PermitoNew York permit test
The New York knowledge test has 20 questions and you need 14 correct to pass (70%). Source: dmv.ny.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
Test facts
| What | Number | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions on the test | 20 | dmv.ny.gov | |
| Pass mark | 70% (14 of 20 correct) | dmv.ny.gov | |
| Sign questions | At least 2 of the 4 sign questions must be correct, as well as the overall score. The sign questions are part of the total. | dmv.ny.gov |
New York laws and handbook points
Points from New York law and the New York driver handbook, each taken from one of our New York practice questions with its source. Practice material, not the state test.
Permits and graduated licensing
Which ticket adds the most points to a driver's record?
Answer: Passing a stopped school bus: 8 points. Passing a stopped school bus adds 8 points. That is more than tailgating, at 4 points, or a yield violation, at 3 points, because the risk to children getting on or off the bus is so high.
Other choices: Following too closely: 4 points. Tailgating is serious and adds 4 points, which is half of what passing a school bus adds. Failing to yield right of way: 3 points. A yield violation adds 3 points, the same as a stop sign or signal violation.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License.
Alcohol and drugs
A driver whose license was revoked three years ago for refusing a breath test is arrested again and refuses again. What is the minimum revocation?
Answer: At least 18 months in all. A second refusal less than five years after an earlier alcohol, drug, or refusal revocation brings at least 18 months. The longer penalty stops repeat offenders from dodging the test.
Other choices: At least six months, as for a first DWI. Six months is the first DWI revocation, not the penalty for a repeat refusal. At least one year, as before. One year is the first-refusal minimum; a repeat within five years raises it to 18 months.
Sources: VTL 1194; Driver handbook, Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License.
Insurance
What is the least property damage coverage New York requires?
Answer: $10,000 for any one incident. New York requires at least $10,000 of property damage coverage for any one incident. Injury and death coverage have higher minimums of their own, so a driver needs all three kinds.
Other choices: $50,000 per incident, the death figure. $50,000 is the death minimum for one person, or the injury minimum for two or more people. $5,000 per incident, as in some states. $5,000 is a lower figure than New York sets, so a policy at that level would not meet the law.
Speed and following distance
A heavy rain forces you to run your windshield wipers. Do you need to turn on your headlights?
Answer: Yes, whenever wipers are needed for rain, snow, or sleet. Headlights are required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and whenever wipers are needed for rain, snow, or sleet. They help other drivers see you in poor light.
Other choices: No, daytime running lights are enough. Daytime running lights are not headlights and may not light your tail lights. Yes, but only on highways with high speeds. The rule applies on every road, not only on highways.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 10: Special Driving Conditions.
Parking
Your grandmother has a disability parking permit, but you are driving alone. May you use a reserved space?
Answer: No, the permit holder must be in the vehicle. Spaces for people with disabilities may be used only by a vehicle with the right plates or permit while the permit holder is in the vehicle. The rule keeps these spaces free for those who need them.
Other choices: Yes, because the car carries her permit. The permit belongs to the person, not the car; without her aboard the space is not yours. Yes, if you will be only a few minutes. The time you stay does not matter; the rule is about whether the permit holder is in the vehicle.
Right of way
You are pulling out of a driveway onto a busy street. What must you do?
Answer: Stop, then yield to traffic. A vehicle leaving a driveway, alley, or private road must stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians. Drivers on the road do not expect cars to pull out.
Other choices: Go as soon as the first car passes. Going right after one car passes may cut off the next car, so wait for a safe gap. Merge slowly while cars brake. Merging while cars brake forces others to avoid you, and a driveway has no right of way.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns.
Sharing the road
How far from a school bus with red lights flashing should you stop?
Answer: At least 20 feet away from it. Drivers must stop at least 20 feet from a school bus that has red lights flashing. The gap gives children room to cross and gives you time to see them, so a short gap such as 10 feet is not enough.
Other choices: At least 50 feet away, as at rails. Fifty feet is the no-parking distance from rail crossings, not the school bus gap. At least 5 feet away, so the doors can open. Five feet is too close to the bus; children may cross in the gap and drivers need room to see them.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 6: Passing.
Emergencies
A front tire blows out on the highway. What should you do?
Answer: Hold the wheel firmly and ease off the gas. After a blowout, hold the wheel firmly and ease off the gas. Do not brake hard until the car is under control, since braking can cause a skid.
Other choices: Steer sharply to the shoulder. A sharp turn toward the shoulder can flip the car or send it into traffic. Turn off the engine at once. Turning off the engine can lock the steering and remove power assist.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 10: Special Driving Conditions.
Turns and lanes
You want to make a U-turn just below the crest of a hill. Oncoming drivers see you only from a short distance. May you?
Answer: No, you must be seen from 500 feet. A U-turn is illegal where other drivers cannot see your car from 500 feet in both directions, such as near a hill crest or a curve. They could not stop in time.
Other choices: Yes, if the road is wide enough there. A wide road does not help; the problem is that others cannot see you from far away. Yes, if you signal first and go slowly. A signal and slow speed do not create the long sight line that the law requires.
Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns.
Pavement markings
The center line has a solid yellow line on your side and a broken yellow line on the other side. May you pass?
Answer: No, only the broken side may pass. When a solid line is next to a broken line, only drivers on the broken-line side may pass. Many drivers look at the road ahead and forget to check which line is nearest them.
Other choices: Yes, but only on a straight section. A straight section does not help; the line on your side decides, not the road shape. Yes, whenever the road ahead is clear. The solid line is on your side, so the clear road does not give you permission.
- Questions in this list were last updated .
What the New York question bank covers
Questions in Permito’s New York bank, by topic. The counts describe the bank, not the state test.
| Topic | Questions in the bank |
|---|---|
| Road signs | 359 |
| Right of way | 58 |
| Alcohol and drugs | 56 |
| Sharing the road | 55 |
| Safe driving | 54 |
| Permits and graduated licensing | 50 |
| Turns and lanes | 44 |
| Speed and following distance | 43 |
| Emergencies | 36 |
| Pavement markings | 36 |
| Traffic signals | 36 |
| Parking | 24 |
| Insurance | 16 |
Where these numbers come from
Each number was read on the agency page linked beside it. The count of correct answers is the agency’s percentage, rounded up.
Practice
- Try the New York practice questions. Questions with the answer, the explanation and the source.
- Compare all states
Road signs
Sign questions are part of the New York bank too. The road sign reference shows every sign Permito teaches, with its name and what it means. See all road signs.
Common questions
How many questions are on the New York permit test?
The test has 20 questions. Source: dmv.ny.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
What score do I need to pass the New York permit test?
You need 14 correct answers out of 20, which is 70%. Source: dmv.ny.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
Do I have to get the sign questions right on the New York test?
You need at least 2 of the 4 sign questions correct, as well as the overall score. The sign questions are part of the total. Source: dmv.ny.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the agency page at dmv.ny.gov, which we checked on October 17, 2026. Permito is not part of any government agency.
Are the practice questions on Permito from the New York test?
No. They are our own practice questions, written from the New York driver handbook and vehicle code. Permito is not affiliated with any DMV or government agency.
You are 19 and passed your first road test last month. What status are you in?
Six months of probation. A new driver who is 18 or older is on probation for six months. A conviction for speeding or reckless driving in that time brings a 60-day suspension, then a new probation period starts. Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License.
A driver is arrested for DWI with her 12-year-old son in the car. What charge may apply?
A class E felony, because the child is under 16. Driving drunk with a passenger under 16 can be charged as a class E felony under Leandra's Law. A 12-year-old is covered, because the law protects children who cannot choose a sober driver. Sources: VTL 1192; Driver handbook, Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs.
A driver lost a license for having no car insurance. What must be paid first to get a new one?
$750 before reapplying. A driver whose license was revoked for having no insurance must pay a $750 civil penalty before DMV accepts a new application. The usual $100 reapplication fee is not required after this kind of revocation. Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License.
You follow a large truck in the rain on a highway. What gap is best?
Three or four seconds. Leave at least two seconds behind a car on dry roads. In rain or behind large trucks, increase the gap to three or four seconds, since wet pavement lengthens your stopping distance. Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 8: Defensive Driving.
A sign says NO STANDING. A passenger steps out to pick up a child, and you wait in the car. May you wait there?
Yes, if you only load or unload passengers and stay in the car. At a NO STANDING sign, a driver may stop only to load or unload passengers and must stay with the vehicle. Loading goods is allowed at NO PARKING signs, which is a milder rule. Sources: Driver handbook, Chapter 7: Parallel Parking.
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