TEENAGE DRIVERS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE: 

The Graduated License Law and Restrictions for Drivers under 18:

New York State requires young people under the age of 18 to progress through the phases of the State's Graduated Driver License Law (GDL). 

The GDL allows young drivers to gain experience and gradually display their safe driving ability. 

Along with the learner permit restrictions that apply to everyone, the Graduated License Law places restrictions on drivers 16 & 17 years of age who have a junior learner permit or junior driver license (Class DJ, MJ or DJMJ). 

These restrictions depend on whether you have a junior learner permit or a junior driver license and where and when you will be driving in NYS.

If you do not comply with these restrictions, your junior learner permit or junior driver license could be suspended or revoked for 60 days.

*Make sure to learn and obey the rules of the GDL.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles requires all Driver License Applicants aged 17 or under to have received at least 50 hours of supervised training with at least 15 hours at night (after sunset) and at 10 hours in moderate to heavy traffic in order to qualify to take the Road Test.

Students who complete an approved Drivers Education Program are exempt from this requirement but it does not reduce the importance of them receiving additional training.

If you are 16 or 17 years old at the time of the road test, and have a junior learner permit, you must present an MV-262Form (Certification of Supervised Driving*) to the DMV examiner at the time of the road test. The certificate must be signed by a parent guardian to certify that you have had the required hours of supervised driving.

Junior Learner Permit versus Junior Driver License:

• A junior learner permit allows a young driver to drive only while supervised.
• Depending on the region in which you are driving, a junior driver license, may allow a young driver to drive unsupervised with certain restrictions.
• You may drive outside NYS with your NYS junior learner permit or junior driver license if it is allowed by the laws of that state.
• You must obey the junior permit & license restrictions that apply to each state.
• An out-of-state driver under the age of 18 must also obey all restrictions of the state that issued the driver license.

NOTE:

If you are age 17, you can get a Senior Driver License (Class D or M) if:

You already have a junior driver license or limited junior driver license and completed a state-approved high school or college driver education course.

To change your junior license to a senior license:

• Bring your junior license and the Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285) that you received from your instructor to any DMV office.
• Return your certificate and junior license to receive the senior license.
• You can give your certificate with your junior permit to the license examiner at the time your road test.
• You will automatically receive a senior license when you become eligible.
• If you do not change your junior license to a senior license, you are subject to the restrictions for junior drivers until you are age 18, even if you have the completion certificate.

PERMIT:

You are not required to take the written test if you have.

If you are under the age of 18 your parent or your legal guardian must sign the consent section of your form MV-44 Application. Your parent or legal guardian can sign the form before you bring it to a DMV office.

Your parent or legal guardian is not required to go to the DMV office with you to sign form MV-44. You do not require consent if you are age 17 and you have.