New York State Driver's License
Jul 16th 2013, 5:40 pm
#16
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: New York State Driver's License
I got my NY driving license earlier this year as it's great to have some US ID for booze rather than carrying round an expensive to replace green card or passport. I had a full GB license, but after 30 days of being resident in NY you have to get a new one (out of state holders have to exchange too). It's all a bit of a gray area, but we rent cars often, and I wouldn't want to invalidate my insurance.
It's a painful process in NY with five steps.
1. Read most of the driving manual (or download a free NY theory test app) as you have to sit a 20 question practice exam when you apply for your license.
2. Go to a DMV for 3-4 hours... In this time you will fill in a form, take a ticket, wait, get a photo, wait, take a theory test, wait for result, if successful, get a new ticket, wait, pay $80 or so. Leave.
3. Once you receive your license you can book your mandatory 5 hour pre-licensing course - Tedious, and only enlightening aspect was knowing you can have 4 beers and still drive legally...
4. With the certificate from the course you can book your test. This will be in 1-2 months and nowhere in Manhattan (I went to Astoria).
5. My wife hired a car from Hertz and we drove to Astoria. Wait in line to take test. Drive around the block, indicating, looking and giving-way (possibly for the last time if you drive in the city!!), do a parallel park (ugh!). Hopefully pass.
I think it's worth having a NY driving license as it seems to have become the defacto ID for anything from getting into a building to the aforementioned buying of booze.
It's a painful process in NY with five steps.
1. Read most of the driving manual (or download a free NY theory test app) as you have to sit a 20 question practice exam when you apply for your license.
2. Go to a DMV for 3-4 hours... In this time you will fill in a form, take a ticket, wait, get a photo, wait, take a theory test, wait for result, if successful, get a new ticket, wait, pay $80 or so. Leave.
3. Once you receive your license you can book your mandatory 5 hour pre-licensing course - Tedious, and only enlightening aspect was knowing you can have 4 beers and still drive legally...
4. With the certificate from the course you can book your test. This will be in 1-2 months and nowhere in Manhattan (I went to Astoria).
5. My wife hired a car from Hertz and we drove to Astoria. Wait in line to take test. Drive around the block, indicating, looking and giving-way (possibly for the last time if you drive in the city!!), do a parallel park (ugh!). Hopefully pass.
I think it's worth having a NY driving license as it seems to have become the defacto ID for anything from getting into a building to the aforementioned buying of booze.
3. Be scared at who else is in the training with you, because they'll be on the road soon too as novice drivers.
4. Try test centers further and further from NYC and major cities. Eventually you will find one that will give you a test within a few days.
5. Small rural testing centers probably don't even have a line- mine certainly didn't.
Jul 16th 2013, 6:49 pm
#18
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Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
