New York Permit Practice Test

How to use this NY practice test

1. Take the 20 question exam-length practice test above once, untimed, to find your weak topics.
2. Work through the numbered 20 question sets below. Each one is fixed, so a second attempt is a fair comparison.
3. Read the explanation on every miss. The wording comes from the New York State Driver's Manual, which is what the examiners use.
4. Come back on a later day and retake the questions you missed. A score on questions you have not seen before tells you more than a repeat.

NY practice tests, 20 questions each

Fixed sets in a fixed order so you can retake one and compare your score.

1. Test 1
2. Test 2
3. Test 3
4. Test 4
5. Test 5
6. Test 6
7. Test 7
8. Test 8
9. Test 9
10. Test 10
11. Test 11
12. Test 12
13. Test 13
14. Test 14
15. Test 15
16. Test 16
17. Test 17
18. Test 18
19. Test 19
20. Test 20
21. Test 21
22. Test 22
23. Test 23
24. Test 24
25. Test 25

Printable NY practice test with answer key

20 sample practice questions from the NY bank

Every question below comes from the New York question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. Flashing red lights and a lowered gate are active at a railroad crossing. How far back must you stop?

   1. At least 30 feet from the tracks
   2. At least 3 feet from the tracks
   3. At least 15 feet from the tracks
   4. With the front bumper over the first rail
   Show answer

   At least 15 feet from the tracks. Flashing red lights, a lowered gate, or a bell at a railroad crossing requires stopping at least 15 feet from the tracks. Full explanation in Test 1

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

2. 2. May you enter to prepare a left turn?

   1. Enter on green if no one ahead plans a left
   2. Always wait behind the line
   3. Enter on red
   4. Rush through yellow
   Show answer

   Enter on green if no one ahead plans a left. Left-turn staging is allowed conditionally: on green, enter to prepare when no vehicle ahead plans a left turn. Full explanation in Test 2

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way, turns and U-turns

3. 3. A New York junior permit holder is driving with a supervising parent. Who may sit in the front passenger seat?

   1. Any licensed adult
   2. Any passenger wearing a seat belt
   3. A friend under 21, if the supervisor sits in back
   4. Only the supervising driver
   Show answer

   Only the supervising driver. New York keeps the front passenger seat for the supervising driver whenever a junior permit holder is at the wheel. Full explanation in Test 3

   Study this in the handbook: Learner permits, junior licenses and the written test

4. 4. What happens when you drive below a minimum speed limit?

   1. It improves traffic flow
   2. It is always safest
   3. It can halt traffic flow and create danger
   4. It saves fuel for all
   Show answer

   It can halt traffic flow and create danger. Minimum limits exist to keep traffic moving: driving slower than the posted minimum can halt the traffic flow and create a dangerous conditi Full explanation in Test 4

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, space cushion and work zones

5. 5. Outside New York City, when may you turn right at a steady red light?

   
   1. Immediately after slowing if no vehicle is close
   2. After a full stop, when the way is clear and no sign or marking prohibits the turn
   3. Only after waiting for a green arrow in every location
   4. Whenever the driver is turning from a one-way street
   Show answer

   After a full stop, when the way is clear and no sign or marking prohibits the turn. Outside New York City, you may turn right on a steady red after a complete stop, once you have yielded to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, Full explanation in Test 5

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights, lane lights and road lines

6. 6. Which vehicles display amber hazard lights?

   1. Snow plows, tow trucks, and towing rigs with amber or amber-blue warning lights
   2. Only ice cream trucks
   3. Snow plows and tow trucks, but not towing rigs with amber and blue lights
   4. School buses and mail trucks, but not snow plows or tow trucks
   Show answer

   Snow plows, tow trucks, and towing rigs with amber or amber-blue warning lights. Amber warns of work hazards: hazard vehicles like snow plows and tow trucks, plus towing rigs combining amber with rear blue, warn of possib Full explanation in Test 6

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way, turns and U-turns

7. 7. May you park on the striped space beside a reserved spot?

   1. Park there freely
   2. Use them for loading
   3. Never park on diagonal-stripe access spaces
   4. Motorcycles may use them
   Show answer

   Never park on diagonal-stripe access spaces. Striped spaces are wheelchair room: never park in the diagonal-striped spaces beside reserved areas, which provide access for wheelchairs an Full explanation in Test 7

   Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking and where you cannot park

8. 8. How many classes of limited-use motorcycles, commonly called mopeds, does New York recognize?

   1. Two: Class M and Class MJ
   2. Three: Class A, Class B, and Class C
   3. Four, based only on engine size
   4. One class with identical operating rules
   Show answer

   Three: Class A, Class B, and Class C. New York divides mopeds into three classes based on maximum performance speed. Full explanation in Test 8

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

9. 9. At a New York YIELD sign, when is a full stop required?

   1. At every approach, even when the intersection is clear
   2. When the vehicle behind you stops first
   3. When traffic conditions require it
   4. When a flashing yellow light accompanies the sign
   Show answer

   When traffic conditions require it. A YIELD sign calls for reduced speed and careful checking as you reach the intersection. Full explanation in Test 9

   Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

10. 10. May parking lights replace headlights?

    1. Yes, always
    2. Yes, in cities
    3. No, headlights do a better job
    4. Only in daylight
    Show answer

    No, headlights do a better job. Parking lights never substitute for headlamps: drivers must not use parking lights or daytime running lights as a replacement because headli Full explanation in Test 10

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

11. 11. How many motorcycles may ride side-by-side in one New York lane?

    1. Two motorcycles
    2. One motorcycle only
    3. Any number if they maintain the speed limit
    4. Three motorcycles
    Show answer

    Two motorcycles. New York permits two motorcycles to ride side-by-side in a single lane. Full explanation in Test 11

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

12. 12. How much room should you leave ahead?

    1. Enough room to stop if the leader stops suddenly
    2. One car length always
    3. No gap is needed
    4. A full mile of space
    Show answer

    Enough room to stop if the leader stops suddenly. Following distance has one job: leave enough room to stop safely if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. Full explanation in Test 12

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, space cushion and work zones

13. 13. What freezes first when snow begins to fall?

    1. Bridges, ramps, and overpasses
    2. Tunnels
    3. Parking garages
    4. Underpasses
    Show answer

    Bridges, ramps, and overpasses. Elevated pavement freezes first: when wintry precipitation begins, bridges, ramps, and overpasses ice before ordinary roadways because cold Full explanation in Test 13

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

14. 14. What is the usual speed limit on a New York expressway, and when can it be higher?

    1. Normally 55 mph, but it can be posted at 65 mph in some rural areas
    2. Normally 65 mph everywhere
    3. Normally 45 mph, raised to 55 mph at night
    4. Normally 70 mph in rural areas
    Show answer

    Normally 55 mph, but it can be posted at 65 mph in some rural areas. An expressway is a divided highway where traffic moves one way on two or more lanes, entered and exited by ramps. Full explanation in Test 14

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

15. 15. What movement is forbidden by the red-slash sign showing a left-turn arrow?

    
    1. Turning left where the sign is posted
    2. Driving straight through the intersection
    3. Changing lanes before the intersection
    4. Turning right after stopping at a red light
    Show answer

    Turning left where the sign is posted. The sign depicts a left turn with a red slash, so that particular movement is prohibited at the posted location. Full explanation in Test 15

    Study this in the handbook: Road signs you must know

16. 16. What does an inward-angling edge line mean?

    1. The road widens
    2. A parking area nears
    3. The road narrows ahead
    4. A hill nears
    Show answer

    The road narrows ahead. Angling edge lines warn of squeeze: an edge line bending toward the center shows the road narrows ahead. Full explanation in Test 16

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

17. 17. What do solid edge lines indicate?

    1. Lane centers
    2. Where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins
    3. Parking spaces
    4. Speed limits
    Show answer

    Where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. Edge lines mark pavement limits: solid side lines show where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. Full explanation in Test 17

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

18. 18. A New York driver who is 18 or older passes the road test. How long is the new license on probation?

    1. Six months
    2. One year
    3. There is no probation for adults
    4. Thirty days
    Show answer

    Six months. If you are 18 or older when you pass your road test, or you obtain a license after a revocation, you are on probation for six months. Full explanation in Test 18

    Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and probation

19. 19. What should you do at a broken traffic light?

    1. Stop as for a stop sign
    2. Speed through
    3. Ignore the intersection
    4. Turn around
    Show answer

    Stop as for a stop sign. Dead signals mean stop signs: when lights or controls are out of service or malfunctioning, drivers must stop as for a stop sign. Full explanation in Test 19

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

20. 20. A New York driver who got a license at age 19 is still in the six-month probation period and is convicted of speeding. What happens?

    1. Nothing beyond the fine and points
    2. The license is suspended for 60 days
    3. The license is revoked for one year
    4. Probation is extended by one week
    Show answer

    The license is suspended for 60 days. Drivers who are 18 or older when they pass the road test in New York start with six months of probation. Full explanation in Test 20

    Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and probation