Applying for a New License

Whether a resident of the Empire State or a visitor, you must have a valid driver license from a U.S. state or another country to drive in New York. Once you establish residency here you'll need to get a New York license from the Department of Motor Vehicles within 30 days and surrender your out-of-state license.

Visitors under 18 or those with out-of-state learner permits are bound by New York's teen driving restrictions, even if those restrictions don't apply in your home state. And no matter what your home state's age restrictions are, those under 16 may never operate a motor vehicle in New York.

License Classes

New York offers a variety of licenses depending not only on the type of vehicle to be driven, but also the purpose:

• Operator, Class D: This license is issued to drivers 18 over, or to 17-year-olds who have an MV-285 certificate. It allows you to drive passenger cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000 pounds or less, or a vehicle that tows another vehicle (such as a trailer) that has a maximum gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less. Class D drivers may tow a vehicle with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds only if the combined weight rating of the two vehicles is 26,000 pounds or less.

• Junior License, Class DJ: A restricted version of the Class D license for drivers under 18.

• Taxi and Livery, Class E: This license allows those 18 and older to drive the same vehicles as a Class D license allows, plus for-hire vehicles that carry at most 14 passengers.

• Motorcycle, Class M: For motorcycles only.

• Junior Motorcycle License, Class MJ: A restricted version of the Class M license for riders under 18.

• Commercial, Class A, Class B, and Class C (CDL): Three types of commercial licenses for large vehicles available to drivers 21 and over (Class A) and 18 and over (Classes B and C).

Teen Drivers

As covered more extensively in our First-Time Drivers section, drivers under 18 are subject to New York's Graduated Licensing Law, which places restrictions on their driving privileges until they reach the age of 18. Minor drivers with out-of-state learner's permits or driver licenses must abide by these restrictions when they are in New York, even if the restrictions don't exist in their home state.

The DMV explains these restrictions fully in its Learner Permits and Junior Licenses brochure.

Learner's Permits

Before you can apply for a license in New York, you must get a learner's permit so you may practice driving. Unless you have an out-of-state license, you may not apply for a New York driver license without first applying for a learner's permit.

A learner's permit allows you to drive a passenger vehicle as long as you are supervised by another licensed driver over 21 (again, the rules are different for drivers under 18 and vary according to region).

You will need to study the Driver's Manual and Study Guide before you head to the local DMV office. To apply for a learner's permit:

• Fill out Form MV-44 (Application for Driver License).

• Bring proof of identity and birth date. Your parent or guardian may fill out Form MV-45 at the DMV if you don't have six points of proof of identity.

• Bring your Social Security card. If you aren't eligible for a Social Security number, you must show the DMV a letter from the Social Security Administration that indicates this.

• Pass an eye test. You may also have en eye care practitioner complete Form MV-619 (Eye Test Report).

• Pass the written permit test based on the Driver's Manual. You are exempt from taking this test if you have an MV-285 certificate (Driver Education Student Certificate of Completion).

• Pay the fee (not more than $85, depending on your age) with cash, personal check, or credit card. This fee covers your original learner's permit and your driver license.

You don't need an appointment to apply for a learner's permit, but you should arrive at your local DMV office at least half an hour before it closes to complete your application and test on time.

The written test is composed of 20 multiple-choice questions. You must answer 14 of these correctly, including two correct answers for the four road-sign questions. You may retake the test an unlimited number of times without paying additional fees, but the DMV recommends that before trying again, you study the Driver's Manual and come back another day. Learner's permits are valid for up to five years.

Driver Licenses

Once you have your permit, you must attend a mandatory prelicensing course or complete a high school or college driver education course before you may take the road test required to get your permanent license. Our Driver Education and Driver's Training pages contain more information about these courses.

The DMV encourages you to practice driving for 30 hours, 10 of them during heavy-traffic hours (this being New York, when you get your license, odds are that "heavy" is the most common type of traffic you'll be driving in). Follow these steps to get your license:

• Practice driving. If you're over 18, you may do this with any licensed driver over 21 supervising you. If you're under 18, restrictions apply.

• Take a prelicensing course or a high school or college driver education course.

• If you take only the prelicensing course and you're under 18, or if you take a driver education course and you're under 17, your parent or guardian will also need to fill out Form MV-262 (Certification of 20 Hours of Supervised Driving).

• Schedule a road test using your prelicensing course certificate or your driver education course certificate. You may schedule by phone or online. It may be three to 10 weeks until your appointment date (summer months are the most popular).

• Pass your road test.

If you don't pass the road test, you may schedule another attempt free of charge. After that you'll pay $10 for two more tries (no refunds if it takes you only one try). You may continue to pay the $10 and get two more tries indefinitely.

Once you pass, you'll get an interim license valid for 90 days that you must keep along with your learner's permit until your photo license arrives in the mail in about four weeks.

Some learner's permits are valid for only one year from when they were issued, and those require a different process at this point: You'll need to wait at least five days after your road test and then apply for your photo license in person at the local DMV office.

Bring your interim license, proof of identity, and driver license fees, and have your photo taken. You'll be issued a new 90-day (photo-less) license and receive your permanent photo license in the mail in about four weeks.

Probationary Period

All new drivers are under a six-month probation from the date you pass the road test. During this time, you may have your license suspended or revoked for certain traffic violations, including speeding and reckless driving. Read the DMV's Suppose Your License Were Taken Away brochure for more on this.

Converting a Junior License to a Senior License

A Class DJ or MJ license will convert to a Class D or M license on your 18th birthday automatically, and the DMV will send you a new photo license (you don't need to take any steps to make this happen). While waiting for this license―which indicates "Class D"―in the mail, you may drive as a senior driver; you don't need to wait to have the actual Class D license in hand.

If you're not keen to wait until you're old enough to join the Army to drive alone after dark, you can expedite the process and get your senior license at 17 if you complete a driver education course and receive an MV-285 certificate.

If you already had this certificate when you took your road test and you gave it to the examiner at that time, you will be automatically mailed a Class D license on your 17th birthday and may begin driving as a senior driver on that date (or on the next business day) while the license is in the mail. However, if you did not have the MV-285 certificate at the time of your road test, you will need to bring it to the DMV in person on or after your 17th birthday, along with Form MV-44 and a $10 fee, to receive a senior license.

New to New York?

If you've just moved to New York but you had a photo license in another state, you won't have to go through this rigamarole to get a New York license. Just do the following:

• Appear in person at a local DMV office.

• Complete Form MV-44 (Application for Driver License).

• Pass a vision test.

• Surrender your out-of-state license.

• Show your Social Security card.

• Provide two points of identification and proof of birth in addition to your out-of-state license and Social Security card.

• Pay a $10 application fee and the driver license fee with cash, check, money order, or credit card.

Non-Citizen Drivers

You need a New York driver's license if you become a New York resident. Otherwise you are free to drive with a valid license from your home country while visiting. Keep in mind that an International Driving Permit, though recommended, is not recognized as a valid driver's license. You'll still need to carry your original valid driver's license along with an IDP.

Requirements

If you hold a license from any nation except Canada, you must attend a five-hour pre-licensing course and pass a written and a road test. You must also satisfy New York's Six Points of Proof identification system.

If you are ineligible for a Social Security card, you will need to provide a letter or form (SSA-L676) from the Social Security Administration (SSA) proving your ineligibility. This document cannot be more than 30 days old, prior to your applying. You will also need to take in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documents that you used to prove your ineligibility.

After receiving your New York driver's license, you must give up your foreign license to the road test examiner. The DMV will keep your license for 60 days before destroying it. You can request otherwise if you plan on using your license again in your native country. The DMV will hold your license until then.

Canadian Drivers

You can exchange your Canadian license for a New York license provided:

• It contains your photo

• It's not suspended or revoked

• It has been valid for at least six months

• It hasn't been expired for over 12 months

• It's a valid CDL

To exchange, visit any DMV office and:

• Complete an Application for Driver License

• Pass an eye test or submit an Eye Test Report

• Surrender your Canadian license

• Provide two points of identification and date of birth

• Provide a Social Security card or proof that you're ineligible to receive one. This must be in the form of a letter from the SSA and cannot be more than 30 days old. In addition, you must also provide an I-94 with one of the following forms: B-1, B-2, E-2, F-2, H4, L-2, M-2, O-3, P-4, Q-3, R-2 or TD. Your I-94 must have at least 11 months of legal status remaining.

• Pay all applicable fees

The DMV offers more information about applying for a New York license when you have an out-of-state license, including what to do if your out-of-state license was lost or stolen. See also Drivers from Other Nations.

QUICK LINKS FOR DRIVER LICENSES

• New Drivers: How to Get Your License
• Driver Manual and Study Guide
• Learner Permits and Junior Licenses
• Road Test Tips
• MV-44, Application for Driver's License
• MV-44.1, How to Apply for a Learner Permit or Driver License
• MV-262, Certificate of Supervised Driving
• Proofs of Identity