NewYork Drivers Education

If you are under the age of 18 but over the age of 16, you are eligible to obtain a junior drivers license in the state of New York. It is important that you be aware of all of the laws that apply in New York as if you have a permit from another state, or a license from another state and are under 18, you may not be allowed to drive in New York

You must be age 16 or over to drive in NYS. If you have a learner permit or a driver license from another state, you are not exempt from this rule. Drivers under the age of 18 must obey the restrictions described in the DMV brochure, Learner Permits and Junior Licenses.  An out-of-state driver under the age of 18 must also obey all restrictions of the state that issued the driver license.
 

New York implemented a Graduated Drivers Licensing program in 2003 which affects how drivers under the age of 18 ("junior drivers") receive senior driving privileges and changes the restrictions on junior drivers.

You cannot operate a vehicle that has more than two passengers who are under the age of 21 unless a parent, a guardian, or a driving instructor also rides in the vehicle. There is an  exception to this rule if the passengers are immediate family members.

When the law requires you be supervised, only the supervising driver can ride in the front seat and they must be 21 years of age or older and must have a valid driver license.

All passengers that ride with you must use the correct safety restraints (seat belts, child safety seats, or child restraint systems).

You must have your learners permit and when attending your road test you must also present a completed form MV-262 (Certification of 20 Hours of Supervised Driving).  The form certifies that you have had a minimum of 20 hours of supervised driving experience and that the supervising driver was a driver qualified by the law to supervise you. Your parent or a legal guardian must also sign form MV-262.

The DMV will issue a limited-use junior license to you once you have passed a road test during the first six months after the learner permit was issued at which time you are allowed to drive without supervision during specific hours of the day and within specific geographical boundaries. A supervising driver must supervise the junior driver at all other times. Six months after your learner permit was issued, the DMV will issue a normal junior license to replace the limited-use junior license.