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New York DMV Permit practice questions and answers
20 free questions from our 300-question New York DMV Permit bank, each with the correct answer, explanation, and source note. Official format: 20 questions · 14 correct (70%) to pass · at least 2 of 4 road-sign questions.
Alcohol drugs
1. For drivers 21 and older in New York, the per se DWI blood alcohol limit is:
Answer: A. At 0.08% BAC or higher, a driver 21 or older is per se guilty of driving while intoxicated — no other proof of impairment needed. Lower levels still support DWAI charges when ability is impaired. Because impairment begins with the first drink, the only safe choice is a sober ride planned before drinking starts.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs — Alcohol, Other Drugs and the Law
Defensive driving
2. The NY manual's recommended minimum following distance in good conditions is:
Answer: A. New York teaches the two-second rule: pick a fixed marker, start counting when the vehicle ahead passes it, and you should reach it no sooner than two seconds later. Double the gap in rain, snow, or behind trucks. Tailgating converts every routine stop ahead into your emergency — space is the cheapest insurance on the road.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 8: Defensive Driving — Allow Yourself Space
Intersections turns
3. At an all-way stop, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, who goes first?
Answer: C. When arrival is simultaneous at an all-way stop, the driver on the right has the right-of-way. Size, impatience, and signaling do not change that rule. If you arrived clearly first, you proceed first. Take turns visibly and never assume the other driver will yield correctly — hesitation with a clear plan beats aggressive guessing.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns — Right-of-Way
Parking
4. When parking downhill next to a curb, you should turn your front wheels:
Answer: C. Park downhill with the front wheels turned toward the curb so a rolling vehicle is caught by the curb rather than rolling into traffic. Uphill with a curb, angle them away so a rollback wedges the tire. Always set the parking brake. The curb is your backup if the transmission or brake fails.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 7: Parallel Parking — How to Park on a Hill
Passing schoolbus
5. A school bus with flashing red lights is stopped ahead on an undivided road. You must:
Answer: D. When a stopped school bus flashes its red lights, traffic from either direction must stop before reaching it, ideally at least 20 feet away. The manual says you cannot drive again until the bus starts moving or the bus driver or a traffic officer signals that you can proceed. This applies on all New York roadways, even on the opposite side of a divided highway and in school parking lots.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 6: Passing — School Buses
Road signs
6. An octagonal red sign always means what?
Answer: A. An octagon is reserved for one meaning: stop. Bring the vehicle to a complete halt at the limit line or before entering the intersection, then proceed only when safe. Other shapes carry different jobs — a triangle yields, a diamond warns — so shape alone is a reliable clue when paint is faded or snow-covered.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Road Signs You Must Know — Regulatory signs
Sharing road
7. When passing a cyclist on a road with no bike lane, you should:
Answer: B. Cyclists hold the same lane rights as motor vehicles. Pass only with generous clearance — handlebar wobble, gusts, and potholes move riders sideways without warning — then return without cutting back sharply. Do not require cyclists to use sidewalks. Patience and space prevent the right-hook and sideswipe crashes that injure riders.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 11: Sharing the Road — Bicyclists
Special conditions
8. When you see a roadway worker with a flagger paddle showing SLOW/STOP, you must:
Answer: B. Flaggers replace signal heads with human control in work zones: watch the paddle, stop or proceed exactly as directed, and never argue the sequence. Fines for speeding in work zones are doubled, and can be higher when workers are present. Their authority keeps crews alive where lights are not installed — compliance is not optional.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 8: Defensive Driving — How to Drive Safely in Work Zones
Traffic signals markings
9. A steady yellow traffic light means:
Answer: D. Yellow warns the green phase is ending: stop if you can do so safely, and proceed only when stopping would be unsafe or you already entered. It is not an extension of green. Racing yellows trains you into red-light running, and the few seconds saved never justify the angle-crash risk at the cross street's fresh green.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 4: Traffic Control — Traffic Signals
Alcohol drugs
10. Under New York's Zero Tolerance law, a driver under 21 with a BAC of 0.02% to 0.07% faces:
Answer: A. Under New York's Zero Tolerance law, a driver under 21 with a measurable BAC of .02 to .07 has the license suspended for six months after a DMV hearing, and must pay a $100 suspension termination fee and a $125 civil penalty to be relicensed. A second violation means revocation for at least one year or until age 21. At .08 or more, regular DWI charges apply.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs — Alcohol, Other Drugs and the Law
Defensive driving
11. You may use a hand-held mobile phone while driving in New York when:
Answer: C. In New York it is a traffic infraction to talk or listen on a hand-held mobile phone while driving; a first offense can bring a fine up to $200 and five license points. The phone may be held only to activate, begin or end a call, and calls in emergencies are exempt. A hands-free phone may be used at any time. Texting is banned separately, and junior drivers face a 120-day suspension.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 8: Defensive Driving — Using a Cellular Telephone
Intersections turns
12. Before turning left at a green light, you should:
Answer: C. A left turn is allowed only when you can complete it without conflicting with oncoming vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians. Signal early, position safely, wait for a clear gap, and never assume oncoming traffic will slow. A green light permits the turn but gives you no priority over those already lawfully in the intersection.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns — Turns
Parking
13. In New York you must not park within what distance of a fire hydrant?
Answer: A. New York prohibits parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant so hose crews can connect without delay. The setback is measured from the hydrant in both directions along the curb. Blocking hydrant access earns tickets and towing, and in a fire the seconds lost to a blocked hydrant can cost lives and property.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 7: Parallel Parking — Parking Regulations
Passing schoolbus
14. Before passing on a two-lane road, you must be sure:
Answer: D. Legal passing needs all three: a permitted zone (broken line on your side, no signs), full sight distance past hills and curves, and room to complete the pass and return before oncoming conflict. Signal, pass decisively without exceeding the limit, and return only when you see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your mirror.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 6: Passing — How to Pass on the Left
Road signs
15. A sign shaped like an inverted triangle (point down) tells you to:
Answer: B. The upside-down triangle is the yield sign. Slow down, give the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in or approaching the intersection, and stop only if needed. It is the only standard sign with this shape, so even when the legend is unreadable the outline still communicates yield rather than stop.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Road Signs You Must Know — Regulatory signs
Sharing road
16. A blind pedestrian with a white cane is crossing at an intersection. You must:
Answer: B. Drivers must yield to pedestrians using white canes or guide dogs and wait until they are safely clear, regardless of signal phase. Do not honk — sudden noise can disorient someone navigating by sound. Patience here is both a legal duty and a basic obligation toward travelers who cannot see your vehicle.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 11: Sharing the Road — Pedestrians
Special conditions
17. If your vehicle begins to hydroplane on wet pavement, you should:
Answer: D. Hydroplaning means your tires ride on water, not pavement: release the accelerator gently, keep the wheel straight, and avoid braking or sharp steering until grip returns. Sudden inputs spin the car once tires reconnect. Prevention works best — slow before standing water, keep good tread, and never use cruise control in heavy rain.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 10: Special Driving Conditions — Driving in Rain, Fog, or Snow
Traffic signals markings
18. A solid yellow line in the center of the road generally means:
Answer: A. Yellow center lines separate opposing traffic streams. A solid line on your side restricts crossing to pass; double solid yellow prohibits passing for both directions. Broken yellow on your side allows passing only when you can complete the maneuver safely. Color grammar matters: yellow divides directions, white divides same-direction lanes.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 4: Traffic Control — Pavement Markings
Alcohol drugs
19. If you refuse a chemical test (breath, blood, or urine) after a DWI arrest in New York:
Answer: B. By driving in New York you give implied consent to chemical testing when lawfully arrested for impaired driving. Refusal triggers license revocation (a year or more) plus civil penalties — separate from any DWI criminal case. Refusing also does not hide impairment: officers testify about driving, appearance, and field sobriety observations.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs — Chemical Tests
Defensive driving
20. New York's Move Over law requires drivers approaching a stopped emergency or hazard vehicle to:
Answer: C. When police, fire, ambulance, tow, or maintenance vehicles display flashing lights on the roadside, slow down and move over a full lane where safe — if a lane change is impossible, reduce speed significantly. The rule protects roadside workers standing inches from live traffic, and violations carry fines and points.
Source: NY Driver's Manual — Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns — Emergency Vehicles
That’s the free set. The full bank has 300.
More original practice questions across the listed topics, a 20-question timed benchmark, and saved mistake review. Published NYS DMV standard for the in-office test: 14 of 20 correct, including at least 2 of the 4 road-sign questions. The online permit test is scored differently (80% overall, 50% of sign questions). One payment of $8.99, yours forever.