New York NY DMV · Quick Reference 2026

New York NY DMV Test Cheat Sheet

Every key number, rule, and fact from the New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21) — on one page. Bookmark it or print it.

🏎️ Speed Limits

NY default (no posted limit)55 mph

NYC default (unless posted)25 mph

Major NY highway / Thruway65 mph (posted)

Roundabout30 mph or less

Work zone (posted min)25 mph

School zone (when signed)Obey posted sign

Over 40 mph over limit11 points

Work zone speeding8 points + doubled fine

💡 55 mph is the default when no sign is posted. NYC is the big exception at 25 mph. Posted limits are for ideal conditions — slow down for rain, snow, fog, or heavy traffic (MV-21 ch. 8, p. 47).

🅿️ Parking Distances

From fire hydrant15 feet MEMORIZE

From crosswalk at intersection20 feet

From fire station driveway20 ft same / 75 ft opposite

From stop sign / yield / signal30 feet

From railroad crossing50 feet

From curb (parallel parking)12 inches max

From a pedestrian safety area30 feet

Sidewalk, crosswalk, bridge, tunnel, driveway, or intersectionNever — always prohibited

🍺 Alcohol & DWI Laws

BAC — drivers 21+ (DWI)0.08%+

BAC — DWAI (impaired)0.05% – 0.07%

BAC — Aggravated DWI0.18%+

BAC — under 21 (Zero Tolerance)0.02% Zero Tolerance

BAC — CDL / commercial0.04%

Refuse test (1st)Min 1-yr revocation + $500

Refuse — 2nd within 5 yrsMin 18-mo revocation + $750

1st DWI convictionMin 6-month revocation

DWAI 1st offense90-day suspension

Under-21 Zero Tolerance — 1st6-month suspension

⚠️ New York's Implied Consent Law: refusing a chemical test is a SEPARATE offense from DWI. The 1-year revocation + $500 civil penalty apply even if you are found not guilty of DWI (MV-21 ch. 9, pp. 56, 58).

⚖️ DWI Penalties (Adults)

Offense	Fine	Jail	License Action
DWAI (0.05–0.07 BAC)	$300–$500	Up to 15 days	90-day suspension
1st DWI (0.08+ BAC)	$500–$1,000	Up to 1 year	Min 6-month revocation
Aggravated DWI (0.18+ BAC)	$1,000–$2,500	Up to 1 year	Min 1-year revocation
2nd DWI (within 10 yrs)	$1,000–$5,000	Up to 4 yrs (Class E felony)	Min 1-year revocation
3rd+ DWI (within 10 yrs)	$2,000–$10,000	Up to 7 yrs (Class D felony)	Min 1-year revocation

📏 Key Distances & Rules

Turn/lane-change signal100 feet before

Following distance2-second rule

Following — bad weather / trucks3–4 seconds

School bus stop distance20 feet minimum

No passing near RR crossing100 feet

No passing near bridge/tunnel100 feet

No passing — oncoming car within200 feet

Dim high beams (oncoming)Within 500 feet

Dim high beams (following)Within 200 feet

Headlights — visibility thresholdCan't see 1,000 ft ahead

Headlight hours30 min after sunset – 30 min before sunrise

RR crossing — stop distance15 feet minimum from tracks

Don't follow emergency vehicleWithin 500 feet (lights on)

U-turn — no visibility within500 feet either direction

💡 Two-second rule: pick a fixed object. When the car ahead passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two." Reach it before you finish the count = you're following too closely (MV-21 ch. 8, p. 47).

🔷 Sign Shapes

Shape	Meaning	Example
Octagon (8 sides)	STOP	Stop sign
Inverted triangle	YIELD	Yield sign
Diamond	WARNING	Curves, merges, hills
Pentagon (5 sides)	SCHOOL	School zone/crossing
Circle	RAILROAD	Advance RR warning
Pennant	NO PASSING	No passing zone (left side)
Vertical rectangle	REGULATORY	Speed limits, rules
Horizontal rectangle	GUIDE	Directions, distances
Crossbuck (X)	RR CROSSING	At the crossing itself

🎨 Sign Colors

Color	Meaning
🔴 Red	Stop, yield, do not enter, prohibition
⬜ White	Regulatory — rules and laws
🟡 Yellow	Warning — hazards ahead
🟢 Green	Guide — directions, distances
🔵 Blue	Services — gas, food, hospital
🟠 Orange	Construction / work zone
🟤 Brown	Parks, recreation, historic
💛 Yellow-Green	Pedestrian, school, bicycle

↗️ Right-of-Way Rules

→At a 4-way stop: first to arrive goes first. If tied, driver on the RIGHT goes first.
→At an uncontrolled intersection: yield to the vehicle on the RIGHT.
→Turning left: always yield to oncoming straight-through traffic.
→Entering from alley, driveway, or private road: stop and yield to ALL traffic.
→At a T-intersection (no signs): the vehicle on the terminating road yields.
→Pedestrians in a crosswalk: ALWAYS yield — marked or unmarked.
→Emergency vehicles with lights/sirens: pull to the RIGHT and stop.
→Blind pedestrian with a white cane or guide dog: ALWAYS yield the right-of-way, even against normal traffic rules (MV-21 ch. 11, p. 67).

🚌 School Bus Rules

→Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with red flashing lights on ANY road (both directions) in New York.
→NO exception for divided highways — you must stop even if the bus is on the opposite side of a divided highway with a median. This rule applies to all roadways in New York State.
→Yellow flashing lights = warning the bus is about to stop. Slow down; do not try to pass.
→1st-offense penalty: $250–$400 fine, up to 30 days in jail, 5 license points. Three passing-a-school-bus convictions within 3 years = revocation (MV-21 ch. 6, p. 40; ch. 2, pp. 21, 22).

🎓 Teen / GDL Laws

Minimum age for permit16

Hold permit minimum6 months before road test

Pre-Licensing Course (MV-278)5 hours required

Supervisor age21+ (licensed for that vehicle)

Supervisor seatFront passenger seat

Junior License (Class DJ)16–17

Full Class D age18, or 17 with driver ed

Junior night curfew9 PM – 5 AM (varies by region)

Junior — NYC drivingNot allowed except with instructor

Junior passenger restrictionMax 1 non-family under 21

Junior cell phone/texting120-day suspension 1st offense

Probation after road test6 months (2 violations = 60-day suspension)

🛡️ Child Restraint & Safety Belts

Under age 2Rear-facing safety seat

Under age 4Federally approved child safety seat

Ages 4–7Booster seat + lap/shoulder belt

Ages 8–15Seat belt (one per person)

Age 16+Seat belt required

Driver + passenger 16+ fineUp to $50 each

Seat belt enforcementPRIMARY — police can stop you for a belt violation alone. Each unrestrained passenger under 16 = $25–$100 fine + 3 points on driver (MV-21 ch. 8, pp. 48–49).

🏦 Insurance & Financial Responsibility

Bodily injury (per person)$25,000

Bodily injury (per accident)$50,000

Property damage (per accident)$10,000

Death (per person/accident)$50,000 / $100,000

No-fault PIP (basic)$50,000 per person

Proof of insuranceNew York requires continuous liability, no-fault (PIP), and uninsured motorist coverage on all registered vehicles. Insurance ID card (FS-20/FS-21) required when driving (MV-21 ch. 3).

📋 License Fees & Administration

First driver licenseUp to 5 years, on birth month/day

Permit / license feeBased on age + date of birth

Application MV-44Complete at DMV office

New resident deadline30 days to get NY license

Address change deadlineWithin 10 days

License retained by DMV after out-of-state moveMust surrender out-of-state license

Organ donor registryEnroll at donatelife.ny.gov or sign the box on your MV-44. Must be 16+ (MV-21 p. 3).

🚗 Other Must-Know Rules

→Hand-held cell phone while driving: ILLEGAL for all drivers — $200 fine + 5 license points on 1st offense. Junior license = 120-day suspension (MV-21 ch. 8, p. 52).
→Texting, emailing, browsing, or any portable electronic device use while driving: illegal for all drivers — 5 points on license.
→Headlights required from 30 min after sunset to 30 min before sunrise, in rain/snow/sleet/fog, and when you cannot see 1,000 ft ahead. If wipers are on for weather, headlights must be on.
→Hill parking: downhill = turn wheels TOWARD the curb. Uphill with a curb = turn wheels AWAY from the curb. Uphill with no curb = turn wheels TOWARD the edge of the road.
→U-turns: illegal if drivers cannot see your vehicle from 500 ft in either direction; illegal in NYC business districts and in school zones; never on a limited-access expressway (MV-21 ch. 5, p. 37).
→Rear-wheel skid: ease off the gas, steer in the direction the rear end is going (toward the skid). Front-wheel skid: ease off the gas, straighten the wheel, wait for grip, then steer (MV-21 ch. 10, p. 64).
→NY point system: 11+ points in 24 months = license suspension. Speeding 1–10 over = 3 points; 11–20 = 4; 21–30 = 6; 31–40 = 8; 40+ = 11 points (MV-21 ch. 2, p. 22).
→Move Over Law: on a multi-lane road you must leave the lane next to any stopped emergency or hazard vehicle with flashing lights when safe to do so (MV-21 ch. 5, p. 35).

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