Department of Motor Vehicles

What does the "issued" date mean on my driver license?

The date displayed after the word "ISSUED" on your driver license document is the date that the driver license transaction was processed, not the date when your first driver license was issued.

For example, when you renew your original (first) driver license, the issued date on the renewed document is the date that the renewal transaction was processed. If you apply for a replacement (duplicate) driver license document or amend information on your driver license, the issued date on the new document is the date that the duplicate or amendment transaction was processed.

The only way to learn when your license was actually issued is if you passed a road test within the past nine years and you order an abstract of your driver record.

If you took your road test in the past nine years, your abstract will display a "probation start" date and a "probation end" date. The probation start date is the date that you passed your road test and is the date that your first NYS driver license was issued. The probation start date can also be the date that you passed a required road test after a revocation.

If you exchanged a driver license from another state or a Canadian province to receive a NYS driver license, an abstract of your NYS driver record will not display a probation start date or a probation end date.

If the abstract does not display your probation dates, there is no way to tell when your first driver license was issued.