How many practice hours do you need in New York?
In New York, a learner driver must log 50 hours of supervised driving practice—including 15 at night—before applying for a license.
New York learner permit requirements
- Minimum permit age: 16
- Supervised practice required: 50 hours total, 15 at night (what counts as night driving)
- Permit hold period: 6 months
- License eligibility age: 16½
- How hours are certified: Certification of Supervised Driving (form MV-262), signed by a parent or guardian. DriveMint fills in the MV-262 from your logged drives (see every state form).
New York requires 50 hours of supervised practice with at least 15 at night. Junior license (Class DJ) rules differ sharply inside and outside New York City and by region.
When can you drive with a permit in New York?
A New York learner permit holder can drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a licensed supervisor who is 21 or older. After 9 p.m., only upstate permit holders may keep driving, and only with a parent, guardian or driving instructor. On Long Island and in New York City, permit holders can't drive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. at all.
Any licensed driver 21 or older can supervise.
Only with a parent, guardian, or driver ed or driving school instructor.
A parent, guardian, driving instructor, or an adult the parent authorizes in writing.
Not allowed.
A parent, guardian or driving instructor, in a car with dual brakes.
Not allowed.
- Upstate means every county outside New York City and Long Island. Every supervisor must be 21 or older and licensed for the vehicle, and "guardian" includes anyone acting in place of a parent.
- At any hour, permit holders can't drive on streets inside New York City parks, on Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority bridges and tunnels, on the Cross County, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill River or Taconic State parkways in Westchester, or in a DMV road test area.
- The supervising driver is the only person allowed in the front seat. No more than one passenger under 21 may ride, unless they're immediate family or the supervisor is a parent, guardian or driving instructor.
The 15 night hours count driving after sunset, not after 9 p.m. On Long Island and in NYC, where permit holders must be off the road by 9 p.m., that means practicing between sunset and 9. Winter makes it easy: sunset is before 5 p.m. in December, versus about 8:30 p.m. in late June.
Checked against NY DMV: Learner permit restrictions in October 2026. Limits after the road test are under restrictions for new drivers.
Requirements change and have exceptions. Always confirm the current rules with the New York DMV before applying.
New York's graduated licensing stages
Drive only with a supervising driver 21+; complete 50 hours of practice (15 at night) and a pre-licensing course.
Regional time, passenger, and NYC restrictions apply.
Junior restrictions are removed.
Driving restrictions for new New York drivers
Upstate (including Westchester), a junior license holder can't drive 9 p.m.–5 a.m. unless supervised by a parent, guardian or driving instructor, or driving directly between home and work or a school course. Long Island is stricter, and junior license holders can't drive in New York City at all.
With a junior license you may carry no more than one passenger under 21, unless they're immediate family or your supervising driver is a parent, guardian or driving instructor.
Handheld phone use is banned for all drivers; learner and junior permit holders should avoid any device use while driving.
Log every New York practice hour automatically
DriveMint tracks each supervised drive, separates day and night hours, and generates a PDF you can print or show at the DMV. Prove all 50 hours without a paper logbook falling apart in the glove box.
New to DriveMint? Watch the one-minute video guides, from setup to a signed log.
New York driving practice FAQs
How many driving hours do you need in New York?+
New York requires 50 hours of supervised driving practice, including 15 hours at night, before a teen can apply for a license.
What time can you drive with a permit in New York?+
In New York, a learner permit holder can drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a supervising driver who is 21 or older and licensed for the vehicle. On Long Island and in New York City that supervisor must be a parent, guardian or driving instructor (on Long Island, also an adult the parent authorizes in writing), and NYC also requires a car with dual brakes. After 9 p.m. it depends on where you are: upstate, which includes Westchester, you can drive until 5 a.m. only with a parent, guardian or driving instructor; in New York City and on Long Island, permit holders can't drive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. at all.
Why do New York's driving rules depend on where I live?+
Permit and junior license rules differ for New York City (the five boroughs), Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk), and the rest of the state, which the DMV calls upstate and which includes Westchester. The hours you may drive and who may supervise change between the three.
Can a junior license holder drive in New York City?+
No. A Class DJ junior license doesn't allow driving in New York City under any circumstances. A 17-year-old who completes an approved driver education course can get a senior (Class D) license instead, which has no NYC restriction.
Requirements in other states
Compare practice hours in all 50 states side by side, or read what actually counts as a night driving hour.