New Driver Checklist

New York Motorcycle Permit Restrictions

After obtaining a NY motorcycle permit you must heed the following motorcycle riding restrictions:

• You cannot ride on any road located within a New York City park.
• You cannot ride across any bridge or through any tunnel under the jurisdiction of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
• You cannot ride on the Cross County, Hutchinson River, Saw Mill River, or Taconic State parkways in Westchester county.
• You cannot ride in any New York DMV driver license test area.
• You must be accompanied by someone who is 21 or older and holds a motorcycle license. You cannot be watched by someone with a regular drivers license.
• If you're younger than 18, you cannot operate your motorcycle between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Obtaining a NY Motorcycle Permit

Remember, to obtain a motorcycle permit you must pass a general knowledge test. This exam is similar to the general knowledge test for a NY drivers license except that all the questions are based on motorcycle riding.
 
To study, get a motorcycle manual, for free, from any New York DMV office or download one from the DMV website. After studying the entire manual you'll next want to take a motorcycle practice test. These exams feature multiple-choice questions similar to those found on the actual test and you can find them online.

Obtaining a NY Motorcycle License

After securing a motorcycle permit you'll be eligible to apply for a motorcycle license by taking the driving test portion of the motorcycle test. Just as studying the New York’s manual on motorcycles can help you pass the knowledge test, enrolling in a motorcycle safety course can help you pass the road test. See below for more information.

If you don't own a New York drivers license, you will need to complete a drivers ed class before making a test appointment. Be sure the driver training course is sanctioned by the New York DMV. Otherwise, your driver education completion certificate will not be recognized, requiring taking the course again from a state-approved program.
 

Motorcycle Safety Courses

Even though New York does not mandate enrolling in a motorcycle safety course, it should be at the top of your "To Do List." These courses provide expert instruction on how to be a safe motorcycle rider. And if you complete a state-approved course through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the DMV will waive your road test requirement.