The New York permit test has 20 questions, and you need 14 correct (70%), including at least 2 of the 4 road sign questions, to pass. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-12.
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Key New York DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the New York handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free New York DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the New York handbook (last verified 2026-09-06).
Speed limits
- New York's general statutory maximum is 55 miles per hour where no other speed limit is posted. (Handbook, Chapter 8)
- New York City has a 25 mph speed limit unless another limit is posted. (Handbook, Chapter 8)
- New York describes roundabouts as designed to restrict vehicle speed within the circle to 30 mph or less. (Handbook, Chapter 8)
- A New York work area may have a posted speed limit as low as 25 MPH, or 40 km/h. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
- Speeding in a work zone is its own line on New York's point table and carries 8 points, the same as going 31 to 40 mph over the limit elsewhere. (Handbook, Chapter 2)
Right of way
- A U-turn is prohibited near a hilltop, curve, or other location where drivers cannot see your vehicle from 500 feet in either direction. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
- At an intersection not controlled by signs or signals, or where two drivers at right angles stop at stop signs at the same time, New York gives priority to the vehicle on the right. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
- A green signal permits movement but does not give a left-turning driver an unrestricted path across opposing traffic. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
- New York requires every driver approaching an intersection or crosswalk to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk or when danger to the pedestrian is present. (Handbook, Chapter 11)
- A driver who has already entered the intersection has priority over a driver who is just approaching it. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
Alcohol and DUI
- For a driver under 21, conviction for an alcohol or drug-related violation listed in the manual results in a minimum one-year license revocation. (Handbook, Chapter 2)
- New York treats a BAC of more than .05 percent as legal evidence that the driver is impaired. (Handbook, Chapter 9)
- The New York DWI category begins at a BAC of .08 or higher. (Handbook, Chapter 9)
- Aggravated DWI applies at .18 BAC or higher in New York. (Handbook, Chapter 9)
- New York's Zero Tolerance rule suspends the license for six months when a driver under 21 is found with a BAC from .02 to .07. (Handbook, Chapter 2)
Signals and markings
- New York requires a turn or lane-change signal at least 100 feet before the maneuver. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
- To avoid a last-minute lane change, check the exit signs early, get into the correct lane ahead of time, and signal your exit at least 100 feet before you reach the exit ramp. (Handbook, Chapter 10)
- A flashing yellow signal tells the driver to slow down and proceed with caution. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
- A steady yellow signal warns that the light is about to turn red. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
- New York permits movement toward the green arrow while the red light is showing, but only when the intersection is clear. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
Parking
- The final parallel-parking position must leave the wheels no more than one foot, or 30 centimeters, from the curb. (Handbook, Chapter 7)
- You cannot park, stop or stand within 15 feet, about 5 meters, of a fire hydrant unless a licensed driver remains in the vehicle to move it in an emergency. (Handbook, Chapter 7)
- New York bars parking within 20 feet, about 6 meters, of a fire station driveway, and within 75 feet, about 23 meters, on the opposite side of the road. (Handbook, Chapter 7)
- You cannot park your vehicle within 50 feet, about 15 meters, of a railroad crossing, and the manual separately tells drivers not to stop on the tracks. (Handbook)
- New York bars parking or standing within 30 feet of a traffic light, STOP sign, or YIELD sign. (Handbook, Chapter 7)
Safe driving
- When a stopped school bus flashes red lights, traffic from either direction must stop at least 20 feet away. (Handbook, Chapter 6)
- Flashing red lights, a lowered gate, or a bell at a railroad crossing requires stopping at least 15 feet from the tracks. (Handbook, Chapter 10)
- New York requires low beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. (Handbook, Chapter 10)
- The manual says headlights cover about 350 feet ahead and advises driving at a speed that allows a stop within that distance. (Handbook, Chapter 10)
- A bicycle used at night must show a headlight visible from at least 500 feet ahead and a red taillight visible from at least 300 feet behind. (Handbook, Chapter 11)
Road signs
- At sixty miles per hour, the distance shown on a Road Work 1,500 feet sign can be covered in about seventeen seconds. (Handbook, Chapter 8)
- A red circle with a slash is a regulatory sign design that indicates the pictured action is not allowed or that some vehicles are restricted from the road. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
- New York lists the School Crossing sign among the road signs drivers must know, and it shows two people crossing a road. (Handbook, Road Signs)
- Yellow diamond-shaped signs are warning signs that alert drivers to special hazards or changing road conditions ahead. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
- A red octagon is the STOP sign, which requires a full stop before the stop line, crosswalk, or intersection as applicable. (Handbook, Chapter 4)
Laws and paperwork
- The New York written test asks 20 questions. (Handbook, Chapter 1)
- A learner permit driver must practice with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old. (Handbook, Chapter 1)
- A New York junior learner permit holder cannot drive with more than one passenger under age 21. (Handbook, Chapter 1)
- New York imposes a 60-day suspension when a junior permit or license holder is convicted of a serious traffic violation worth three points or more. (Handbook, Chapter 2)
- At age 17, the junior license can be changed to a senior Class D license when the driver has completed a state-approved high school or college driver education course. (Handbook, Chapter 1)
Emergencies
- New York requires a DMV report for a traffic incident or crash involving $1,000 or more in damage to the property of any one person. (Handbook, Chapter 12)
- In New York, any crash involving $1,000 or more in damage to the property of any one person must be reported to the DMV on form MV-104, and the report is due within 10 days of the event. (Handbook, Chapter 12)
- Crash reports ride form MV-104: the Report of Motor Vehicle Crash is available at motor vehicle offices, most insurance agents, and the DMV website under Forms. (Handbook, Chapter 12)
- The manual's first step for a brake pedal that suddenly goes to the floor is to pump the pedal to try to increase pressure. (Handbook, Chapter 10)
- New York drivers must yield to an approaching emergency vehicle by pulling as far right as practical and stopping. (Handbook, Chapter 5)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 17 short lessons quoted from the New York manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free New York DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see New York DMV facts and fees before test day.