You hear the keys jangle, the soft stampede of footsteps toward the door and then "Bye Mom!" or "Bye Dad!" as your teen heads for the car. Getting a driver's license is an important milestone for teens and necessary documentation they have a basic understanding of the rules the road. The minimum age for obtaining a license in the state of New York is 16. With the privilege of driving comes a great deal of responsibility and preparation.
Rye High School offers a drivers education course that fulfills one of the necessary requirements for obtaining a driver's license. Students interested in enrolling need parental consent and a permit. Here are some important documents and information for teens and parents interested in enrolling.
- Sept. 13 Mandatory Orientation, Rye High School Media Center, 3 p.m.
- Sept. 20 Application deadline. Download here.
- Sept. 21 Teen participants must have permit by this date.
- Sept. 24 Fall driver education program starts.
Here is some important information, forms and downloads you need to prep your young driver for their license:
Students must be familiar with the New York drivers' manual. Practice test questions and quizzes are available online at the NY DMV website.
They should apply for a learner permit. You must be older than 16 to apply and teens younger than 18 require their parents' permission. You must complete a MV-44 form (drivers' license application) with parental consent, if necessary. It can take several weeks to schedule your road test.
To apply for a learners' permit, you will have to show acceptable proof of identity. This may require several documents such as a birth certificate, passport and other documents. A social security card is required.
To make a road test appointment, you must have a learner permit that is valid on the day you schedule your appointment and on the day of the test.
You will need cash, personal check or credit card to pay any fees.
Once you complete an approved high school education course you will receive a MV-285 certificate. You can also take a drivers' education course at a school or program licensed by the DMV to receive a MV-278 certificate. Your MV -285 or MV-278 must be valid on the day you schedule your road test.
If you hold a learners' permit, you may not drive on the Cross County, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill River, or Taconic State parkways in Westchester County. In fact, you must always be "accompanied by a supervising driver age 21 or older who has a license valid to operate the vehicle you are driving."
The DMV recommends student drivers have 50 hours of supervised driving practice before their road test- about 15 at night and 10-15 in moderate to heavy traffic.
For more information, check out the New York Department of Motor vehicles website here.
