FAQ

Before You Schedule Your Road Test

It normally takes several weeks from the date that you make your appointment to the date of the test. Make sure that you are ready for your road test before the date of your test.
Make sure you meet all of the requirements below before you schedule your road test online or by telephone. To make your road test appointment, you must have:
A valid NYS learner permit:

• Your permit must be valid on the date that you make your appointment, and
• Your permit must be valid on the date that you take your road test.

A valid form MV-278 pre-licensing course certificate or a valid form MV-285 driver education certificate.

• The 5-hour pre-licensing course for the MV-278 certificate is offered as an adult education course through most commercial driving schools and by other providers licensed by the DMV. Look in the telephone directory under “Driving Instruction.”
• A form MV-285 driver education certificate is available only if you complete a high school or college driver education course.
• Your MV-278 or MV-285 certificate must be valid on the date that you make your appointment, but can be expired on the date of your road test.
• An MV-278 certificate is valid for one year from the date it is issued. If your MV-278 certificate expires, you must complete another pre-licensing course to receive a valid certificate and to schedule a road test. An MV-285 certificate is valid for two years after the date it is issued.
• If you have a valid NYS driver license in another license class, you do not need a form MV-278 pre-licensing course certificate or an MV-285 driver education certificate.
• To apply for a CDL or a non-commercial Class C license, you must first pay a $40.00 feeonline, by telephone at 1-518-402-2100, or at a local DMV office. If you pay the CDL test fee at a local DMV office, you will receive a receipt. You must enter the receipt number when you schedule the CDL test appointment by telephone or online.

License Applicants Under Age 18 (Class DJ or MJ)
If you are under age 18, you must have six months of valid permit status from the date your permit is issued to the date of your road test. This is not required if you are age 17, you havecompleted driver education, and you have a form MV-285 driver education certificate.
You must also have the required number of hours of supervised driving practice.
If you are under age 18:

• You must have a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving before your road test with at least 15 hours at night (after sunset).
• You must bring to the road test Form MV-262 (Certification of Supervised Driving)completed by your parent or guardian to certify that you have had the required hours of supervised practice driving.

The DMV recommends that all learners have a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving before they take their road tests, with at least 15 hours at night (after sunset). It is also recommended that at least 10 hours of supervised practice driving be in moderate to heavy traffic.
Read about important changes to the NYS Graduated Driver License Law for junior drivers that have taken effect.

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