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New York · Permit test

Getting a driver's license in NYC

It takes three steps anywhere in the state: pass the permit test, finish a pre-licensing course and supervised practice, then pass the road test. What differs in the city is the license you can use. A junior license (Class DJ) isn't valid for driving in New York City at all, so a driver's license for NYC means a Class D, which you can get at 17 with driver education or at 18.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you get a driver's license in NYC?

  1. Pass the written permit test and the vision test at a DMV office, or online first if you're under 18.
  2. Practice with a supervising driver who is at least 21. Under 18, log at least 50 hours, 15 after sunset, and hold the permit for 6 months.
  3. Finish the 5-hour pre-licensing course, or a 48-hour driver education program at a high school or college.
  4. Schedule and pass the road test. You get an interim license online and the photo license by mail.
How to get your permit in NY →The NY road test →What the permit and license cost →

Junior license or Class D?

At 17, a junior license holder who finished driver education can swap to a Class D by taking the junior license and the MV-285 certificate to a DMV office. You can also hand them to the road test examiner. Otherwise the Class D comes automatically at 18.

LicenseMinimum ageWhat it covers
Class DJ (junior)16Cars and trucks up to 10,000 lbs, with junior limits on where, when and with whom you drive
Class D18, or 17 with driver educationCars and trucks up to 26,000 lbs, with no junior limits

Driving in NYC with a junior permit or license

With a junior license you may not drive in the five boroughs at any time.

Long Island and upstate are less strict. In Nassau and Suffolk a junior license holder may drive alone only for set trips, such as between home and work or school. Upstate, junior drivers may drive alone from 5 AM to 9 PM.

Probation, suspension and renewal

Every new license holder, at any age, has a 6-month probation period. A junior license is suspended for 60 days after one serious violation or two others, and a first phone or texting conviction means a 120-day suspension.

You can renew up to 1 year before your license expires. If you keep the same type of license you can renew online or by mail, and by mail you can send a Vision Test Report (MV-619) instead of taking the eye test at an office. Switching from a Standard license to REAL ID or Enhanced means an office visit.

Sources: NYS DMV · NYS DMV Driver's Manual, Chapter 1 and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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