Hello, Empire State! We’re Aceable, an online drivers ed provider, and we wanna help you get licensed in New York.
We’ve seen our fair share of DMV websites. Cutting through the jargon and finding information that’s buried across a dozen webpages isn’t easy. That’s why we created this simple guide for getting a New York drivers license. No matter how old you are this guide will layout the steps you need to take to get behind the wheel in New York.
Getting a New York Learner Permit
In New York, you gotta wait til you’re 16 to get your junior learner permit, and all drivers have to get a permit before they can have a license no matter how old they are. You don’t have to have driving experience to get a learners permit, but you do need to make a trip to the DMV.
What to Bring to the DMV for a New York Learners Permit
You’ll be going to the DMV to get your permit, so that means you’ve gotta bring a lot of documents along with you. Make sure you have:
Your permit/license application (MV-44)
Signed parent/guardian consent if you’re under 18 years old. If you are 17 and have a Drivers Ed Cert (MV-285), you don’t need consent.
Your Social Security Card
Proof of New York residence
Proof of identity with date of birth. Check this list for details.
If you’re under 21 and are using the MV-45 as proof of identity, your parent/guardian has to sign it at the DMV.
Payment for fees
You’ll also be getting your picture taken and will have the same picture for about 8 years, so be prepared for that.
Testing for a Learners Permit
You’ve got all of the necessary documents and are ready to get your permit - what now? No matter what age you are, you’ll have to pass the written and vision tests to get a permit.
The Written Test
There are 20 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 14 correct to pass, including answering at least 2 of the 4 road sign questions correct. If you need to take the test again, don’t worry. You get unlimited tries at no extra charge.
The Vision Test
You have to have 20/40 vision with or without glasses/contacts, as assessed by the DMV. The test is the same one you’ve probably taken before - the one where you cover your eye, read random letters and feel like you’re getting them all wrong.
*If you live Upstate, in Long Island or in NYC your junior permit and license restrictions will be different.
What to do After You Have a New York Learners Permit
What the licensing process will entail depends on your age and if you take a full drivers ed course. However, when it comes to mandatory education it doesn’t matter whether you’re 16 or 102. If you’re getting your license for the first time, you’re gonna have to take drivers ed or a pre-licensing course.
Drivers Ed in New York
New York is one of the few states that requires all drivers to take some sort of education. Approved drivers ed courses must be 24 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of in-car training with 6 hours behind-the-wheel and 18 hours of observation.
You’ve got two years from when you finish the course to get your license or you’ll have to take the course over again.
Driving Pre-Licensing Courses in New York
The New York pre-licensing course for a drivers license is a 4-hour classroom course. It focuses on similar topics as drivers ed, including driving best practices, driving habits/skills, risks and the dangers of driving impaired. You’ve got one year from course completion to get your learners permit.
The pre-licensing course is not as comprehensive as drivers ed and you won’t get behind-the-wheel instruction, but it is a good way to begin understanding the rules of the road. As a drivers ed company, we highly recommend taking drivers ed for its complete driving education.
There’s also an additional perk for the youngest drivers. If you opt to take drivers ed rather than just the pre-licensing course, you can upgrade to an unrestricted senior drivers license at 17 years old.
Driving Practice Before the Test
You’ll have to hang onto that permit for 6 months before you can schedule your driving test if you’re under 18 years old. In those 6 months, you need to complete 50 behind-the-wheel hours under the watchful eye of your parent/guardian or licensed driver over 21 years old. During that training 15 hours need to be at night and 10 hours have to be in moderate to heavy traffic.
Once you log all that time behind the wheel you’re ready to take the next step.
Scheduling the Driving Test
When you feel ready to get your license, you’ll schedule the driving test either online or by calling 518-402-2100. You’ll want to have the following information ready:
Client ID # - Find this above your permit pic
DOB - Don’t use any type of punctuation
Type of certificate and cert number for pre-licensing or drivers ed
Type of road test you want - Probably the automobile one
5-digit zip where you wanna take the test - This does not have to be your specific zip code
What to Bring to the DMV for Your Road Test
You’ll need to show up around 15-30 minutes before the test with a registered, insured and inspected car. Here’s what else you’ll need to have to take the road test for a New York drivers license:
Your learners permit
Glasses/contacts if you wear them
Your original drivers ed (MV-275) or pre-licensing course (MV-285) completion cert
If you’re under 18, a Certificate of Supervised Driving (MV-262) completed by parent/guardian.
Another drive age 21+
Once the formalities are out of the way it’s time to get behind the wheel. You’ll be tested on basic driving knowledge including:
What to do at stoplights and four-way stops
How to parallel park
How to three-point turn
Using your car equipment such as turn signals
You’ll be scored on how well you complete each maneuver. Once you pass that driving test you’ll receive a New York junior driver license if you’re under 18 and a full Class D driver license if you’re older.
While Aceable doesn’t have a state-certified drivers ed course for New York, we do have a permit test prep course that will help you ace your written exam and help you learn the rules of the road. The course includes 20 levels of content and an unlimited amount of practice tests. Let’s get prepped!
*This article was updated on 11/9/20.