New York (NY) — graduated driver licensing: night, passenger and solo-driving rules
16, 6 months
The earliest age your teen may drive without an adult in the car — the intermediate (provisional) licence age. Night-time and passenger limits still apply until the points shown below. From the IIHS graduated-licensing table row quoted on the record page.
For New York (NY), intermediate minimum age is 16, 6 months; nighttime restriction is 9 p.m.-5 a.m. except for NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised driving); passenger restriction is no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; night restriction lifted is age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17); passenger restriction lifted is age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17), verified against its source on 2026-09-15.
- State
- NY verified
- State name
- New York our reading
- Learner minimum age
- 16 verified
- Mandatory holding period
- 6 months verified
- Supervised driving hours
- 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night verified
- Intermediate minimum age
- 16, 6 months verified
- Nighttime restriction
- 9 p.m.-5 a.m. except for NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised driving) verified
- Passenger restriction
- no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 verified
- Night restriction lifted
- age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17) verified
- Passenger restriction lifted
- age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17) verified
- Exceptions and footnotes
- Footnote 51: In the five boroughs of New York City, Class DJ or MJ junior license holders are prohibited from driving under all circumstances, regardless of where the license was obtained; therefore, there are no applicable passenger restrictions in the city. Unsupervised New York City driving may begin as early as age 17, provided that a Class D license has been obtained and a State Education Department approved Driver and Traffic Safety Education Course has been completed. In other words, a 17 year old driver may transition from completely supervised city driving to a full unrestricted license. On Long Island, Class DJ or MJ junior license holders are limited to driving between the hours on 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. only if traveling to work, school or driver education, proof is required. | Footnote 52: In New York, the minimum age for an unrestricted driver's license is 18 (17 if the applicant has completed driver education). New York has a passenger restriction that applies to permit holders and license holders younger than 18 (17 if the applicant has completed driver education). our reading
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
What the source says
NY | 16 | 6 months | 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night | 16, 6 months | 9 p.m.-5 a.m. except for NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised driving) Footnote 51 | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 Footnote 51 | age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17) Footnote 52 | age 17 with driver education; age 18 without (min. age: 17) Footnote 52
— iihs.org, retrieved 2026-09-02
Source
- iihs.orghttps://www.iihs.org/topics/teenagers/graduated-licensing-laws-table