You may be eligible for full non-Commercial Driver License (non-CDL) driving privileges after you complete the Impaired Driver Program (IDP) (previously known as Drinking Driving Program or DDP), all recommended formal evaluations, and any required treatment. Your Commercial Driver License (CDL) or commercial driving privileges will remain suspended or revoked until the end of the CDL suspension or revocation. After the end of the CDL suspension or revocation, you must go to a state or county motor vehicle office to apply for restoration of your CDL or commercial driving privileges.

If your original license has been suspended, you must

1. complete the IDP
2. go to any state or county motor vehicle office to have your license restored
3. pay a suspension termination fee.
4. pay a driver civil penalty if your license was suspended for a violation of the Zero Tolerance Law
5. pay any additional required license fees
    

Failure to Pay Child Support

Before you may proceed with applying for a new driver license, you must contact your local child support collection unit to make a payment and to have the suspension cleared. By law, DMV cannot clear a child support suspension unless directed to do so by the Office of Temporary Disability (OTDA). Once OTDA electronically notifies DMV to clear the suspension, you may continue with submitting your application for relicensing. Failure to follow these directions will result in a delay in processing your application for relicensing due to open suspension(s) on your record.

Failure to Pay Taxes

Before you may proceed with applying for a new driver license, you must contact the New York State Department of Tax and Finance (DTF) or call (518) 862-6000 to make a payment and to have the suspension cleared by law, DMV cannot clear a delinquent tax suspension unless directed to do so by DTF. Once DTF electronically notifies DMV to clear the suspension, you may continue with submitting your application for relicensing. Failure to follow these directions will result in a delay in processing your application for relicensing due to open suspension(s) on your record.

Failure to File an Acceptable Accident Report

Before you may proceed with applying for a new driver license, you must fax a completed Report of Motor Vehicle Accident, (MV-104) to (518) 474-0718. Once this form is processed, you may continue with submitting your application for relicensing. Failure to follow these directions will result in a delay in processing your application for relicensing due to open suspension(s) on your record.

If your original license has been revoked, you must

1. complete the IDP,
2. bring your conditional license to any state or county motor vehicle office,
3. meet all DMV requirements and criteria for re-licensing, and
4. pay any required license fees.

Please Note: Re-licensing after revocation is not automatic. For some revocations, you must first request and receive approval from the DMV Driver Improvement Unit (DIU) before you can apply for a new driver license at a DMV office.  For more information, see Restore License after Revocation. 

The DMV cannot consider your application for re-licensing until the end of the revocation period if you

• originally had refused a request for an alcohol or drug test,
• had committed the alcohol or drug-related violation while driving a commercial motor vehicle, or
• were under 21 at the time of your arrest.

However, if you complete the IDP and have a conditional license, you may continue driving in conditional status during the remainder of the revocation period.

If you owe any DMV fees (suspension termination fee, civil penalty, or Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA)), they must be paid before applying for a license or the processing of your application will be delayed. 

If you have open traffic tickets or owe fines to a court, you must contact the court of record. Outstanding tickets need to be addressed and all fines need to be paid before you may apply for a license. Once the court notifies DMV that the tickets have been satisfied, you may continue with submitting your online request for relicensing.

Mail your application, the $100 reapplication fee by check or money order made payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles”, and court/probation documentation, if applicable to the Driver Improvement Unit at the contact below.

The Driver Improvement Unit (DIU) will make a determination based on your lifetime driving record, and a response will be mailed to you. The response will include instructions about your next steps. Those instructions are also outlined below whether your application is denied or approved.  

Note: Motorists who have previously held a learner permit, driver license from another state or jurisdiction, or who have had convictions /incidents of alcohol/drugged driving in another state or jurisdiction, will be sent an additional form to complete. This form must be completed and returned to the Driver Improvement Unit before a final review can be completed.