Permit test by state/New York
New York permit test: 20 questions, 14 to pass
New York’s learner permit knowledge test is run by the New York State DMV. 20 questions · 14 correct to pass (70%) — you can miss 6. Road signs are scored on their own, so they need their own practice.
| Questions | 20 |
|---|---|
| Correct to pass | 14 (70%) |
| Wrong answers allowed | 6 |
| Road signs scored separately | Yes |
| Study from | New York State Driver's Manual |
Rules that trip people up
- 4 of the 20 questions are about road signs, and at least 2 of those 4 must be correct — even with 14 right overall.
- The online permit test (where offered) is scored differently: 80% overall and 50% of the road-sign questions.
How to pass the New York permit test on the first try
- Get the New York State Driver's Manual. The test is written from it, so treat it as the syllabus, not background reading.
- Learn signs by shape and color first. Sign shapes are standardized nationally — an octagon is always stop, a triangle always yield, a diamond always a warning — so a sign you’ve never seen can still be read from its shape. In New York this matters twice, because signs have their own pass mark.
- Make a numbers sheet. Speed limits, following distances, parking distances and BAC limits are where most points are lost — they’re easy to confuse and easy to test.
- Practice at the real length. Take 20-question practice tests and don’t book the real one until you score 90% twice in a row — that leaves margin over the 6-miss limit.
New York practice questions are in the works
We write every bank from the official handbook, with an explanation and a source note on each answer. Leave your email and we’ll send one message when the New York bank opens — 20 questions free.