Learn the New York requirements for obtaining your learners permit and drivers license.

Prepare for and take your permit test

Step 1: Prepare for the Permit Test

Study all of the available materials and take the permit test practice quizzes. 

Class D permit tests are given in 20 languages: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, and Yiddish.

Step 2: Find What You Need to Apply

When you apply, you will need to provide proof of age, identification, and residence. Your permit will be Standard, Enhanced, or REAL ID, depending on the proofs you bring and the fee. 

Use the Get a Permit Interactive Pre-Screening to determine the forms and documents you will need to bring with you to apply for your permit at a DMV office (if you do not already have an NY.gov ID, you will need to create one as part of the pre-screening process). If you are under 18 years old, you may be eligible to take the permit test online. However, the selections you make during the prescreening will determine your eligibility to take the permit test online.

Step 3: Bring Your Documents to a DMV Office

Bring the items listed below to your local DMV office.

Complete Pre-Licensing Requirements

Step 1: Practice Driving

You must have supervised driving practice and follow the restrictions for learner permit holders.

If you have a Class DJ or MJ learner permit, you must have a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving that includes at least 15 hours of driving after sunset before you take a road test. You must bring to the road test a completed Certification of Supervised Driving (MV-262) (PDF) signed by your parent or guardian.

Step 2: Driving School

Once you have a learner permit, you must have supervised driving practice. One way to achieve the recommended amount of supervised driving practice is to take driving lessons at a licensed driving school.

Step 3: Take a Pre-Licensing Course

The Pre-Licensing Course, also known as the 5-Hour Course, is a DMV-approved, standardized course that provides the knowledge you will need as a new driver. The course covers many important topics, including:

  • Driving within the highway transportation system
  • Driver habits and skills
  • Feelings, attitudes, and risk-taking
  • Alcohol, other drugs, and driving

All new drivers must complete the Pre-Licensing Course before taking a DMV road test and applying for a license unless they complete a 48-hour Driver Education Program through their local high school or college.

Schedule and Take a Road Test

Step 1: Prepare for your Road Test

Before you take your road test, you will need to prepare by

Step 2: Schedule a Road Test

If you are under the age of 18, you must wait at least 6 months from the date you received your learner permit to schedule your road test.

The road test scheduling system offers the earliest available dates and times at sites near the ZIP code you provide. Usually, the earliest date is within 3 to 5 weeks, but at peak testing periods during summer and school breaks it may be up to 10 weeks away. There are no waiting lists. Tests are almost always on weekdays (only rarely do we offer them on a Saturday).

You do not need to schedule your road test appointment in the county or area of the state where you live. Find road test locations.

What you need to schedule

  • a valid New York State Learner Permit (see a sample learner permit)
  • an original, unexpired Pre-Licensing Course Certificate (MV-278) or a Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285) (see more information about Pre-Licensing Course)
  • the ZIP Code of the location where you would like to take the test
  • at least 1 unused road test 

Schedule a Road Test

Resources

All Care Driving School

NYS DMV

Suffolk Auto Driving School