New York DMV Practice Test 2026

1. 100 feet
2. 25 feet
3. 15 feet
4. 10 feet

Correct answer: 15 feet. Even at a passive crossing marked only with a crossbuck sign, you must stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail in New York when a train is approaching.

1. Enter the lane anyway, since it sits in the center
2. Follow whichever car is ahead of you into that lane
3. Check the overhead signal before entering the lane
4. Assume the lane always flows toward downtown areas

Correct answer: Check the overhead signal before entering the lane. Because a reversible lane's direction changes with the overhead signal, you should confirm the current direction before entering, rather than guessing.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Lane Control, reversible lane

1. The lane closest to the right edge of the road
2. The center lane, since it works for any turn
3. It does not matter which lane you happen to use
4. The lane farthest away from the curb edge

Correct answer: The lane closest to the right edge of the road. Getting into the rightmost lane early keeps your path predictable and out of the way of drivers going straight or turning left from a different lane.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Turns p.62

1. Wait; do not begin crossing
2. Cross quickly before traffic arrives
3. Cross only if no cars are visible
4. Cross if you are in a hurry

Correct answer: Wait; do not begin crossing. A steady DON'T WALK signal means it is not legal to begin a new crossing; a pedestrian should wait for the WALK signal.

Source: California Driver Handbook, PDF p.42, Walk or Walking Person means it is legal to cross

1. Stop the vehicle completely and turn off the engine right away
2. Speed up to clear the work zone
3. Slow down and proceed carefully as directed
4. Turn around and use a different road

Correct answer: Slow down and proceed carefully as directed. This is the SLOW side of the flagger's stop/slow paddle. It tells drivers to reduce speed and proceed carefully through the work zone rather than stop.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Part 6E

1. Ignore it completely since it's not in your lane
2. Stop your vehicle next to it to offer help
3. Move over a lane, or slow down if you cannot
4. Turn on your high beams to see better

Correct answer: Move over a lane, or slow down if you cannot. Move-over laws generally require drivers to move over a lane away from a stopped vehicle displaying warning lights, or to slow down if changing lanes is not possible.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, Ch3-Move Over Law, p.35

1. Only when driving on a limited-access expressway or interstate highway system anywhere statewide
2. Only when the vehicle is legally parked overnight at a curb
3. Whenever weather conditions require using your windshield wipers, for rain, snow, sleet, or fog
4. Only when the vehicle is carrying one or more passengers

Correct answer: Whenever weather conditions require using your windshield wipers, for rain, snow, sleet, or fog. New York law requires headlights whenever weather conditions - rain, snow, sleet, or fog - require you to run your windshield wipers, regardless of the time of day.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, p.63, DRIVING IN RAIN, FOG OR SNOW

1. The driver and passengers, as defined by the state's seat belt law
2. Only the driver behind the wheel, no matter who else is riding along
3. Only front-seat occupants, never anyone riding in the back seat
4. Only passengers under the age of 12 sitting anywhere in the vehicle

Correct answer: The driver and passengers, as defined by the state's seat belt law. Seat belt laws generally require both the driver and covered passengers to buckle up, though the exact scope (all seats vs. front only) can vary by state.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Occupant Protection-Seat Belts p.27 - 'You and your passengers must wear seat belts...You can get a ticket if you do not.'

1. Stop-arm camera tickets are frequently challenged in court and are very rarely upheld under New York law
2. Only the school bus company itself can be fined, never the registered vehicle owner
3. Stop-arm cameras may legally be used only on interstate highways, not local roads
4. A 2019 law lets school districts and municipalities fine the vehicle's owner using stop-arm camera footage

Correct answer: A 2019 law lets school districts and municipalities fine the vehicle's owner using stop-arm camera footage. A 2019 New York law authorizes school districts and municipalities to use stop-arm camera footage to issue civil penalties directly to the vehicle's registered owner.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, p.41, stop-arm cameras

1. The refusal automatically dismisses the underlying DWI charge entirely
2. Refusal has no effect on the criminal case at all, only on the license
3. The refusal itself can be brought up as evidence when the driver is tried on the DWI charge
4. Refusal automatically upgrades the entire charge to a much more serious federal criminal offense

Correct answer: The refusal itself can be brought up as evidence when the driver is tried on the DWI charge. Prosecutors are allowed to mention the refusal itself as evidence during the trial on the underlying alcohol or drug-related charge.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, p.56, Chemical Tests

1. False
2. True

Correct answer: False. Whether New York has an extra, stricter phone rule specifically for drivers under 18 is: False.

1. Toward the center, into oncoming traffic
2. Straight ahead only, regardless of slope
3. It doesn't matter at all without a curb
4. Toward the edge, so it rolls off safely

Correct answer: Toward the edge, so it rolls off safely. Without a curb to stop the wheel, angling the wheels toward the road's edge means the car would roll off the road away from traffic if the brakes failed, rather than into travel lanes.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Parking-Parking on a Hill p.68 (no curb: turn wheels toward the shoulder)

1. Five feet
2. Six inches exactly
3. One foot (about 30 cm)
4. There is no maximum distance

Correct answer: One foot (about 30 cm). Once you're done parking, the gap between your wheels and the curb should not exceed one foot, or about 30 cm.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, p.42, How to Park

1. Car seats are only ever legally required for infants younger than 6 months of age
2. It is only a general recommendation, not an actual legal requirement, in any single state
3. A standard seat belt is not designed to fit or protect a child until a certain age, weight, or height
4. Seat belts fit and protect children and adults exactly the same, so a car seat is just extra precaution

Correct answer: A standard seat belt is not designed to fit or protect a child until a certain age, weight, or height. A regular seat belt is sized for an adult body - a young child needs a car seat or booster until they are tall and heavy enough for the belt to sit correctly across their hips and shoulder.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Occupant Protection-Child Restraint System p.27 - 'Children under 8 years old, or who are less than 4 feet 9 inches tall, must be properly secured in a…

1. Traffic on that street moves only in the direction shown
2. Traffic can move in either direction
3. The street is closed ahead
4. Parking is allowed only along the direction that is shown

Correct answer: Traffic on that street moves only in the direction shown. A one-way sign shows the single direction traffic is allowed to travel on that street; entering against the arrow is prohibited.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2B.40

1. The vehicle that stopped first
2. The vehicle turning left at the intersection
3. The vehicle positioned on the left
4. Whichever vehicle is the largest in size

Correct answer: The vehicle that stopped first. Vehicles at an all-way stop proceed in the order they arrived; the first vehicle to stop is the first to go.

Source: Florida Driver Handbook, PDF p.55, All Way Stop

1. Nothing beyond the fine for the very first offense
2. They receive a warning letter only
3. A revocation of their license kicks in, lasting six months at minimum
4. Their vehicle registration is automatically renewed a full year early

Correct answer: A revocation of their license kicks in, lasting six months at minimum. A third such conviction within a three-year span brings a license revocation lasting six months or longer, in addition to the fines already owed.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, p.40, School Buses (fine and revocation)

1. A warning about changing road conditions ahead
2. A regulatory speed limit for that road
3. A nearby service such as gas, food, or a hospital
4. A recreational area such as a park or nature preserve

Correct answer: A nearby service such as gas, food, or a hospital. Blue signs point drivers toward services such as fuel, food, lodging, or hospitals.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, service signs are blue with white letters

1. Nothing; it is legal whenever the road looks totally clear
2. Double solid yellow lines ban passing in either direction
3. It is only illegal to do this after dark at night
4. It is only illegal to do this near an intersection

Correct answer: Double solid yellow lines ban passing in either direction. Two solid yellow lines mean passing is prohibited for traffic moving in either direction, regardless of how clear the road appears at that moment.

Source: California Driver Handbook, PDF p.41, two solid yellow lines indicate no passing

1. False
2. True

Correct answer: True. In New York, a general statewide ban on holding a phone to talk while driving is: True. Hands-free rules can still differ from texting rules.

1. The road ahead has no outlet; the arrow on the sign shows its direction
2. The road ahead is a dead end; the arrow on the sign shows the direction it ends
3. You are entering a no-passing zone; this pennant-shaped sign is the only one of its shape
4. The road ahead ends completely with no way through, so you must turn around

Correct answer: You are entering a no-passing zone; this pennant-shaped sign is the only one of its shape. This yellow pennant sign warns that you are entering a no-passing zone; this pennant-shaped sign is the only one of its shape. Slow down and adjust your driving to handle it safely.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2C (Warning Signs)

1. 50 hours
2. 30 hours
3. 20 hours
4. 10 hours

Correct answer: 50 hours. New York generally requires 50 total supervised hours logged before a young driver can take the road test.

1. Always drive alone so no one else is put at risk
2. Travel with a companion and switch drivers when one starts feeling tired
3. Keep driving through tiredness since stopping wastes time
4. Drive only at night when roads are quieter

Correct answer: Travel with a companion and switch drivers when one starts feeling tired. Traveling with a companion and switching drivers when one starts to feel drowsy, sometimes called the 'buddy system,' is a recommended way to prevent fatigue from building up to a dangerous level.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Fatigued or Drowsy Driving, p.99 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. 0.04%
2. 0.10%
3. 0.05%
4. 0.01%

Correct answer: 0.04%. Commercial drivers in New York are held to a stricter BAC standard of 0.04%, lower than the standard adult limit, because of the added responsibility of operating large vehicles.

1. 6 seconds
2. 1 second
3. 9 seconds
4. 2 seconds

Correct answer: 2 seconds. New York teaches a minimum following gap of 2 seconds in good conditions, measured using a fixed roadside point.