
13: English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Albanian and Turkish.
What if my language is not offered?
You can request an MVC interpreter at your permit appointment. Expect the test to be scheduled within four to six weeks.
Can I take the NJ CDL test in French?
No. The MVC says CDL knowledge tests are only in English and Spanish, and the Hazmat test is English only.
