Yes. Undocumented immigrants can get a driver’s license in NY under the state’s Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, better known as the Green Light Law. Any New York resident who is at least 16 years old can apply for a standard, non-commercial driver’s license or learner permit regardless of citizenship or immigration status.1NY DMV. Driver Licenses and the Green Light Law The license is marked “NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES,” but it is fully valid for driving and everyday identification within the state.
Who Qualifies
Two things: you have to be at least 16, and you have to live in New York State at the time you apply.2Department of Motor Vehicles. Get Your Learner Permit and First Driver License There is no minimum residency period. You do not need a Social Security number, proof of citizenship, or any immigration paperwork.
Documents You Need
New York uses a 6-point system for proof of name. You bring a combination of documents whose point values add up to at least 6. For applicants without U.S. citizenship documents, the workable options on Form ID-44 include:3NY DMV. ID-44 – How to Apply for a New York Learner Permit, Driver License, Non-Driver ID Card
- A valid, unexpired foreign passport is worth 4 points, which gets you more than halfway there on a single document.
- A foreign driver’s license with a photo is worth 4 points, provided it is current or expired no more than two years.
- A U.S. high school diploma or GED is worth 1 point.
- A U.S. high school photo ID with a report card issued in the past year is worth 2 points.
- A foreign birth certificate is worth 0 points toward proof of name, though it can support other documents.
A foreign passport plus a foreign driver’s license gets you to 8 points, which is more than enough. If you only have the passport, you’ll need to add a school ID, diploma, or similar document to reach 6.
You’ll also need at least one document showing your current New York address. A utility bill, bank statement, lease, or pay stub works, as long as it shows your name and a New York address.4NY DMV. Enhanced or REAL ID
If You Have No Social Security Number
If you have never been issued a Social Security number, complete Form NSS-1A, a one-page affidavit stating that fact.5NY DMV. Affidavit Stating No Social Security Number – Form NSS-1A You sign it in front of a DMV representative at your office visit. If you mail the application in instead, the affidavit has to be signed before a notary public.6New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Affidavit Stating No Social Security Number – Form NSS-1A
Translations
Any document that isn’t in English must be submitted with a certified English translation.3NY DMV. ID-44 – How to Apply for a New York Learner Permit, Driver License, Non-Driver ID Card Translation services generally charge $20 to $60 per standard page, more for rare languages or rush jobs. Plan for that expense if your passport or birth certificate is in another language.
How the Process Works
The path to a standard license has three stages.
Learner permit. Book an appointment at a DMV office. At the visit you’ll submit your application, your proof-of-name documents, proof of residency, and the NSS-1A affidavit if it applies to you. You’ll get your photo taken and pay the fee. In the same visit, you take a written knowledge test covering traffic laws, road signs, and rules on alcohol and drug use behind the wheel. It’s 20 multiple-choice questions; you need 14 correct overall and at least 2 of 4 road-sign questions right.7Department of Motor Vehicles. New York State Drivers Manual and Practice Tests – Chapter 1 Driver Licenses Passing earns you the learner permit.
Pre-Licensing Course. Before scheduling the road test, you must complete a 5-hour Pre-Licensing Course, offered by driving schools, high schools, and colleges in classroom, distance learning, or virtual formats.8NY DMV. The Driver Pre-Licensing Course Private schools generally charge $20 to $100. Completing a full 48-hour Driver Education Program through a school or college satisfies the same requirement.
Road test. Schedule and pass the road test with a DMV examiner. Your license arrives in the mail after you pass.
Fees
For a Class D standard passenger license, the combined permit and first-license fee ranges from $64.25 to $102.50, depending on your age and whether you live in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, which covers New York City, Long Island, and parts of the lower Hudson Valley.9NY DMV. Driver License and Learner Permit Fees and Refunds Adults 21 and older pay the least, between $64.25 and $77.50 depending on location. Motorcycle (Class M) licenses cost slightly more.
What the DMV Will and Will Not Share
The Green Light Law includes privacy provisions that go beyond federal requirements. The NY DMV is barred from voluntarily sharing an applicant’s personal data with any agency whose primary function is immigration enforcement, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection.1NY DMV. Driver Licenses and the Green Light Law The DMV will only release your records to those agencies if presented with a court-issued warrant, subpoena, or judicial order, and if that happens, the DMV is required to notify you.
The federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act permits states to share motor vehicle records with government agencies but does not require them to.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 2721 – Prohibition on Release and Use of Certain Personal Information from State Motor Vehicle Records New York uses that discretion to withhold information from immigration-focused agencies absent a court order. The U.S. Department of Justice challenged the restriction, but a federal judge dismissed the challenge, and the protections currently remain in effect.
Every standard New York license looks identical, no matter which documents were used to get it. There are no markings or codes that indicate whether the holder is a citizen, visa holder, or undocumented. All standard licenses carry the same “NOT FOR FEDERAL PURPOSES” label, shared by millions of New Yorkers who chose a standard license for reasons unrelated to immigration status.
What the License Cannot Do
A standard New York license lets you drive anywhere in the United States and serves as ID for everyday purposes within the state. Because it isn’t REAL-ID-compliant, though, it has limits at the federal level. Since May 7, 2025, the TSA no longer accepts non-REAL-ID state licenses at airport security checkpoints, so you cannot use a standard New York license to board a domestic flight.11Transportation Security Administration. TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement on May 7 The same limitation applies to entering most federal buildings and military installations.12Department of Homeland Security (DHS) / Federal Protective Service (FPS). ID Requirements for Federal Facilities A valid unexpired foreign passport is accepted by TSA as an alternative for domestic flights.13Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
The Green Light Law also does not cover Commercial Driver’s Licenses. CDLs are governed by federal regulations, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has restricted CDL eligibility to individuals with verifiable employment-based nonimmigrant status, such as H-2A or H-2B visa holders.14Federal Register. Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL) If you are undocumented, you cannot get a CDL in any state.
Renewing Your License
Green Light Law licenses renew on the same schedule as any other New York license, and the DMV sends a renewal notice before yours expires. If you originally applied without immigration documentation, plan to renew in person at a DMV office with updated proof-of-name and residency documents.15New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Resources for Non-US Citizens Watch expiration dates on your source documents. An expired foreign passport, for example, may no longer count toward the 6-point total when you go to renew.