New York Drivers Test

New York Drivers Test

Passing the New York drivers license test is the final step on your way towards an NYS drivers license. The key towards passing the drivers test is practice, so you should try to put as many hours as possible into it. The DMV driver examiner that will conduct your NY drivers test will assess your ability to control the vehicle and observe all of the state driving rules at the same time, so you may wish to revise the state driving rules with New York practice drivers tests before you go in for the real thing.

New York Drivers License Test Requirements

Since taking a drivers test is the final step of the application process, you will need to meet certain requirements before the Department of Motor Vehicles allows you to be tested. These requirements largely depend on your age, so we've broken them into two separate sections.

Under 18 Years of Age

If you are under age 18, you are subject to the the New York graduated driver's license law. This means that in addition to observing all rules that apply to older license applicants, you will also need to satisfy special requirements that were designed specifically for teenage drivers.

The first thing you should do is learn the state driving rules. There are a few ways to do so, you can either grab a free copy of the New York drivers test manual from the DMV and read the rules outlined there or you may sign up for an approved NYS driver's education class. Each way has its pros and cons, for example, if you choose to complete a drivers education class at this point, you will not have to take a 5 hour drivers safety course before you take the drivers license test.

Once you learn the rules, you need to take a New York drivers permit test. The test can be taken either at the DMV or at once of the high schools that participate in the DMV Online Knowledge Test Application (OKTA) program. Make sure you try couple of free drivers practice tests for NY before you hit the real thing.

Those who successfully pass the test are issued with a New York drivers permit. The permit allows you to start your driving practice. Please remember that this is not a full license and you need to observe all New York permit restrictions until you receive a driver's license. You must hold a permit for at least six months, complete a 5 hour pre-licensing course (if you chose not to take a drivers education program) and at least 50 hours of supervised driving with your parents/legal guardians. If these requirements are met, you are ready to schedule your New York drivers license test.

18 Years of Age and Older

If you are at least 18 years of age, the application procedure is quite similar to that for younger drivers, however, there is no minimum holding period and you are not required to complete a certain number of driving hours before scheduling your drivers test. Take the drivers permit test at the DMV, get your drivers permit, practice driving and schedule your drivers test as soon as you feel confident enough behind the wheel. Keep in mind that you must also observe all permit restrictions, that is, you cannot drive alone and must have a supervising driver with you at all times. You must also complete a 5-hour drivers safety course, unless you have already completed an approved drivers education class. Please note that there are no approved online drivers education courses in New York, so you will not be able to meet this requirement online.

Scheduling the Drivers License Test

Drivers license testing in New York is conducted per appointments only, walk ins are not allowed. If you want to make sure that you get a convenient date for the test, you have to schedule an appointment well in advance. There are a few ways to schedule your drivers test.

The most convenient option today is to schedule a driving test online, though the DMV website. Follow this link if you wish to do so.

If scheduling a driver's test appointment online is not an option for you, you may call the number for central scheduling, which is 1-(518)-402-2100. Unfortunately, not all DMV locations are introduced in this system, so this may not be the option for you.

Finally, if all else fails, you can always go down to your local motor vehicle office and schedule your NYS DMV driving test appointment personally. This may take a little more time than doing so online or on the phone, so this should be your final resort.

If you cannot make it to your appointment, make sure to call in and reschedule at least 24 hours before the appointment time.

Things to Bring / What to Expect

Please arrive for your drivers license test 5-10 minutes early, so you have time to have everything organized and prepared. You will be required to bring a vehicle for the test, the vehicle must be properly titled, insured and registered. The vehicle that you will be using for the test must be in good mechanical condition and have seat belts. If the instructor finds that the vehicle does not meet any of these requirements, you will have to reschedule the test for another date.

The DMV drivers license examiner will require you to present the following things before the test can begin:

• your learners permit
• certificate of completion for drivers education MV-285 or a 5-hour pre-licensing course certificate MV-278
• certificate of supervised driving MV-262 (if you are under 18 years of age)

Your New York drivers license test will be conducted on regular streets, so most of your practice hours should also be done in similar driving conditions. You may not practice driving in a DMV road test area or on any restricted roads. In New York City, these include any street within a park and all bridges and tunnels under the jurisdiction of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. In Westchester County, the streets and roadways you are prohibited from practice driving on include these parkways: Cross County, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill River, and Taconic State.

During the test, you will be required to prove that you have good control of your vehicle and are able to observe the driving rules at the same time. Here is a short list of things that can get you failed:

• Speeding
• Failure to obey traffic rules or road signs
• Failure to obey school zone rules
• Straddling marked lanes
• Driving too close to pedestrians, bicycles or vehicles
• Driving left to center
• Running off the roadway
• Having an incident or making a contact with another vehicle
• Failing to yield right of way

You will have two attempts to pass your New York drivers test. If you fail twice, you will be required to pay the drivers license testing fee again.

What's Next

Once you successfully pass the test for a New York drivers license, you are issued with a receipt that qualifies as a license. The receipt is valid for 90 days and your actual New York drivers license is mailed to you within a few weeks.

If you take the New York driving test before you turn 18, you will receive a junior drivers license and you will need to observe all NY provisional license restrictions until you get a full drivers license.