The Teen License and Its Curfew
Veh. & Traf. Law § 501 — the junior license, nine at night to five in the morning, and none at all in the city
| Where | A class DJ junior license may drive |
|---|---|
| WhereNew York City | A class DJ junior license may driveNot at all |
| WhereNassau and Suffolk counties | A class DJ junior license may driveFrom five in the morning to nine in the evening to and from regular work or with a licensed parent, guardian or instructor, and for work study, approved programs, farm work or driver education |
| WhereThe rest of the state | A class DJ junior license may driveFrom five in the morning to nine in the evening, and at night only to or from school or regular work, or with a licensed parent or guardian |
Who handles this in New York: New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the New York directory.
A junior licensee may carry no more than one passenger under the age of twenty one who is not immediate family, unless a licensed parent, guardian, driver education teacher or driving school instructor is along, and every occupant must be belted.
The learner's permit, which has its own limits, and the penalties for breaking these are in other parts of the law not covered here. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Veh. & Traf. Law § 501 — Drivers licenses and learners permits
- Veh. & Traf. Law § 501-b — Additional restrictions on junior permits and licenses
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.