Teen and Novice Drivers: New York
Full Privilege Minimum Age
17 years with driver's ed.
18 years without driver's ed.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs allow young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges. Most programs include three stages:
During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. The programs and types of restrictions vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on GDL laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office (SHSO).
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and SHSOs.
Last updated in May 2024. Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2024.
16 years, 6 months
15
10 days
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
6
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
16 years, 9 months
15 / 6
17 years
15
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: no more than one passenger under 20
18 years
15 15 / 6 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Remainder: no more than 3 passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15 / 6
9
45 (15)
16 / 3
Midnight - 4 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement) Thereafter: no more than 3 under 21 under certain conditions (secondary enforcement)
None
16
None
None
None
None
None
No restriction
First 3 months: no passengers Second 3 months: no passengers except family (secondary enforcement
16 years, 6 months
15
12
40 (10)
16
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
18
40 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers (secondary enforcement)
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
No more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15
6
17 years
15
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
14
275* days (or 180 days after passing driver's ed.)
*effective July 1, 2021
50 (10 at night and 10 in inclement weather)*
*effective July 1, 2021
14 + minimum of 6 months
10 p.m. - 6 a.m. (exemption for going directly to or from school event, work or church event and driving agricultural machinery)*
*effective July 1, 2021
No passengers outside of household for first 6 months; 1 passenger outside of household after 6 months.*
*effective July 1, 2021
16 years
16 years, 6 months
15
6
40 (10)
15 / 6
EST: 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT: 8 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 2 under 21 unless to/from school
17 years, 6 months
16
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 18
17 years with driver's ed. and 12 months free of crash or conviction 18 without driver's ed.
16
6
65 (10) + 5 in inclement weather
16 / 6
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
17 years
15
6
50; 100 without driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: No more than 3 passengers under 20
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
16 years, 6 months with driver's ed. 17 years without driver's ed.
15 / 6 with driver's ed; 15 without driver's ed
6
50 (10)
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
Age 16: Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months, no more than 1 unless supervised
None
None
n/a
n/a
n/a
16
15 / 6
16 years
14
12 for drivers under 16; otherwise, 6 months or until age 18 (whichever comes first)
50 for drivers under 16; otherwise none
16; 15 for a parent-requested restricted license (restricted license may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents or legal guardian and may not drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends)
Sunset or 9 p.m. (whichever is later) - 5 a.m.
No restriction (other than vehicle manufacturer recommendations)
16 years, 6 months
15
6
60 (10) during Learner Stage 2 (6) during Intermediate Stage
16
9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21; if passenger under 21 is family, no other non-family passengers under 21
17 years with driver's ed. 18 years without driver's ed.
16
6
50 (15)
16 / 6
9 p.m. - 5 a.m. except NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised allowed)
No more than 1 under 21
16 years, 6 months
15
6
50 (10)
15 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 (exception limited to drivers' dependents)
18 years
16
6
None
17
Nighttime driving: 17 years, 1 month Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
None
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 4 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 25
50 (10); 100 (10) if driver's ed not offered within 30 miles
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 (secondary enforcement)
14 / 6
6
50 (10)
15
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 18
16 years
18 years
15
6
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 19
18 years
15
12
None
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fri-Sat: 11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m.
None
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 20 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 20
Nighttime driving: 16 years, 6 months Driving with passengers: 17
15
6
50 (15) or 40 (15) if parent completes 90 minute class
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
17 years
14 / 9
6
50 (10)
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
16 / 6
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement 12:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. - 5 a.m.)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
16
6
40; 30 with advanced driver training
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 11 months
15 / 9
9
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 5 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
6
70 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 270 days: no passengers
16 years
15
17 years
15
6
50 (15)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21 between 6 p.m. - 5 a.m.
17 years
16
6
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 under 20 unless supervised by instructor (secondary enforcement)
16 years, 6 months
14
12
50 (10)
16 (at 15, can drive without supervision to and from work or school)
First 6 months: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 non-sibling
17 years
14
12
20 (2) during Learner Stage 10 (2) during Intermediate Stage
16
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18, parents may waive
First 180 days: 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. After 180 days: 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (Fri-Sat)
First 180 days: no passengers
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 9 months with drivers ed.; 17 years, 3 months without driver's ed.
15 with driver's ed. 16 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16 / 3 with driver's ed. 16 / 9 without driver's ed.
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15
9
50 (10)
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m Fri-Sat: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 20
50 (10)
15
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 17
Nighttime driving: 16 Driving with passengers: 15 years, 6 months
14 / 6
6
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
No data
16
No data
No data
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than 1 passenger under 21 Thereafter: No more than 3 passengers (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15
12
40 (6); 0 with behind the wheel training
16
18 years
15
12
50 (10)
16
Age 16: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
None
40 (10 in intermediate stage)
16 / 6
September through June: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); Midnight - 6 a.m. (Fri-Sat) July through August: midnight - 6 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers Thereafter: No more than 2 passengers under 21
18 years
16
6
17 years
16
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 (law also includes a seat belt provision: if a teen driver w/ permit or their passenger <18 is found unbelted, the permit holder's license suspended for 2 months)
16
4 with driver's ed 6 without driver's ed
40
16 / 4
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers except parents or instructor Second 6 months: no passengers except parents, instructor or immediate family
Nighttime Driving: 18 Driving with Passengers: 17 years, 4 months
17 years
15 with driver's ed 15 / 6 with driver awareness program 16 without driver's ed. or program
12
50 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than one passenger (secondary enforcement)
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: No passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement) unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is the licensee’s parent or guardian, a licensed driver who is 25 years or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.
No more than 1 under 21
18 years
14
6
None
16
11 p.m. - 4 a.m.
16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
30 (10); 20 (6) with defensive driving course; 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 (secondary enforcement)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 21
16 years, 6 months
14
6
40 (10)
17
15
6
50; 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
Full Privilege Minimum Age
17 years with driver's ed.
18 years without driver's ed.
Full Privilege Minimum Age
16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
18 years
Full Privilege Minimum Age
Nighttime driving: 17 years, 1 month
Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
Nighttime driving: 18 years
Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
Nighttime driving: 17 years
Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
Full Privilege Minimum Age
16 years
Full Privilege Minimum Age
18 years
Full Privilege Minimum Age
18 years
Full Privilege Minimum Age
Nighttime driving: 16 years, 6 months
Driving with passengers: 17