2023 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 such time as permitted by section 31308 of  title  49  of  the
United  States  code  and part 383.25 of title 49 of the code of federal
regulations. 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.