How to get a driver license in New York
How to get a driver license in New York: obtaining a driver’s license in New York is an important step for those who want to gain independence and navigate the city without restrictions. The process involves several stages, from getting a learner’s permit to successfully passing the road test. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at all the steps needed to become a licensed driver in New York.
How to get a driver license in New York
Steps to Getting a Driver’s License in New York
- Sign up for a learning permit.
- Pass an online theory test.
- Go to the office with my documents, take a photo, and pay the fees.
- Go to a driving school and get a pre-licensing course certificate (MV-278).
- Schedule and pass the road test.
1. Getting a learning permit
Go to the NY DMV website and click on “Begin your online permit application”. This is kind of like a local traffic police or DMV website.
There is a detailed list of documents that will qualify you for a driver’s license.
You have to gather the documents to be eligible to take the test. I provided a photo: Social Security Number – SSN (if you don’t have one, you need a document to prove it), foreign driver’s license and NYC ID.
If you do not have the required documents, a foreign passport with an American visa will be fine, and a printed bank statement will prove your residence in New York.
After that, you must fill out the form:
Attach all documents and submit. After that, it becomes available for us to take an online theory test. The link to pass is sent to the mail.
2. Passing the theory exam
DMV-2024 app in the Appstore.
I used the DMV-2024 mobile app to prepare for the test. I found the test very easy, I answered 80% of the questions correctly without preparation. I repeated it three times and went to take the test on the official DMV website. I made only one mistake out of 50 questions.
3. DMV office in New York
After taking the test, I made an appointment with a visit to the DMV office. Good thing the closest available date was in a few days.
A notification came in the mail with a QR code to show at the entrance.
Arrive at the office at the appointed time.
There I filled out the form once again, as I don’t have a printer at home to print out the electronic version. And with the help of a QR code, I got my queue number.
It was my turn. I was asked for the original documents I uploaded when filling out the form. I had my eyesight checked and paid $77.50.
Everything took exactly 72 minutes and the temporary study permit is in my hands. The original of the license is mailed to me within 10 days.
Now you can enroll in a driving school to listen to a lecture and get a certificate to pass a driving test. Those who do not know how to drive can additionally take driving lessons with an instructor.
4. Getting MV-278 certificate
First, I went on Facebook and asked where I could get this certificate. They recommended a driving school in Brighton Beach, which is where I ended up going. The driving school told me that in order to get the MV-278 certificate, I needed to take a 5-hour course, online. I paid the $60 fee and drove home. The course is held in Zoom, and as I later realized, no one checks how closely you listen to it.
5. Register for and take the road test
When I got my certification, I immediately went to the DMV website to sign up for a road test to take the practical driving test. The closest date was literally two months away. The demand is insane.
Got a deal with a driving school to take the test in their car for $200. Yeah, yeah, the cost is ridiculous. But I had no other options, because all my friends with cars went out of town for the New Year holidays.
Better to ask someone you know to take the test in their car.
I failed my first road test. Currently it is allowed to get 30 penalty points, but I was given 40. As I analyzed later, I should have taken at least 1 lesson with an instructor to learn the peculiarities of passing the exam. This is important regardless of how long I have had my license and how well I can drive.
The YouTube video helped me in preparing for the retake.
I re-took the test and passed it two months later in my girlfriend’s car. My license should arrive in the mail in two weeks.
Total: $337.50.
- $77.50 — DMV paperwork.
- $60 – a five-hour theory course at the driving school.
- 200$ – road test in the driving school’s car.
Share this post with your friends who are also going to get a driver’s license in New York.
P.S. Good luck everyone. Get ready, and most importantly, don’t worry!
