A driving school instructor is a person who has been certified to teach individuals to drive a motor vehicle for a licensed driving school. A certified driving school instructor may be approved to teach in one or more of the following areas
First, you must be employed by a driving school licensed by DMV. You must also meet several requirements identified in Commissioner’s Regulations Part 76.16 [2], including
Before your Driving School Instructor Certificate can be renewed, you must also complete “a course in driver training and traffic safety, approved by the Commissioner, consisting of at least 30 hours” [known as the Methods and Content Course for In-Car Instruction (MCCII)]. This 30-hour course is taught by various community colleges and driving schools that have been approved by DMV to provide this course.
If you want to teach the Pre-licensing Course [3], you must also successfully complete a 30-hour Teaching Techniques and Methodology course (a college-level course) and have at least one year experience as a behind-the-wheel certified driving school instructor.
To become a driving school instructor, you must first be employed by a licensed driving school.
Once you have been hired by a driving school, you must complete an Application for Driving School Instructor Certificate [4](MV-523). Be sure to answer all questions, and provide any explanations/information needed. Please include any documentation requested.
Bring your completed application form to the driving school owner. With the application, you will need to include
The driving school owner must mail the application to:
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
Bureau of Driver Training Programs
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 327
Albany, NY 12228
(518) 473-7174
Once your application is approved, the Bureau of Driver Training Programs (DTP) will forward your application to the local DMV Testing & Investigations Unit (T&I). The T&I Unit will contact you to schedule your testing 1, which consists of a
With each application, you are allowed to take each of the Road Sign Test and Written Test twice, and the Behind-The-Wheel Instructor’s Driving Test once. If you do not pass these tests, you will have to submit a new application [4](MV-523) – including photos and $10 fee.
After you pass all tests, the Bureau of Driver Training Programs will issue a Driving School Instructor Certificate (MV-524) and mail it to the driving school where you are employed.
You must carry the Driving School Instructor Certificate whenever you are teaching, and whenever you take a customer to a DMV Road Test Site. If a customer or DMV employee asks to see the certificate, you must be able to present it.
IMPORTANT: The MV-524 only authorizes you to teach for the driving school named on the certificate. Once you are certified as a driving school instructor, you can get an additional certificate naming another school. Simply complete an Application for Driving School Instructor Certificate [4] (form MV-523) and take it to the driving school that has hired you. With the application you will need to include
There is no fee for an additional certificate as long as you have a valid certificate with another driving school.