New York DMV Study Guide

The official handbook is the source of every New York knowledge test. This guide breaks it into the topics below, each with live practice questions so you can study actively instead of just reading.

Official sources: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21) · New York State Motorcycle Operator's Manual (MV-21MC) (published by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)).

New York Learner's Permit (Car) topics

200 practice questions, grouped by handbook topic.

Road Signs & Traffic Signals

20 practice questions live now:

• A sign is shaped like an octagon (eight sides) and is red with white lettering. What does it mean?
• A sign is an upside-down triangle, red and white, with the word YIELD on it. What must you do?
• A white X-shaped crossbuck with the words RAILROAD CROSSING appears ahead. What does it mark?
• A five-sided sign (a pentagon, like a house shape) in yellow or yellow-green shows two figures walking. What area does it warn about?

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Speed Limits & Following Distance

20 practice questions live now:

• Unless a lower limit is posted, what is the maximum speed limit anywhere in New York State?
• Unless a different limit is posted, what is the speed limit in New York City?
• Posted speed limits tell you:
• You are driving in heavy rain and visibility is poor. What should you do about your speed?

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Right-of-Way & Intersections

20 practice questions live now:

• You arrive at an intersection with no signs or signals. Another car reaches it from your right at the same time. Who goes first?
• You are turning left at a green light. Oncoming traffic is coming straight through. Who has the right-of-way?
• You are driving in New York and a pedestrian is crossing in a marked crosswalk that has no traffic light. What must you do?
• A school bus ahead has stopped with its red lights flashing. What must you do?

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Lane Use, Turning & Passing

20 practice questions live now:

• How far before your turn must you signal, at minimum, in New York?
• You are driving in New York City and face a red light. You want to turn right. What is the rule?
• You are driving upstate, outside New York City, at a red light with no prohibiting sign. A right turn on red is:
• A solid double yellow line separates the two directions of traffic. What does it mean for passing?

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Alcohol, Drugs & DUI Penalties

20 practice questions live now:

• For a driver age 21 or older in New York, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of what level or higher is per se illegal?
• New York's Zero Tolerance law applies to drivers under 21. A BAC in what range triggers administrative penalties for them?
• A first-offense DWI conviction in New York can result in license revocation for at least how long?
• Besides fines and revocation, a DWI conviction in New York can also include:

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Seat Belts, Child Restraints & Distractions

20 practice questions live now:

• Under New York law, who must wear a seat belt in a passenger vehicle?
• In New York, a child under what age must ride in a federally approved child safety seat?
• Where should children under age 13 ride, according to New York guidance?
• How should a seat belt be worn for it to protect you properly?

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Sharing the Road

20 practice questions live now:

• What are the large blind spots around a big truck commonly called?
• How much of your lane should you allow a motorcyclist?
• When you pass a bicyclist, what should you do?
• A pedestrian is crossing at a marked crosswalk where you are turning. What must you do?

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Parking & Stopping Rules

20 practice questions live now:

• How close to a fire hydrant may you legally park in New York?
• How far from a crosswalk at an intersection must you keep your parked vehicle in New York?
• How close to a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal may you park in New York?
• When you park parallel to a curb, how close to the curb must your vehicle be?

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Adverse Conditions & Emergencies

20 practice questions live now:

• When must you use your headlights in New York besides at night?
• What are the required headlight hours in New York around sunrise and sunset?
• At what distance must you dim your high beams for an oncoming vehicle?
• At what distance must you dim your high beams when following another vehicle?

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Licensing, Insurance & Vehicle Requirements

20 practice questions live now:

• What is the minimum age to apply for a New York learner permit?
• How many questions are on the New York learner permit written test, and how many must you answer correctly?
• What happens if you do not pass the New York permit test the first time?
• About how much does a New York learner permit cost?

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New York Motorcycle Permit topics

60 practice questions, grouped by handbook topic.

Getting Ready & Protective Gear

10 practice questions live now:

• In New York, who is required to wear an approved helmet and eye protection while on a motorcycle?
• Which type of helmet provides the most protection for your face and chin?
• Why is eye protection required in addition to a helmet in New York?
• For best visibility to other drivers, how much reflective material does the manual recommend on each side of your helmet?

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Controls & Basic Operation

10 practice questions live now:

• Which control does your left hand operate on a typical motorcycle?
• Which brake is the most powerful on most motorcycles and should be used together with the other brake for a quick stop?
• Where is the throttle and how is it operated?
• How do you shift gears on a typical motorcycle?

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Riding Skills (Braking/Swerving/Turning)

10 practice questions live now:

• What is the correct technique for a quick stop on a straight, dry surface?
• If you need to swerve to avoid a hazard, what should you do about braking?
• To initiate a turn at road speed, how do you use countersteering?
• What are the basic steps for negotiating a normal turn?

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Lane Position, Following & Intersections

10 practice questions live now:

• What are the three lane positions available to a motorcyclist within a single lane?
• A yellow diamond-shaped sign with a black image of a car leaving two wavy skid lines behind it means:
• What minimum following distance should you maintain behind the vehicle ahead under normal conditions?
• A red octagon-shaped sign with white lettering means:

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Hazards, Surfaces & Night Riding

10 practice questions live now:

• How should you cross railroad tracks that run at an angle to your direction of travel?
• What happens to traction on painted lines, manhole covers, and wet leaves, especially when wet?
• When riding on gravel or sand, what technique is safest?
• At night, how should you adjust your riding compared to daytime?

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Passengers, Cargo, Groups & State Law

10 practice questions live now:

• Under what conditions may a child of any age ride as a passenger on a motorcycle in New York?
• A rectangular white sign with a black arrow pointing right and the words indicating one-way traffic means:
• What does New York law say about lane splitting and lane filtering?
• What is the correct staggered formation for group riding?

Practice Motorcycle Permit · Review as flashcards

How to use this guide

1. Pick the topic you are weakest on.
2. Drill its questions in the practice tests and read every explanation — even for questions you got right.
3. Re-check the same topic in the official handbook for anything the explanations flag.
4. Finish with a timed run in the New York Exam Simulator, graded at the real passing line.