N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 503: Period of validity of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and applications; required fees

§ 503. Period of validity of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and

applications; required fees. 1. Periods of validity. (a) A driver's

license shall be valid from the date of issuance until a date of

expiration determined by the commissioner. Such dates of issuance and

expiration shall be noted on the license, except that if such printed

expiration date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or state holiday, such

license shall be valid for operation until midnight of the next day on

which state offices shall be open for business. However, a prior license

shall expire on the date of issuance of a renewal of such prior license.

The commissioner may extend the period of validity of a license in a

manner and form prescribed by him.

(b) An application for a license shall be valid for a period of time

specified by regulation of the commissioner not to exceed five years. A

learner's permit shall be valid from its issuance until the expiration

of the application for a driver's license for which it was issued.

Provided, however, a commercial learner's permit shall be valid for no

more than such time as permitted by section 31308 of title 49 of the

United States code and part 383.25 of title 49 of the code of federal

regulations. Provided, however, that a commercial learner's permit

issued by the commissioner in connection with an application for a

commercial driver's license shall be cancelled within sixty days of the

holder's medical certification status becoming "not-certified" based

upon: (i) the expiration of the holder's medical certification or

medical variance documentation required by the federal motor carrier

safety improvement act of 1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the

code of federal regulations; (ii) the holder's failure to submit such

medical certification or medical variance documentation at such

intervals as required by the federal motor carrier safety improvement

act of 1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the code of federal

regulations and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner; or (iii) the

receipt by the commissioner of information from the issuing medical

examiner or the federal motor carrier safety administration that a

medical certification or medical variance was issued in error or

rescinded. The commissioner shall, upon a holder's status becoming

"not-certified", notify the holder of such commercial learner's permit

issued in connection with a commercial driver's license application by

first class mail to the address of such person on file with the

department or at the current address provided by the United States

postal service of his or her "not-certified" medical certification

status and that the commercial motor vehicle privileges of such

commercial learner's permit will be cancelled unless he or she submits a

current medical certificate and/or medical variance in accordance with

Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations or changes

his or her self-certification to driving only in excepted or intrastate

commerce in accordance with Part 383.71(b) (1) (ii), (iii) or (iv) of

title 49 of the code of federal regulations.

2. Fees. (a) Initial application fee. The fee required for the

initiation of the licensing process by a person who does not hold a

valid or renewable license issued by the commissioner shall be ten

dollars.

(i) If application is made for any license other than a commercial

driver's license, such fee shall enable the applicant to take the

knowledge test required for issuance of a learner's permit and driver's

license no more than twice.

(ii) (A) If application is made for a commercial driver's license,

such fee shall enable the applicant to take the knowledge test required

for issuance of a learner's permit and driver's license once and also

take any knowledge test or tests required for any endorsement or

endorsements applied for which are taken at the same time.

(B) The knowledge tests for such learner's permit, driver's license or

endorsements shall be available in both the English and Spanish language

versions.

(iii) If an applicant fails to pass the knowledge test required for

issuance of a learner's permit in the number of times specified in

subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph, a new application fee shall

be required.

(b) Learner permit/license fee. (i) Upon passage of the knowledge test

required to obtain a learner's permit, the applicant for a commercial

driver's license shall be required to pay an additional fee of nine

dollars and fifty cents for each six months or portion thereof of the

period of validity of a learner's permit or license which is or may be

issued as well as a fee of forty dollars for a road test which must be

passed before a license will be issued.

(ii) Upon passage of the knowledge test required to obtain a learner's

permit, the applicant for a class C license which does not have an H, P

or X endorsement or a class E license shall be required to pay six

dollars and twenty-five cents for each six months or portion thereof of

the period of validity of a learner's permit or license which is or may

be issued, and an applicant for a class D, DJ, M or MJ license shall be

required to pay three dollars and twenty-five cents for each six months

or portion thereof of the period of validity of a learner's permit or

license which is or may be issued. No additional fee shall be required

of any such applicant to take up to two road tests. Such road test must

be passed before a license will be issued.

(iii) If an applicant fails to pass the road test required for

issuance of a license in the number of times specified in subparagraph

(i) or (ii) of this paragraph, an additional fee of forty dollars will

be required for each additional test applied for in order to obtain a

commercial driver's license and an additional fee of ten dollars will be

required for up to two tests applied for in order to obtain any license

other than a commercial driver's license.

(iv) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, the

difference collected between the fees set forth in this paragraph in

effect on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set

forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be deposited

to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.

(b-1) Supplemental learner permit/license fee in the metropolitan

commuter transportation district. (i) Upon passage of the knowledge test

required to obtain a learner's permit, an applicant for a driver's

license who resides in the metropolitan commuter transportation district

established by section one thousand two hundred sixty-two of the public

authorities law shall be required to pay a supplemental fee of one

dollar for each six months or portion thereof of the period of validity

of a learner's permit or license which is or may be issued pursuant to

the provisions of subparagraph (i) or (ii) of paragraph (b) of this

subdivision.

(ii) The commissioner shall deposit daily all funds collected pursuant

to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph with such responsible banks,

banking houses or trust companies as may be designated by the state

comptroller, in trust for the credit of the metropolitan transportation

authority. An account may be established in one or more of such

depositories. Such deposits shall be kept separate and apart from all

other money in the possession of the comptroller. On or before the

twelfth day of each month, the commissioner shall certify to the

comptroller the amount of all revenues received pursuant to subparagraph

(i) of this paragraph during the prior month as a result of the

supplemental fee imposed, including any interest and penalties thereon.

The revenues so certified over the prior three months in total shall be

paid over by the fifteenth day of the last month of each calendar

quarter from such account, without appropriation, into the corporate

transportation account of the metropolitan transportation authority

special assistance fund established by section twelve hundred seventy-a

of the public authorities law, to be applied as provided in paragraph

(e) of subdivision four of such section. Any money collected pursuant to

this section that is deposited by the comptroller in the corporate

transportation account of the metropolitan transportation authority

special assistance fund shall be held in such fund free and clear of any

claim by any person or entity paying an additional fee pursuant to this

section, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

any right or claim against the metropolitan transportation authority,

any of its bondholders, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the

metropolitan transportation authority.

(c) Renewal fee. Fees for renewal of a license issued by the

commissioner shall be as follows:

(i) For a commercial driver's license, nine dollars and fifty cents

for each six months or portion thereof.

(ii) For a class C license which does not have an H, P or X

endorsement or a class E license, six dollars and twenty-five cents for

each six months or portion thereof.

(iii) For a class D, DJ, M or MJ license, three dollars and

twenty-five cents, for each six months or portion thereof.

(iv) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, the

difference collected between the fees set forth in this paragraph in

effect on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set

forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be deposited

to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.

(c-1) In addition to the fees established in paragraphs (b) and (c) of

this subdivision, a fee of fifty cents for each six months or portion

thereof of the period of validity shall be paid upon the issuance of any

permit, license or renewal of a license which is valid for the operation

of a motorcycle, except a limited use motorcycle.

(c-2) Refunds. The commissioner shall refund any fees paid for a

driver's license pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision for the

period commencing after completion of four years of the period of

validity of such license, provided that such license is not suspended or

revoked and is surrendered to the commissioner before the end of such

four year period and application therefor is filed with the commissioner

no later than three months from the expiration of such four year period.

(c-3) (i) Supplemental renewal fee in the metropolitan commuter

transportation district. In addition to the fees required to be paid

pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a supplemental fee of one

dollar for each six months or portion thereof of the validity of the

license shall be paid for renewal of a license of a person who resides

in the metropolitan commuter transportation district established by

section one thousand two hundred sixty-two of the public authorities law

issued by the commissioner.

(ii) The commissioner shall deposit daily all funds collected pursuant

to this paragraph with such responsible banks, banking houses or trust

companies as may be designated by the state comptroller, in trust for

the credit of the metropolitan transportation authority. An account may

be established in one or more of such depositories. Such deposits shall

be kept separate and apart from all other money in the possession of the

comptroller. On or before the twelfth day of each month, the

commissioner shall certify to the comptroller the amount of all revenues

received pursuant to this paragraph during the prior month as a result

of the supplemental fees imposed, including any interest and penalties

thereon. The revenues so certified over the prior three months in total

shall be paid over by the fifteenth day of the last month of each

calendar quarter from such account, without appropriation, into the

corporate transportation account of the metropolitan transportation

authority special assistance fund established by section twelve hundred

seventy-a of the public authorities law, to be applied as provided in

paragraph (e) of subdivision four of such section. Any money collected

pursuant to this section that is deposited by the comptroller in the

corporate transportation account of the metropolitan transportation

authority special assistance fund shall be held in such fund free and

clear of any claim by any person or entity paying an additional fee

pursuant to this section, including, without limiting the generality of

the foregoing, any right or claim against the metropolitan

transportation authority, any of its bondholders, or any subsidiary or

affiliate of the metropolitan transportation authority.

(d) Duplicate and amendment fees. (i) The fee for a duplicate of any

license or learner's permit shall be five dollars.

(ii) If a knowledge test or test are required to be passed to secure

an amended learner's permit or license, the fees for taking of such test

or tests specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be paid.

However, if an amendment is to add only an endorsement or endorsements

which require only the passing of a knowledge test or tests, a fee of

five dollars shall be paid. If a road test or tests are required to be

passed to secure an amended license, the fees for taking such test or

tests specified in paragraph (b) of this subdivision shall be paid. If

no knowledge or road test is required to secure an amended license, the

fee required for such amended license shall be five dollars. In

addition, if the fee for the amended learner's permit or license is

greater than the fee for the learner's permit or license being amended,

the difference in fee shall be paid. If the amendment is only to correct

or update a driver's record, no fee other than the photo image fee shall

be required.

(e) Alternative testing. If a knowledge test is required in any stage

of the licensing process, the applicant may request that such test be

given in a form other than written and if the applicant meets the

eligibility standards established by the commissioner for an alternative

test then the commissioner shall give such test in an alternative form.

An additional fee of five dollars shall be required for such an

alternative test.

(f) Photo image fee. In addition to any other fee prescribed herein, a

fee of twelve dollars and fifty cents shall be charged for the

processing of each learner permit or license document requiring a photo

image. Of each such fee collected, five dollars shall be deposited to

the credit of the general fund and five dollars shall be deposited in

the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund established pursuant to

section eighty-nine-b of the state finance law and the dedicated mass

transportation fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-c of the

state finance law and distributed according to the provisions of

subdivision (d) of section three hundred one-j of the tax law.

Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, the

difference collected between the fees set forth in this paragraph in

effect on and after September first, two thousand nine and the fees set

forth in this paragraph in effect prior to such date shall be deposited

to the credit of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.

(f-1) In addition to any other fee prescribed in this section, an

additional fee of thirty dollars shall be charged for any license,

issued to a New York state resident who is a citizen of the United

States, that can be used for certain land and sea border crossings

pursuant to section 7209 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism

Prevention Act of Two Thousand Four, Public Law 108-458, or the

regulations promulgated thereunder.

(g) In no event shall the commissioner increase fees or impose

surcharges or penalties for the issuance or renewal of licenses without

the specific mandate of the legislature effected pursuant to an

amendment to this chapter.

(h) An applicant whose driver's license has been revoked pursuant to

(i) section five hundred ten of this title, (ii) section eleven hundred

ninety-three of this chapter, and (iii) section eleven hundred

ninety-four of this chapter, shall, upon application for issuance of a

driver's license, pay to the commissioner a fee of one hundred dollars.

When the basis for the revocation is a finding of driving after having

consumed alcohol pursuant to the provisions of section eleven hundred

ninety-two-a of this chapter, the fee to be paid to the commissioner

shall be one hundred dollars. Such fee is not refundable and shall not

be returned to the applicant regardless of the action the commissioner

may take on such person's application for reinstatement of such driving

license. Such fee shall be in addition to any other fees presently

levied but shall not apply to an applicant whose driver's license was

revoked for failure to pass a reexamination or to an applicant who has

been issued a conditional or restricted use license under the provisions

of article twenty-one-A or thirty-one of this chapter.

(i) A non-resident whose driving privileges have been revoked pursuant

to sections five hundred ten, eleven hundred ninety-three and eleven

hundred ninety-four of this chapter shall, upon application for

reinstatement of such driving privileges, pay to the commissioner of

motor vehicles a fee of one hundred dollars. When the basis for the

revocation is a finding of driving after having consumed alcohol

pursuant to the provisions of section eleven hundred ninety-two-a of

this chapter, the fee to be paid to the commissioner shall be one

hundred dollars. Such fee is not refundable and shall not be returned to

the applicant regardless of the action the commissioner may take on such

person's application for reinstatement of such driving privileges.

(j) Whenever a license issued pursuant to this article, or a privilege

of operating a motor vehicle or of obtaining such a license, has been

suspended, such suspension shall remain in effect until a termination of

a suspension fee of fifty dollars is paid to the commissioner; provided,

however, when the basis for the suspension is a finding of driving after

having consumed alcohol pursuant to the provisions of section eleven

hundred ninety-two-a of this chapter, the fee to be paid to the

commissioner shall be one hundred dollars. The provisions of this

paragraph shall not apply to a temporary suspension pending a hearing,

prosecution or investigation, nor to an indefinite suspension which is

issued because of the failure of the person suspended to perform an act,

which suspension will be terminated by the performance of the act.

(j-1) (i) When a license issued pursuant to this article, or a

privilege of operating a motor vehicle or of obtaining such a license,

has been suspended based upon a failure to answer an appearance ticket

or a summons or failure to pay a fine, penalty or mandatory surcharge,

pursuant to subdivision three of section two hundred twenty-six,

subdivision four of section two hundred twenty-seven, subdivision four-a

of section five hundred ten or subdivision five-a of section eighteen

hundred nine of this chapter, such suspension shall remain in effect

until a termination of a suspension fee of seventy dollars is paid to

the court or tribunal that initiated the suspension of such license or

privilege. In no event may the aggregate of the fees imposed by an

individual court pursuant to this paragraph for the termination of all

suspensions that may be terminated as a result of a person's answers,

appearances or payments made in such cases pending before such

individual court exceed four hundred dollars. For the purposes of this

paragraph, the various locations of the administrative tribunal

established under article two-A of this chapter shall be considered an

individual court.

(ii) Any such fee collected by any court, judge, magistrate or other

officer specified in subdivision one of section thirty-nine of the

judiciary law, establishing a unified court budget, shall be paid to the

state commissioner of taxation and finance on a monthly basis no later

than ten days after the last day of each month. All such monies

collected under this subdivision shall be deposited to the indigent

legal services fund established by section ninety-eight-b of the state

finance law.

(iii) Any such fee collected by any other court, judge, magistrate or

other officer shall, except as provided in paragraph (k) of this

subdivision, be paid to the state comptroller within the first ten days

of the month following collection. Every such payment to the comptroller

shall be accompanied by a statement in such form and detail as the

comptroller shall provide. All such monies collected under this

subdivision shall be deposited to the indigent legal services fund

established by section ninety-eight-b of the state finance law.

(iv) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, fifty

percent of all fees collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be

deposited to the credit of the general fund.

(k) Fees assessed for reapplication for a driver's license or

reinstatement of driving privileges after revocation or required to be

paid for termination of suspension as provided in paragraphs (h), (i)

and (j) of this subdivision shall be paid to the commissioner for

deposit to the general fund. Fees assessed for termination of suspension

as provided in paragraph (j-1) of this subdivision and collected by an

administrative tribunal established under article two-A of this chapter

shall be paid over to the state comptroller to the credit of the

indigent legal services fund established by section ninety-eight-b of

the state finance law.

3. Waiver of fee. The commissioner may waive the payment of fees

required by subdivision two of this section if the applicant:

(i) is an incarcerated individual in an institution under the

jurisdiction of a state department or agency, or

(ii) is a victim of crime and the driver's license or learner's permit

applied for is a replacement for one that was lost or destroyed as a

result of the crime.

4. Driver responsibility assessment. (a) Any person who accumulates

six or more points on his or her driving record for acts committed

within an eighteen month period shall become liable to the department

for payment of a driver responsibility assessment as provided in this

subdivision.

(b) The amount of the driver responsibility assessment under this

section shall be one hundred dollars per year for a three-year period

for the first six points on a driver's record and an additional

twenty-five dollars per year for each additional point on such driver's

record.

(c) Upon receipt of evidence that a person is liable for the driver

responsibility assessment required by this subdivision, the commissioner

shall notify such person by first class mail to the address of such

person on file with the department or at the current address provided by

the United States postal service of the amount of such assessment, the

time and manner of making required payments, and that failure to make

payment shall result in the suspension of his or her driver's license or

privilege of obtaining a driver's license.

(d) If a person shall fail to pay any driver responsibility assessment

as provided in this subdivision, the commissioner shall suspend such

person's driver's license or privilege of obtaining a license. Such

suspension shall remain in effect until any and all outstanding driver

responsibility assessments have been paid in full.

(e) Any completion of a motor vehicle accident prevention course

approved pursuant to article twelve-B of this chapter shall not serve to

reduce the calculation of points on a person's driving record for the

purposes of this section.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,

commencing April first, two thousand six and ending March thirty-first,

two thousand fourteen, in each year, the first forty million seven

hundred thousand dollars of fees collected pursuant to this subdivision

and section eleven hundred ninety-nine of this chapter, in the

aggregate, shall be paid to the state comptroller who shall deposit such

money in the state treasury pursuant to section one hundred twenty-one

of the state finance law to the credit of the general fund. Any such

fees collected in excess of such amount shall be paid to the credit of

the comptroller on account of the dedicated highway and bridge trust

fund established pursuant to section eighty-nine-b of the state finance

law. Commencing April first, two thousand fourteen and for each such

fiscal year thereafter, any such fees collected pursuant to this

subdivision and section eleven hundred ninety-nine of this chapter shall

be paid to the credit of the comptroller on account of the dedicated

highway and bridge trust fund established pursuant to section

eighty-nine-b of the state finance law.