New York DMV Permit Test 2026

Who Can Get a Learner Permit

To apply for a learner permit in New York, you must be at least 16 years old. This applies throughout the state, including all five NYC boroughs. There is no upper age limit — adults of any age who have never held a license follow the same process.

If you're under 21, a parent or legal guardian must provide consent for your application. This is done using Form MV-45 (Statement of Identity and/or Residence by Parent/Guardian). Do not sign the MV-45 before arriving at the DMV — it must be signed in the presence of a DMV representative. Your parent must accompany you and bring their own identification.

The 6-point ID system: New York uses a point-based document verification system. You must present documents totaling 6 or more “points” to prove your identity. More on this in the documents section below.

Students can test at school: If you're at least 15 years and 11 months old, you may be able to take the permit test at your high school through the OKTA (Online Knowledge Test Application) program. Not all schools participate, so check with your school. You'll still need to visit a DMV office afterward to complete your application and receive your permit.

Fees and What You Pay For

New York's permit fee is a single payment that covers your learner permit through your eventual driver license for approximately 5 years. The exact amount depends on your age at the time of application:

MCTD surcharge: If you live in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (the five NYC boroughs, plus Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, or Westchester counties), add approximately $10 to the fees above.

The fee is non-refundable. It covers the permit and all future road test attempts within the permit's validity period. There is no separate test fee.

Documents You Need (6-Point ID System)

New York uses a point-based system to verify your identity. Each document you bring is assigned a point value, and you must present documents totaling 6 or more points. At least one document must have your signature.

Under 21: If you cannot provide enough documents on your own, your parent or guardian can complete Form MV-45 to provide up to 4 points of proof on your behalf. The parent must bring their own ID and sign the form at the DMV.

All documents must be originals or certified copies from the issuing agency. Photocopies and electronic versions are generally not accepted. Use the interactive Document Guide on the DMV website to figure out exactly which documents to bring.

Do You Need an Appointment?

Appointments are strongly recommended but not strictly required at all locations. The NY DMV recommends making a reservation to reduce wait times. During busy periods, some offices may only serve customers who have reservations.

You can schedule an appointment through the DMV office locator. Select your nearest office and click “View Details” to check availability. Not all offices offer online scheduling.

What Happens at the DMV

Here's what a typical DMV visit looks like, in order:

The whole process typically takes 1 to 3 hours depending on how busy the office is. The test itself takes most people about 15 to 20 minutes.

The Vision Test

New York requires a minimum visual acuity of 20/40 with one or both eyes, with or without corrective lenses. If you wear glasses or contacts, keep them on during the test.

If your vision is between 20/40 and 20/70, you may need to submit Form MV-80L to the DMV's Medical Review Unit. If you pass with corrective lenses, your permit will have a “B” restriction meaning you must wear them while driving.

You can have the vision test done by a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist, physician, or other qualified medical professional before your DMV visit. Bring the results with you — they're valid for 12 months from the test date.

When They Take Your Photo

Your photo is taken during the application process at the DMV office. This photo will appear on your learner permit and eventually on your driver license. Come prepared to have your picture taken — remove sunglasses, hats, and head coverings (unless worn for religious reasons).

The Written Knowledge Test

The New York written test has 20 multiple-choice questions covering rules of the road, safe driving techniques, road signs, and alcohol and drug laws. All questions are based on the New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), specifically chapters 4 through 11.

The test is available in 20 languages: English, Spanish, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Urdu, and Yiddish.

There is no time limit. You can take the test on a touchscreen computer or request a paper version.

The Road Signs Requirement

This is one of the most important things to know about the New York test: 4 of the 20 questions are specifically about road signs, and you must get at least 2 of those 4 correct — regardless of your overall score.

Road sign questions typically show you an image of a sign and ask you to identify its meaning, or describe a sign's shape/color and ask what it indicates. Study the road signs chapter in the driver's manual carefully — knowing the shapes, colors, and meanings of common signs is essential.

What the Test Looks Like

At the DMV, you can take the test on a touchscreen computer terminal or request a paper version. Each question shows multiple answer choices. You select your answer and move on.

With only 20 questions, the test moves quickly — most people finish in 15 to 20 minutes. Take your time, especially on road sign questions since they carry extra weight. Read each question carefully before selecting your answer.

Passing Score and Results

To pass, you must meet both of these requirements:

The same test and passing requirements apply to all ages. When the test ends, you'll see your results immediately. If you passed, you continue through the application process to receive your permit.

Taking the Test Online

New York offers three ways to take the permit test:

Regardless of where you take the test, you must visit a DMV office in person to complete your application — the vision test, document verification, photo, and payment can only be done at the office.

After You Pass

When you pass the test and complete the application, the DMV will issue your learner permit. You'll receive a temporary permit document, and your permanent photo permit card will be mailed to you.

Your permit is valid for approximately 5 years. During this time, you can practice driving with a supervising driver and work toward your road test.

Under 18: You must hold your permit for at least 6 months before you can take the road test. During that time, you need to complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving (15 hours after sunset) and a pre-licensing course or driver education program.

If You Don't Pass

If you fail the written test at a DMV office, you must wait at least 7 days before you can retake it. There is no limit on the number of attempts — you can retake the test as many times as needed.

If you took the test through the OKTA program at school, you can retake it online as many times as needed without the 7-day wait.

Pay attention to whether you failed because of the overall score, the road signs requirement, or both. If it was the road signs, focus your studying on sign identification — shapes, colors, and meanings.

Learner Permit Restrictions

While driving with a learner permit, you must follow these rules at all times:

Areas where learner permit holders cannot drive:

Junior License vs. Senior License

New York has two main license classes for passenger vehicles, and understanding the difference is important for teen drivers:

To upgrade from DJ to D at age 17: You must have a junior license and have completed a state-approved high school or college driver education course. Bring your junior license and Student Certificate of Completion (Form MV-285) to any DMV office. At age 18, all junior licenses automatically become eligible for upgrade to senior.

NYC-Specific Restrictions

New York City has the most restrictive rules for young drivers in the state:

This is a major consideration for NYC residents. If you live in the city and need to drive, completing a driver education program to get your senior license at 17 is effectively the earliest path.

GDL Restrictions by Region

New York's Graduated Driver License law divides the state into three zones with different restrictions for junior license (Class DJ) holders:

Passenger restriction (all regions): Maximum 1 passenger under age 21, unless they are immediate family members or you are supervised by a parent, guardian, or driving instructor.

Violation penalties: One serious traffic violation or two other violations results in a 60-day suspension. A cell phone or texting violation results in a 120-day suspension (first offense) or minimum 1-year revocation (second offense within 6 months).

Pre-Licensing Course & Driver Education

Before you can take the road test in New York, you must complete one of two courses:

You must complete one or the other before your road test. The 48-hour program provides significantly more benefits, but the 5-hour course is the minimum requirement.

The New York State Driver's Manual

The New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21) is the official study guide for the written test. The test draws from chapters 4 through 11 specifically. The manual covers traffic laws, right-of-way, road signs, safe driving practices, alcohol/drug laws, and sharing the road.

The manual is available as a free PDF download and is also available online. A Spanish version (MV-21S) is available. Printed copies can be picked up at any DMV office.

Pay special attention to the road signs chapter — remember, you must get at least 2 of 4 road sign questions correct regardless of your overall score.

Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is one of the most effective ways to prepare. With only 20 questions on the real test, every question counts — you can only miss 6.

Official DMV practice tests: The NY DMV offers free sample tests on their website. These give you a feel for the question format and difficulty.

DMV Question Bank practice tests: For more thorough preparation, you can take New York DMV practice tests on DMV Question Bank. The question bank covers all topics from the driver's manual, including dedicated road sign practice. Practice until you're consistently scoring above 85%.

Given the road signs requirement, make sure you spend extra time on sign identification. Know the shapes (octagon = stop, triangle = yield, diamond = warning) and colors (red = prohibition, yellow = caution, green = guidance, blue = services).

Behind-the-Wheel Requirements

After getting your permit, you need to build driving experience before taking the road test.

International License Holders

If you have a valid driver license from another country, you can drive in New York as a visitor — an International Driving Permit is not required but can be helpful, especially if your license is not in English.

You should only apply for a New York license if you become a resident of the state. New York does not have reciprocity agreements for exchanging foreign licenses — you'll need to go through the full process: permit test, pre-licensing course, and road test.

If your license is in a language other than English and you want to take the road test, you must bring an International Driving Permit or a certified translation (from a consulate, the U.S. Department of State, or another official government agency).

Out-of-State Transfers

If you have a valid driver license from another U.S. state, you must exchange it within 30 days of becoming a New York resident. Visit a DMV office with your current license and required documents — you generally do not need to retake the written or road tests.

Important: You cannot exchange an out-of-state learner permit for a New York permit. If you hold a learner permit from another state, you must apply for a new New York learner permit and go through the full process.

Students: If you're from another state and attending school in New York, you are generally not considered a resident and do not need to exchange your license.

Quick Reference

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