New York 5-Hour Course Online

New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing is a mandatory program designed for new drivers seeking a license in New York state. Our 100% online training is designed for individuals 18 and up who are applying for a New York license for the first time.

You must complete the 5-hour course before you take the road test to earn your license. You will learn the rules of the road, traffic laws and safety tips, preparing you for your behind-the-wheel driving test. You can take the online program once you have a valid photo learner permit.

Read on to discover state requirements, the topics you’ll learn and the benefits of completing your studies online.

Course Details

The mandatory pre-licensing course is a knowledge class designed to teach you core skills to prepare you for your road test.

All DMV-approved classes, whether in person or online, must teach the following subjects:

  • Driver safety, including seat belt laws, drowsy driving and staying focused
  • Developing safe driving habits that last a lifetime
  • Communication between drivers
  • Rules of the road, including right of way, taking a turn, lane changes and one-way streets
  • Traffic signs and signals
  • Defensive driving and emergency stopping response
  • Maneuvering over wet, snowy and muddy roads
  • Cellphone use and laws
  • Taking risks, aggressive driving and road rage charges and penalties
  • Drunk driving laws, penalties and consequences of driving while impaired
  • Sharing the road with school buses, work zones, motorcycles and emergency vehicles

Since all approved lessons must cover the same curriculum, you can use the student manual as a resource while you study. After you finish the necessary training and quizzes, you have one year from your completion date to schedule your road test with the DMV. If you wait longer than a year, you will have to repeat the class.

You do not need to take the 5-hour pre-licensing course if you completed a 48-hour driver education program through your high school or college. Otherwise, you must complete this training.

About the Program

Instead of enrolling in a classroom pre-licensing class at a traffic school, you can complete your 5-hour training online. This convenient format provides a way to meet state requirements while allowing you to learn at your own pace.

SafeMotorist offers an online 5-hour course that is approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV). After you finish, your completion will be automatically reported to the NSYDMV, ensuring a seamless process as you work toward earning your driver’s license.

You can train at your own pace using any device with a stable internet connection. The program takes at least five hours to complete, as mandated by the NYSDMV.

After registration and payment, you will have access to our online platform. You have up to 30 days to complete your training. Lesson content is divided into nine modules, and you can progress through them at your own pace. You can log in and out as much as you want — the system will track your progress and save your place.

This course does not have a final exam. However, you are required to take end-of-module quizzes and score at least 70% on each to pass the class.

Because your completion is electronically reported to the DMV after you finish, you will not receive a physical or digital certificate. No further proof of completion is necessary to schedule your road test.

You can schedule your road test immediately after completing the program. However, keep in mind that appointment availability may vary. For more information on reservations, contact your local DMV office.

Benefits of Online Education

Online education offers a range of benefits that make it an attractive choice for individuals looking to satisfy their pre-licensing requirements:

  • Flexible Schedule: You have the freedom to choose when and where you want to study, allowing you to fit your education around your existing commitments.
  • Cost-Effective: Online training is usually priced lower than in-person education. You can save on transportation costs and study materials, making it an affordable option.
  • Self-Paced Learning: You can progress at your own speed, ensuring that you understand and retain the material before moving on. You have up to 30 days to finish, so you can break it up into multiple sessions if you like.
  • Accessible Support: We offer customer support to assist you with any questions or issues you may encounter.

There’s no easier way to meet New York driver training requirements. Study at your pace, on your schedule, right from the comfort of your own home. Instead of scheduling five weeks of commutes and lessons, you can simply open your device and start learning.

Finish the program in a single Saturday or spread it out over a month of bite-sized lessons. Our pre-licensing course gives you the freedom to prepare for your first license your way.

Why Choose SafeMotorist? We are an NYSDMV-approved provider of New York driver education. We have been a leading source of safety training and testing since 1996. We help drivers across America prepare for driver’s licenses, dismiss tickets, reduce insurance rates and master life-saving defensive driving techniques.

When you learn with SafeMotorist, you get:

  • Convenient and accessible learning: We offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace from any device, anywhere with an internet connection.
  • DMV approval: Our pre-licensing and defensive driving programs are fully approved by the NYSDMV. Upon successful completion, you'll meet the state's educational requirements to take your license road test or reduce points on your record.
  • Engaging and interactive content: We incorporate multimedia elements such as videos, animations and quizzes that keep you actively involved in the learning process.
  • Automatic NYSDMV reporting: After you pass the class, your completion is automatically reported to the DMV, simplifying the process of satisfying pre-license or defensive driving requirements.

SafeMotorist is approved to provide online New York driving school courses under the name of our parent company: American Safety Council. You can check our approval on the NYSDMV website.

For more information about driver safety, traffic laws and other topics, explore our traffic articles.

Sources

NYSDMV. (n.d.). What is the Pre-Licensing Course and how to I find one? Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/what-pre-licensing-course-and-how-do-i-find-one

NYSDMV. (2023, January). Pre-Licensing Course Student’s Manual. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv277.1.pdf

NYSDMV. (n.d.). DMV Office Locations and Reservations. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/offices/county-offices

NYSDMV. (n.d.). Online Pre-Licensing Course Providers. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-training/online-pre-licensing-course-providers