Before you start

A valid visa or other admission category
An electronic I-94 record from the CBP website
Work authorisation from DHS for a Social Security number
Six points of identification from the NY DMV document list
Proof of a New York address and of your Social Security number, or of ineligibility for one

Step-by-step

1
Download your I-94 in the first few days
It records your admission class and 'admit until' date, and it is what employers and the DMV will ask for. Retrieved electronically from the CBP website — the visa sticker in your passport is a different document entirely.
OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
2
Wait about ten days, then apply for a Social Security number
SSA verifies status against DHS systems that lag entry by one to two weeks, so an immediate visit usually wastes the trip. File Form SS-5 in person with your passport, visa and I-94. There is no fee.
In personWho: YouFrom ~day 10Free
3
If you cannot get an SSN, file for an ITIN
IRS Form W-7 produces an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for tax filing, and many banks accept it. It grants no right to work.
OnlineWho: You
4
Assemble six points before booking the DMV
New York scores each acceptable document — a foreign passport, a US visa, an I-94, an employment authorisation card and so on — and you need six points plus proof of a New York address and of your Social Security number or ineligibility. The DMV publishes a document guide and an online pre-screening tool aimed at new residents; use both before you leave the house.
OnlineWho: YouBefore the DMV visit
5
Exchange your licence within 30 days of becoming a resident
A valid licence from another US state converts by exchange without a road test. A foreign licence may require the written test and a road test depending on the issuing country. You may not hold a New York licence and another state's simultaneously.
In personWho: YouWithin 30 days
6
Decide between Standard, REAL ID and Enhanced
New York issues three. The Standard licence is available regardless of immigration status but cannot be used at an airport checkpoint. REAL ID can, and has been required for domestic flights since 7 May 2025. The Enhanced licence additionally works as a land and sea border document for Canada, which matters more here than in most of the country.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport with valid visa
I-94 admission record from the CBP website
Form SS-5 for a Social Security number, or IRS Form W-7 for an ITIN
Six points of identification from the NY DMV document guide
Proof of a New York address and of your Social Security number or ineligibility

Things most newcomers don’t know

The six-point system is the reason people leave the DMV without a licence.

New York does not simply ask for identification; it scores it. A foreign passport, a visa, an I-94 and an employment authorisation card carry different point values, and you need six plus separate proof of address and of your SSN status. The DMV publishes both a document guide and an online pre-screening tool built specifically for new residents — running the tool before you travel to an office is fifteen minutes that saves a wasted morning.

Source: NY DMV — document guide (six-point system)

New York issues a licence that does not depend on immigration status.

The Standard licence is available regardless of status, which is not true in most states in this app. It cannot be used at an airport security checkpoint — that requires the REAL ID version — but it is a valid driving credential and a valid identity document, and the DMV publishes a page specifically for non-US citizens explaining which of the three to ask for.

Source: NY DMV — resources for non-US citizens

The Enhanced licence is worth considering this far north.

New York's Enhanced licence doubles as a land and sea border-crossing document for Canada. Montreal is roughly three and a half hours from Albany and the Adirondack crossings are a normal weekend, so unlike in most of the country the extra cost has a plausible payback. It is not valid for air travel to Canada — a passport still is.

Source: NY DMV — drivers from other countries

The visa sticker's expiry is not your permission to stay.

A visa authorises travel to a port of entry; the officer there decides how long you may remain and records it on the I-94. Overstaying that date carries consequences the visa expiry does not.

Source: CBP — I-94 admission record

Common mistakes to avoid

Arriving at the DMV without six points and having to come back.
Assuming a valid out-of-state licence extends the 30-day deadline. It does not.
Taking the Standard licence and discovering at the airport that it is not REAL ID compliant.
Trying to keep another state's licence alongside the New York one, which is not permitted.
Visiting a Social Security office before DHS records have synced.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.