In New York, all drivers, regardless of age, must obtain an instruction permit before applying for a driver’s license. For an instruction permit, you must be at least 16 years of age and pass two official tests: a vision test and a knowledge (permit) test on driving theory. If you’re under 18, you must also provide signed consent from a parent or guardian.
You must complete a driver training course before you take the road test for a license. You have two options: a 5-hour Zoom or classroom pre-licensing course on driving theory (typically offered by commercial driving schools) or a more comprehensive 48-hour driver education course offered by your high school or college. If you’re under 18, then before the road test, you must also practice supervised driving for at least 50 hours, including at least 15 hours after sunset.
You may take the permit test online or at a DMV office. If you’re a high school student, your school may also be authorized to administer the test. All questions on the knowledge test are based on information in the official New York DMV driver’s 2025 handbook (New York DMV Handbook (NY Driver's Manual) 2025). The DMV currently publishes versions of this manual in nine languages, of which we currently offer two for your convenience: English and Spanish. These versions of the manual can be easily downloaded from this webpage in PDF format.
We have also created an audiobook of the English version of the official driver’s manual. It’s formatted as a downloadable series of eleven MP3 files, one for each chapter of the handbook: Driver Licenses, How to Keep Your License, Owning a Vehicle, and so on. The longest chapter is Chapter 1: Driver Licenses, whose running time is 34 minutes and 30 seconds. The total running time of this audiobook is approximately 3 hours, 13 minutes, and 32 seconds, so you should be able to go through the whole thing in a few days. Try listening to an audiobook file while you follow along with the text of the PDF version. This technique can help you concentrate on the material.
In addition to the official handbook, we also offer our own permit test study guide (available elsewhere on this website) to help you get ready for the day of your New York knowledge test. It addresses how to prepare your mind and body to ace the test, what documents to take to the DMV, fees you may have to pay, and frequently missed test questions.