How to pass the New York permit test the first time
Independent practice site. We're not the DMV and aren't connected to any government agency.
Find your weak topics before you start reading, and study those first, road signs above all. Learn the rules that look alike as pairs, side by side. Then bring back every question you miss on a later day, until you've got it right on two different days.
Every fact here comes from the New York State Driver's Manual. The pages are listed at the end, so you can check any of it.
Start with the free check-up to see which topics to study first. The free test takes about 5 minutes.
What the New York knowledge test is
It's the written part of getting your learner permit. It asks about the rules of the road, safe driving, road signs and the laws on alcohol and drugs.
The numbers to know
- 20Questions
- 14 rightTo pass
- 4, at least 2 rightRoad sign questions
- 20/40 in one eyeVision
- 16Youngest age for a permit
You need 14 of 20 right, and 2 of the 4 road sign questions right. Get only one sign question right and you fail, even with 14 right overall.
At the DMV you can take it on a touch-screen station or on paper, in several languages. Some high schools give it online to students 15 years and 11 months or older. The pass mark in this guide is the manual's, for the test at a DMV office. If you take the DMV's online test instead, check its own rules first.
What's on it: nine topics
The test covers the rules of the road, safe driving, road signs and the alcohol and drug laws. This site splits the manual's rules into nine topics.
Some topics are mostly about who does what, like who yields at a corner with no signs. Others are mostly numbers: distances, speed limits, BAC levels and fines. Those you have to memorize, and they're easy to swap.
Rules people often mix up
Many rules in the manual come in look-alike pairs: the same kind of situation with a different number. Learn each pair together, so you know which number goes with which.
Numbers that come in pairs
Low beams
- The bigger number
- Within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you
- The smaller number
- Within 200 feet of a vehicle you're following
Parking
- The bigger number
- 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection
- The smaller number
- 15 feet from a fire hydrant
Stopping
- The bigger number
- At least 20 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing
- The smaller number
- At least 15 feet from the tracks when a train is coming
| Low beams | Parking | Stopping | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The bigger number | Within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you | 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection | At least 20 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing |
| The smaller number | Within 200 feet of a vehicle you're following | 15 feet from a fire hydrant | At least 15 feet from the tracks when a train is coming |
BAC levels
What it's evidence of
- More than .05
- Impaired driving (DWAI)
- .08 or more
- Intoxication (DWI)
- .18 or more
- Aggravated DWI
| What it's evidence of | |
|---|---|
| More than .05 | Impaired driving (DWAI) |
| .08 or more | Intoxication (DWI) |
| .18 or more | Aggravated DWI |
The mix-up
Not quite: In Manhattan I can turn right on red after stopping, like anywhere else.
Right: In New York City you may not turn on a red light unless a sign allows it.
The mix-up
Not quite: A school bus on the other side of a divided highway doesn't concern me.
Right: You must stop for a school bus with red lights flashing even when it's on the opposite side of a divided highway.
The mix-up
Not quite: With no speed sign, 65 is fine on an open road.
Right: If no limit is posted, the most you may drive is 55 mph. In New York City it's 25 mph unless a sign says otherwise.
How to study in the days you have
A week before the test
- Take a practice test before you read anything, and note which topics you missed. Those are the ones you study first.
- Study your two or three weakest topics a day. Read their pages in the manual, answer questions on them, and read why each wrong answer is wrong.
- Keep a list of every question you miss, and try each one again on a later day. Cross it off once you've got it right on two different days.
- On each of the last three days, start with a full practice exam. Spend the rest of your time on the topic it shows is weakest.
- The day before, go over your list of misses, the road signs and the number pairs one last time. Don't start anything new.
With less time, keep the same order and squeeze it. With one evening, take a practice test, go over what you got wrong, the signs and the number pairs, and stop there.
What to bring
Before you leave
- A completed Application for Driver License (MV-44).
- Proofs of your name worth at least 6 points, one with your signature, in English or with a certified translation.
- Proof of your date of birth, such as a birth certificate or a U.S. passport.
- Your Social Security number.
- The fee. It depends on your age and date of birth.
- Your glasses or contacts if you need them: you need 20/40 vision in at least one eye.
After you pass
With your permit, you drive only with a supervising driver at least 21, licensed for the car, in the front seat with you.
Under 18, a junior permit has more limits: no driving from 9 PM to 5 AM in New York City or on Long Island, and no more than one passenger under 21 unless they're family. Before the road test you hold it 6 months and practice at least 50 hours, 15 of them after sunset.
Questions people ask
How many questions are on the New York permit test?
20. You need 14 right, and 2 of the 4 road sign questions right.
Can I fail on the road sign questions alone?
Yes. You must get at least 2 of the 4 sign questions right, whatever your total.
Can I take the New York permit test in another language?
Yes, the manual says the test is offered in multiple languages, on a touch screen or on paper. Ask the DMV which ones.
What do I bring to the permit test?
Your MV-44 application, proofs of name worth 6 points, proof of your date of birth, your Social Security number and the fee for your age.
Take the free 20-question test
20 questions from every topic, each with the answer explained and a link to the manual page. You need 14 right for 70%, the pass mark the DMV uses. Free, no sign-up.
Go deeper
Practice the rules in this guide
Each one has a free practice question with the answer explained.
Sources
New York State Driver's Manual
- Section 1, Driver Licenses: pages 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14
- Section 4, Traffic Control: page 31
- Section 6, How to Pass: page 40
- Section 7, Parallel Parking: page 43
- Section 8, Defensive Driving: page 47
- Section 9, Alcohol and Other Drugs: page 55
- Section 10, Special Driving Conditions: pages 61 and 63
Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026.
We read these sources and wrote this guide in our own words. The DMV has the final word, and rules change, so check anything important with the DMV before your appointment.