NY Veh & Traf L § 503 (2021)
2021 New York Laws VAT - Vehicle and Traffic Title 5 - Drivers' Licenses Article 19 - Licensing of Drivers 503 - Period of Validity of Drivers' Licenses, Learners' Permits and Applications; Required Fees.

§ 503. Period  of validity of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and applications; required fees. 1. Periods  of  validity.  (a)  A  driver's license  shall  be  valid  from  the  date  of  issuance until a date of expiration determined by the commissioner. Such dates  of  issuance  and expiration  shall  be  noted on the license, except that if such printed expiration date falls on a  Saturday,  Sunday  or  state  holiday,  such license  shall  be valid for operation until midnight of the next day on which state offices shall be open for business. However, a prior license shall expire on the date of issuance of a renewal of such prior license. The commissioner may extend the period of validity of  a  license  in  a manner and form prescribed by him.  (b)  An  application for a license shall be valid for a period of time specified by regulation of the commissioner not to exceed five years.  A learner's  permit  shall be valid from its issuance until the expiration of the application for a driver's  license  for  which  it  was  issued. Provided,  however,  a commercial learner's permit shall be valid for no more than one hundred eighty  days,  except  that  such  permit  may  be renewed, in the commissioner's discretion, for an additional one hundred eighty  days.  Provided,  however,  that  a  commercial learner's permit issued by the commissioner in  connection  with  an  application  for  a commercial  driver's license shall be cancelled within sixty days of the holder's medical certification  status  becoming  "not-certified"  based upon:  (i)  the  expiration  of  the  holder's  medical certification or medical variance documentation required by  the  federal  motor  carrier safety  improvement  act  of  1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations; (ii) the holder's failure  to  submit  such medical   certification   or  medical  variance  documentation  at  such intervals as required by the federal motor  carrier  safety  improvement act  of  1999  and  Part  383.71(h)  of  title 49 of the code of federal regulations and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner; or (iii) the receipt by the commissioner of  information  from  the  issuing  medical examiner  or  the  federal  motor  carrier  safety administration that a medical certification  or  medical  variance  was  issued  in  error  or rescinded.  The  commissioner  shall,  upon  a  holder's status becoming "not-certified", notify the holder of such commercial  learner's  permit issued  in  connection with a commercial driver's license application by first class mail to  the  address  of  such  person  on  file  with  the department  or  at  the  current  address  provided by the United States postal service of  his  or  her  "not-certified"  medical  certification status  and  that  the  commercial  motor  vehicle  privileges  of  such commercial learner's permit will be cancelled unless he or she submits a current medical certificate and/or medical variance in  accordance  with Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations or changes his  or her self-certification to driving only in excepted or intrastate commerce in accordance with Part 383.71(b) (1) (ii), (iii)  or  (iv)  of title 49 of the code of federal regulations.   2.  Fees.  (a)  Initial  application  fee.  The  fee  required for the initiation of the licensing process by a person  who  does  not  hold  a valid  or  renewable  license  issued  by  the commissioner shall be ten dollars.  (i) If application is made for any license  other  than  a  commercial driver's  license,  such  fee  shall  enable  the  applicant to take the knowledge test required for issuance of a learner's permit and  driver's license no more than twice.  (ii)  (A)  If  application  is made for a commercial driver's license, such fee shall enable the applicant to take the knowledge test  required for  issuance  of  a learner's permit and driver's license once and also  take any knowledge  test  or  tests  required  for  any  endorsement  or endorsements applied for which are taken at the same time.  (B) The knowledge tests for such learner's permit, driver's license or endorsements shall be available in both the English and Spanish language versions.  (iii)  If  an  applicant fails to pass the knowledge test required for issuance of a learner's permit in  the  number  of  times  specified  in subparagraph  (i) or (ii) of this paragraph, a new application fee shall be required.  (b) Learner permit/license fee. (i) Upon passage of the knowledge test required to obtain a learner's permit, the applicant  for  a  commercial driver's  license  shall  be  required  to pay an additional fee of nine dollars and fifty cents for each six months or portion  thereof  of  the period  of  validity of a learner's permit or license which is or may be issued as well as a fee of forty dollars for a road test which  must  be passed before a license will be issued.  (ii) Upon passage of the knowledge test required to obtain a learner's permit,  the applicant for a class C license which does not have an H, P or X endorsement or a class E license  shall  be  required  to  pay  six dollars  and twenty-five cents for each six months or portion thereof of the period of validity of a learner's permit or license which is or  may be  issued, and an applicant for a class D, DJ, M or MJ license shall be required to pay three dollars and twenty-five cents for each six  months or  portion  thereof  of the period of validity of a learner's permit or license which is or may be issued. No additional fee shall  be  required of  any such applicant to take up to two road tests. Such road test must be passed before a license will be issued.  (iii) If an applicant  fails  to  pass  the  road  test  required  for issuance  of  a license in the number of times specified in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph, an additional fee of forty  dollars  will be  required  for  each additional test applied for in order to obtain a commercial driver's license and an additional fee of ten dollars will be required for up to two tests applied for in order to obtain any  license other than a commercial driver's license.  (iv)  Notwithstanding  any inconsistent provision of this section, the difference collected between the fees set forth  in  this  paragraph  in effect  on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be  deposited to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.  (b-1)  Supplemental  learner  permit/license  fee  in the metropolitan commuter transportation district. (i) Upon passage of the knowledge test required to obtain a learner's  permit,  an  applicant  for  a  driver's license who resides in the metropolitan commuter transportation district established  by section one thousand two hundred sixty-two of the public authorities law shall be required to  pay  a  supplemental  fee  of  one dollar  for each six months or portion thereof of the period of validity of a learner's permit or license which is or may be issued  pursuant  to the  provisions  of  subparagraph  (i)  or (ii) of paragraph (b) of this subdivision.  (ii) The commissioner shall deposit daily all funds collected pursuant to subparagraph (i) of  this  paragraph  with  such  responsible  banks, banking  houses  or  trust  companies  as may be designated by the state comptroller, in trust for the credit of the metropolitan  transportation authority.  An  account  may  be  established  in  one  or  more of such depositories. Such deposits shall be kept separate and  apart  from  all other  money  in  the  possession  of  the comptroller. On or before the twelfth day of  each  month,  the  commissioner  shall  certify  to  the comptroller the amount of all revenues received pursuant to subparagraph  (i)  of  this  paragraph  during  the  prior  month  as  a result of the supplemental fee imposed, including any interest and penalties  thereon. The  revenues so certified over the prior three months in total shall be paid  over  by  the  fifteenth  day  of  the last month of each calendar quarter from such account, without  appropriation,  into  the  corporate transportation  account  of  the  metropolitan  transportation authority special assistance fund established by section twelve hundred  seventy-a of  the  public  authorities law, to be applied as provided in paragraph (e) of subdivision four of such section. Any money collected pursuant to this section that is deposited  by  the  comptroller  in  the  corporate transportation  account  of  the  metropolitan  transportation authority special assistance fund shall be held in such fund free and clear of any claim by any person or entity paying an additional fee pursuant to  this section,  including,  without  limiting the generality of the foregoing, any right or claim against the  metropolitan  transportation  authority, any   of  its  bondholders,  or  any  subsidiary  or  affiliate  of  the metropolitan transportation authority.  (c) Renewal  fee.  Fees  for  renewal  of  a  license  issued  by  the commissioner shall be as follows:  (i)  For  a  commercial driver's license, nine dollars and fifty cents for each six months or portion thereof.  (ii) For a class  C  license  which  does  not  have  an  H,  P  or  X endorsement  or a class E license, six dollars and twenty-five cents for each six months or portion thereof.  (iii) For  a  class  D,  DJ,  M  or  MJ  license,  three  dollars  and twenty-five cents, for each six months or portion thereof.  (iv)  Notwithstanding  any inconsistent provision of this section, the difference collected between the fees set forth  in  this  paragraph  in effect  on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be  deposited to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.  (c-1) In addition to the fees established in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this  subdivision,  a  fee of fifty cents for each six months or portion thereof of the period of validity shall be paid upon the issuance of any permit, license or renewal of a license which is valid for the operation of a motorcycle, except a limited use motorcycle.  (c-2) Refunds. The commissioner shall  refund  any  fees  paid  for  a driver's  license  pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision for the period commencing after completion  of  four  years  of  the  period  of validity of such license, provided that such license is not suspended or revoked  and  is  surrendered to the commissioner before the end of such four year period and application therefor is filed with the commissioner no later than three months from the expiration of such four year period.  (c-3) (i)  Supplemental  renewal  fee  in  the  metropolitan  commuter transportation  district.  In  addition  to the fees required to be paid pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a supplemental fee of one dollar for each six months or portion thereof of  the  validity  of  the license  shall  be paid for renewal of a license of a person who resides in the metropolitan  commuter  transportation  district  established  by section one thousand two hundred sixty-two of the public authorities law issued by the commissioner.  (ii) The commissioner shall deposit daily all funds collected pursuant to  this  paragraph with such responsible banks, banking houses or trust companies as may be designated by the state comptroller,  in  trust  for the  credit of the metropolitan transportation authority. An account may be established in one or more of such depositories. Such deposits  shall be kept separate and apart from all other money in the possession of the comptroller.   On   or  before  the  twelfth  day  of  each  month,  the  commissioner shall certify to the comptroller the amount of all revenues received pursuant to this paragraph during the prior month as  a  result of  the  supplemental fees imposed, including any interest and penalties thereon.  The revenues so certified over the prior three months in total shall be paid over by the fifteenth  day  of  the  last  month  of  each calendar  quarter  from  such  account,  without appropriation, into the corporate transportation  account  of  the  metropolitan  transportation authority  special assistance fund established by section twelve hundred seventy-a of the public authorities law, to be applied  as  provided  in paragraph  (e)  of subdivision four of such section. Any money collected pursuant to this section that is deposited by  the  comptroller  in  the corporate  transportation  account  of  the  metropolitan transportation authority special assistance fund shall be held in such  fund  free  and clear  of  any  claim  by  any person or entity paying an additional fee pursuant to this section, including, without limiting the generality  of the   foregoing,   any   right   or   claim   against  the  metropolitan transportation authority, any of its bondholders, or any  subsidiary  or affiliate of the metropolitan transportation authority.  (d)  Duplicate  and amendment fees. (i) The fee for a duplicate of any license or learner's permit shall be five dollars.  (ii) If a knowledge test or test are required to be passed  to  secure an amended learner's permit or license, the fees for taking of such test or  tests  specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be paid. However, if an amendment is to add only an endorsement  or  endorsements which  require  only  the passing of a knowledge test or tests, a fee of five dollars shall be paid. If a road test or tests are required  to  be passed  to  secure  an amended license, the fees for taking such test or tests specified in paragraph (b) of this subdivision shall be  paid.  If no  knowledge or road test is required to secure an amended license, the fee required  for  such  amended  license  shall  be  five  dollars.  In addition,  if  the  fee  for  the amended learner's permit or license is greater than the fee for the learner's permit or license being  amended, the difference in fee shall be paid. If the amendment is only to correct or update a driver's record, no fee other than the photo image fee shall be required.  (e)  Alternative testing. If a knowledge test is required in any stage of the licensing process, the applicant may request that  such  test  be given  in  a  form  other  than  written  and if the applicant meets the eligibility standards established by the commissioner for an alternative test then the commissioner shall give such test in an alternative  form. An  additional  fee  of  five  dollars  shall  be  required  for such an alternative test.  (f) Photo image fee. In addition to any other fee prescribed herein, a fee of  twelve  dollars  and  fifty  cents  shall  be  charged  for  the processing  of each learner permit or license document requiring a photo image. Of each such fee collected, five dollars shall  be  deposited  to the  credit  of  the general fund and five dollars shall be deposited in the dedicated highway and bridge  trust  fund  established  pursuant  to section  eighty-nine-b  of  the state finance law and the dedicated mass transportation fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-c of the state finance  law  and  distributed  according  to  the  provisions  of subdivision (d) of section three hundred one-j of the tax law.   Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent  provision  of  this  section,  the difference collected between the fees set forth  in  this  paragraph  in effect  on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be  deposited to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.  (f-1)  In  addition  to  any  other fee prescribed in this section, an additional fee of thirty dollars  shall  be  charged  for  any  license, issued  to  a  New  York  state  resident who is a citizen of the United States, that can be used for  certain  land  and  sea  border  crossings pursuant  to  section  7209  of  the  Intelligence  Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act  of  Two  Thousand  Four,  Public  Law  108-458,  or  the regulations promulgated thereunder.  (g)  In  no  event  shall  the  commissioner  increase  fees or impose surcharges or penalties for the issuance or renewal of licenses  without the  specific  mandate  of  the  legislature  effected  pursuant  to  an amendment to this chapter.  (h) An applicant whose driver's license has been revoked  pursuant  to (i)  section five hundred ten of this title, (ii) section eleven hundred ninety-three  of  this  chapter,  and  (iii)  section   eleven   hundred ninety-four  of  this chapter, shall, upon application for issuance of a driver's license, pay to the commissioner a fee of one hundred  dollars. When  the  basis for the revocation is a finding of driving after having consumed alcohol pursuant to the provisions of  section  eleven  hundred ninety-two-a  of  this  chapter,  the fee to be paid to the commissioner shall be one hundred dollars. Such fee is not refundable and  shall  not be  returned  to the applicant regardless of the action the commissioner may take on such person's application for reinstatement of such  driving license.  Such  fee  shall  be  in  addition to any other fees presently levied but shall not apply to an applicant whose  driver's  license  was revoked  for  failure to pass a reexamination or to an applicant who has been issued a conditional or restricted use license under the provisions of article twenty-one-A or thirty-one of this chapter.  (i) A non-resident whose driving privileges have been revoked pursuant to sections five hundred ten, eleven  hundred  ninety-three  and  eleven hundred   ninety-four  of  this  chapter  shall,  upon  application  for reinstatement of such driving privileges, pay  to  the  commissioner  of motor  vehicles  a  fee  of  one hundred dollars. When the basis for the revocation is  a  finding  of  driving  after  having  consumed  alcohol pursuant  to  the  provisions  of section eleven hundred ninety-two-a of this chapter, the fee to be  paid  to  the  commissioner  shall  be  one hundred dollars. Such fee is not refundable and shall not be returned to the applicant regardless of the action the commissioner may take on such person's application for reinstatement of such driving privileges.  (j) Whenever a license issued pursuant to this article, or a privilege of  operating  a  motor vehicle or of obtaining such a license, has been suspended, such suspension shall remain in effect until a termination of a suspension fee of fifty dollars is paid to the commissioner; provided, however, when the basis for the suspension is a finding of driving after having consumed alcohol pursuant to the  provisions  of  section  eleven hundred  ninety-two-a  of  this  chapter,  the  fee  to  be  paid to the commissioner shall be  one  hundred  dollars.  The  provisions  of  this paragraph  shall  not apply to a temporary suspension pending a hearing, prosecution or investigation, nor to an indefinite suspension  which  is issued because of the failure of the person suspended to perform an act, which suspension will be terminated by the performance of the act.  (j-1)  (i)  When  a  license  issued  pursuant  to  this article, or a privilege of operating a motor vehicle or of obtaining such  a  license, has  been  suspended based upon a failure to answer an appearance ticket or a summons or failure to pay a fine, penalty or  mandatory  surcharge, pursuant  to  subdivision  three  of  section  two  hundred  twenty-six, subdivision four of section two hundred twenty-seven, subdivision four-a of section five hundred ten or subdivision five-a  of  section  eighteen hundred  nine  of  this  chapter, such suspension shall remain in effect  until a termination of a suspension fee of seventy dollars  is  paid  to the  court  or tribunal that initiated the suspension of such license or privilege. In no event may the aggregate  of  the  fees  imposed  by  an individual  court  pursuant to this paragraph for the termination of all suspensions that may be terminated as a result of  a  person's  answers, appearances   or  payments  made  in  such  cases  pending  before  such individual court exceed four hundred dollars. For the purposes  of  this paragraph,   the   various  locations  of  the  administrative  tribunal established under article two-A of this chapter shall be  considered  an individual court.  (ii)  Any  such fee collected by any court, judge, magistrate or other officer specified in subdivision  one  of  section  thirty-nine  of  the judiciary law, establishing a unified court budget, shall be paid to the state  commissioner  of taxation and finance on a monthly basis no later than ten days after  the  last  day  of  each  month.  All  such  monies collected  under  this  subdivision  shall  be deposited to the indigent legal services fund established by section ninety-eight-b of  the  state finance law.  (iii)  Any such fee collected by any other court, judge, magistrate or other officer shall,  except  as  provided  in  paragraph  (k)  of  this subdivision,  be paid to the state comptroller within the first ten days of the month following collection. Every such payment to the comptroller shall be accompanied by a statement in  such  form  and  detail  as  the comptroller   shall  provide.  All  such  monies  collected  under  this subdivision shall be deposited  to  the  indigent  legal  services  fund established by section ninety-eight-b of the state finance law.  (iv)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of this paragraph, fifty percent of all fees  collected  pursuant  to  this  paragraph  shall  be deposited to the credit of the general fund.  (k)  Fees  assessed  for  reapplication  for  a  driver's  license  or reinstatement of driving privileges after revocation or required  to  be paid  for  termination  of suspension as provided in paragraphs (h), (i) and (j) of this subdivision  shall  be  paid  to  the  commissioner  for deposit to the general fund. Fees assessed for termination of suspension as  provided  in paragraph (j-1) of this subdivision and collected by an administrative tribunal established under article two-A of this  chapter shall  be  paid  over  to  the  state  comptroller  to the credit of the indigent legal services fund established by  section  ninety-eight-b  of the state finance law.   3.  Waiver  of  fee.  The  commissioner  may waive the payment of fees required by subdivision two of this section if the applicant:  (i)  is  an  incarcerated  individual  in  an  institution  under  the jurisdiction of a state department or agency, or  (ii) is a victim of crime and the driver's license or learner's permit applied  for  is  a  replacement for one that was lost or destroyed as a result of the crime.   4. Driver responsibility assessment. (a) Any  person  who  accumulates six  or  more  points  on  his  or her driving record for acts committed within an eighteen month period shall become liable  to  the  department for  payment  of  a driver responsibility assessment as provided in this subdivision.  (b) The amount of the  driver  responsibility  assessment  under  this section  shall  be  one hundred dollars per year for a three-year period for the first  six  points  on  a  driver's  record  and  an  additional twenty-five  dollars per year for each additional point on such driver's record.  (c) Upon receipt of evidence that a person is liable  for  the  driver responsibility assessment required by this subdivision, the commissioner  shall  notify  such  person  by  first class mail to the address of such person on file with the department or at the current address provided by the United States postal service of the amount of such  assessment,  the time  and  manner  of making required payments, and that failure to make payment shall result in the suspension of his or her driver's license or privilege of obtaining a driver's license.  (d) If a person shall fail to pay any driver responsibility assessment as provided in this subdivision, the  commissioner  shall  suspend  such person's  driver's  license  or  privilege  of obtaining a license. Such suspension shall remain in effect until any and all  outstanding  driver responsibility assessments have been paid in full.  (e)  Any  completion  of  a  motor  vehicle accident prevention course approved pursuant to article twelve-B of this chapter shall not serve to reduce the calculation of points on a person's driving  record  for  the purposes of this section.  (f)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  law  to the contrary, commencing April first, two thousand six and ending March  thirty-first, two  thousand  fourteen,  in  each  year,  the first forty million seven hundred thousand dollars of fees collected pursuant to this  subdivision and   section  eleven  hundred  ninety-nine  of  this  chapter,  in  the aggregate, shall be paid to the state comptroller who shall deposit such money in the state treasury pursuant to section one  hundred  twenty-one of  the  state  finance  law to the credit of the general fund. Any such fees collected in excess of such amount shall be paid to the  credit  of the  comptroller  on  account  of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-b of the state  finance law.  Commencing  April  first,  two thousand fourteen and for each such fiscal year  thereafter,  any  such  fees  collected  pursuant  to  this subdivision and section eleven hundred ninety-nine of this chapter shall be  paid  to  the  credit of the comptroller on account of the dedicated highway  and  bridge  trust  fund  established   pursuant   to   section eighty-nine-b of the state finance law.