Driving Tests

NY Permit Test in Spanish, Chinese and 18 Other Languages

informational·how to guide·Published June 14, 2026

In which languages can I take the New York Class D permit test?

The New York DMV gives the Class D (car) permit test in 20 languages: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu and Yiddish. For free language help before your visit, call the DMV at 1-518-486-9786.

Where this information comes from

The test languages and the online test rules come from the New York State DMV page Prepare for and Take Your Permit Test. The language help, the phone line and the complaint right come from the DMV Language Assistance page. The study material comes from the DMV page on the Driver's Manual and practice tests. The pass mark, the OKTA school test and the TTY number come from the New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21, 5/23), and the translation rule from the DMV guide ID-44. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New York State DMV (dmv.ny.gov) before you drive.

All 20 languages of the NY Class D permit test

All 20 languages of the NY Class D permit test
Languages 1 to 5	Languages 6 to 10	Languages 11 to 15	Languages 16 to 20
English	Chinese	Italian	Russian
Albanian	French	Japanese	Spanish
Arabic	Greek	Korean	Turkish
Bengali	Haitian Creole	Nepali	Urdu
Bosnian	Hebrew	Polish	Yiddish

Which permit test the 20-language list covers

The 20 languages are for the Class D permit test. Class D is the operator permit for a car, and it is the permit class that most people apply for. The Driver's Manual adds that the Class D knowledge test is offered in more than one language, and that you take it at a touch screen test station or on paper. The list in the table is in the same order as on the DMV page: English first, then the other 19 from A to Z.

Test format: 20 questions, 4 of them on road signs

The written test has 20 questions. You must answer at least 14 correctly, and two of the four road sign questions must be right. Our guide to how many questions are on the NY permit test has the full pass rules. Road signs are a good place to start. Try our free practice questions on how to treat a regulation sign and on a signal ahead warning sign. Our practice questions are in English only.

Online, at school or at a DMV office: where you take the test

You are 18 or older

The online test option is for applicants under 18. Take the permit test at a DMV office. Bring form MV-44, proofs of identity, age and residence, and the permit test fee.

You are under 18

You have the option to take the permit test online. After you pass, the DMV needs three business days to review your results and identity documents before you finish your transaction in an office.

You are under 18 and you go to an office within the first 3 business days after the online test

You must take and pass the permit test again in the office before you finish your transaction.

You are a high school student, at least 15 years and 11 months old, and you have no permit yet

If your school takes part, you can take the written test through the DMV Online Knowledge Test Application (OKTA). OKTA is offered in English and Spanish.

Language help from the New York DMV

Interpretation: the New York State language access policy requires executive state agencies that serve the public directly to offer interpretation in the language you request.
Forms and documents: important forms and documents must be available in at least the 12 most common languages in New York, plus English. As of 2026, these are Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French and Urdu.
Phone line: call the DMV at 1-518-486-9786 for free language assistance. Before your visit, ask what help you can get for the permit test.
Deaf callers: the DMV TTY/TDD number inside New York State is 1-(800) 368-1186.
Your own documents: proofs in a foreign language need a certified English translation. Our guide to the 6 points of ID for a New York permit lists the proofs.

Test languages and form languages are two different lists

The 20 test languages: These are the languages of the Class D permit test. Apart from English, seven of them are not on the list of 12 form languages: Albanian, Bosnian, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Nepali and Turkish.
The 12 form languages: These are the languages for important DMV forms and documents. All 12 are also test languages. Interpretation is for the language you request, also outside these 12.

Study for the test: the manual, the quizzes and our practice test

The DMV tells applicants to study all of the available materials and take the permit test practice quizzes. Chapters 4 through 11 of the online Driver's Manual hold the material for the Class D, DJ or E learner permit test, and each of these chapters has an interactive quiz. You can also download the full manual as an 80-page PDF, or get a single printed copy free at a DMV office or by mail. For study help in your language, call the DMV language line. Our own free practice test is in English only.

Key takeaways

The New York Class D permit test is given in 20 languages, English included. Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian Creole and Yiddish are on the list.
The written test has 20 questions. You need 14 correct, and two of the four road sign questions must be right.
Applicants under 18 can take the test online. The OKTA test at participating high schools is in English and Spanish.
For free language assistance, call the DMV at 1-518-486-9786. Proofs in a foreign language need a certified English translation.
Next step: practice on the free New York Class D permit practice test. It is in English only.

NY permit test languages: common questions

Can I take the New York permit test in Spanish?

Yes. Spanish is one of the 20 languages of the New York Class D permit test. High school students who are at least 15 years and 11 months old can also take the written test in Spanish through the OKTA program, if their school takes part. From age 16, they bring the OKTA receipt and the completed forms to a motor vehicle office to apply for the permit.

Is the NY permit test in Chinese, Arabic, Bengali or Urdu?

Yes. Chinese, Arabic, Bengali and Urdu are all on the list of 20 Class D permit test languages. They are also among the 12 languages in which the DMV must offer important forms and documents. Russian, Korean, Haitian Creole, Polish and Yiddish are on both lists too.

Do my ID documents for the DMV need to be in English?

Yes, or they need a certified English translation. Documents in a foreign language are accepted only with a certified English translation. For a foreign passport that is not in English, the translation must be certified by the embassy or consulate of the country that issued the passport.

What can I do if the DMV did not give me language help?

You can file a language access complaint if you feel that the DMV did not give you adequate interpretation, or did not give you a translated document that is available. Use the online complaint form, or download the PDF form, fill it in and send it back. The DMV keeps the personal information in your complaint confidential.

Is your practice test in English only?

Yes. Our free New York Class D practice questions are in English only. They help you learn the rules of the road and the road signs before your DMV test. They are practice questions, not the real test questions. For language help with the DMV test, call the DMV at 1-518-486-9786.