VMARE Driving School · NYC
Your NY driver's license
starts here.
Answer one question and we'll show you exactly what to book.
★★★★★ 5.0 rated by NYC students who passed their road test
Lessons in: Upper East Side (Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, East Harlem) · Upper West Side (Lincoln Square, Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights)
Students travel from: All of Manhattan · Queens (Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside)
Lessons from $80
·
Packages from $390
·
Road test packages from $790
Beginner›Do you have a permit?
Do you have a
learner's permit?
Your NY learner's permit is the official DMV document that lets you legally practice driving.
One more thing —
pre-licensing course.
New York State requires you to complete one of these before your road test:
Option A — Driver's Ed (completed through school or a driving program) — only for under 18
Option B — 5-hour pre-licensing course (a live 5-hour class taught via Zoom, $50 — required if you didn't do Driver's Ed)
Option B — 5-hour pre-licensing course (a live 5-hour class taught via Zoom, $50 — required if you didn't do Driver's Ed)
Has permit›Choose your path
Let's get you
licensed.
All packages include flexible pickup across UES & UWS, Manhattan. You'll use the same car for lessons and your road test.
Learn to drive
No test booking yet
From $390
5 hrs · $78/hr
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✗Car rental for test
✗Expedited appointment
✗Pre-licensing course
Most popular
Pass my road test
For permit holders & Driver's Ed graduates
From $790
5 hrs · car rental + appt
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓Car rental — same car for test
✓Expedited appt (1–2 weeks)
✗Pre-licensing course
Do everything for me
All-inclusive
From $790
5 hrs · car rental + appt + course
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓Car rental — same car for test
✓Expedited appt (1–2 weeks)
✓Online 5-hr pre-licensing course
Just one lesson first
No commitment
$80
1 hr · pay as you go
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓See how it feels before committing
✗Car rental for test
✗Expedited appointment
The "Do everything for me" package includes the mandatory 5-hour pre-licensing course — taught online via Zoom. It's only $50 more (discounted bundle).
Standalone add-on
5-hour pre-licensing course
Required by NY State before your road test. Taught online via Zoom. Certificate provided upon completion, valid for your DMV road test appointment.
Already bought a lesson package? Add this on its own.
Already bought a lesson package? Add this on its own.
$50
live Zoom · 5 hours
Standalone add-on
Car rental + test day
Car rental, expedited appointment, and a 30-min warm-up lesson before your test. No lesson package needed — good if you already have enough practice hours.
$350
car + appt + warm-up
Refresher›Your options
Welcome back
to the road.
NYC traffic, highway confidence, parking, lane changes. We cover it all — at your pace.
Refresher lessons
From $80/hr
5 hrs — $390
10 hrs — $750
15 hrs — $1,150
20 hrs — $1,400
✓NYC streets, highway, parking & lane changes
✓Flexible pickup — UES, UWS, all of Manhattan & Queens
✓Same car every lesson for consistency
✓Road trip prep & highway driving on request
✓DMV-certified, patient instructors
Not sure how many hours you need? Most refresher students feel confident after 3–5 hours. Start with a single lesson and your instructor will recommend from there.
International›Do you have a NY permit?
Do you have a
NY learner's permit?
Even with years of experience abroad, you'll need a NY learner's permit. Your foreign license doesn't transfer to New York.
Choose your
path to licensed.
All packages include flexible pickup across UES & UWS, Manhattan. You'll use the same car for lessons and your road test.
Learn to drive
No test booking yet
From $390
5 hrs · $78/hr
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✗Car rental for test
✗Expedited appointment
✗Pre-licensing course
Most popular
Pass my road test
For permit holders & Driver's Ed graduates
From $790
5 hrs · car rental + appt
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓Car rental — same car for test
✓Expedited appt (1–2 weeks)
✗Pre-licensing course
Do everything for me
All-inclusive
From $790
5 hrs · car rental + appt + course
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓Car rental — same car for test
✓Expedited appt (1–2 weeks)
✓Online 5-hr pre-licensing course
Just one lesson first
No commitment
$80
1 hr · pay as you go
✓DMV-certified instructor
✓Flexible pickup
✓See how it feels before committing
✗Car rental for test
✗Expedited appointment
The "Do everything for me" package includes the mandatory 5-hour pre-licensing course — taught online via Zoom. It's only $50 more (discounted bundle).
Standalone add-on
5-hour pre-licensing course
Required by NY State before your road test. Taught online via Zoom. Certificate provided upon completion, valid for your DMV road test appointment.
Already bought a lesson package? Add this on its own.
Already bought a lesson package? Add this on its own.
$50
live Zoom · 5 hours
Standalone add-on
Car rental + test day
Car rental, expedited appointment, and a 30-min warm-up lesson before your test. No lesson package needed — good if you already have enough practice hours.
$350
car + appt + warm-up
Getting your NY learner's permit
How to get your
learner's permit.
Most people are done in a single DMV visit. Here's exactly what to do.
Study the NY Driver's Manual
Download free at dmv.ny.gov. Every permit test question comes directly from this manual. Pay attention to road signs — 4 of the 20 questions are signs, and you must get at least 2 right.
Gather your documents (6 points of ID)
Passport (4 pts) + Social Security card (2 pts) = 6. Also bring proof of NY residency — a utility bill, lease, or bank statement works. Fill out form MV-44 beforehand.
Under 18? A parent or guardian can sign form MV-45 for ID.
Under 18? A parent or guardian can sign form MV-45 for ID.
Visit any NY DMV office
Take the written test (20 questions, need 14 correct) and a vision test. Pay the fee. Walk out with your temporary permit same day. ID card will be sent in the mail. Permit is valid for 5 years.
Come back here
You're ready to book. We'll handle the car, road test appointment, and pre-licensing course — you just show up and drive.
Under 18?
Parent or guardian required at the DMV
They must sign form MV-45. You'll also go through the GDL program — hold your permit 6 months and complete 50 hours of supervised driving (15 at night).
No Driver's Ed? You can take the 5-hour course instead
But you'll receive a junior license (Class DJ) — not a full license. All restrictions end when you turn 18.
Junior license restrictions (Class DJ)
No driving in NYC — ever
All five boroughs, regardless of where the license was issued.
5 AM – 9 PM only
Unsupervised driving outside NYC only during these hours.
Max 1 passenger under 21
Unless they are immediate family.
All passengers must wear seat belts
Want to avoid all of this?
Complete a NY State Driver's Ed course. At 17, a Driver's Ed graduate gets a full Class D license — unrestricted driving anywhere in NY, including NYC.
Got your permit? You're ready to book.
Come back here and we'll show you the right package.
Source: DMV website
