2006 New York Code - General Provisions For Licensing Of Drivers.

 
    §  19-505  General  provisions  for licensing of drivers. a. No person
  shall drive any motor  vehicle  for  hire  which  is  regulated  by  the
  provisions of this chapter without first obtaining from the commission:
    (i) a taxicab driver's license, if the vehicle driven is a taxicab; or
    (ii) a coach driver's license, if the vehicle driven is a coach; or
    (iii)  a for-hire vehicle driver's license, if the vehicle driven is a
  for-hire vehicle; or
    (iv) a wheelchair accessible van  driver's  license,  if  the  vehicle
  driven is a wheelchair accessible van; or
    (v)  a  commuter  van  driver's  license,  if  the vehicle driven is a
  commuter van.
    The issuance of a license  to  a  person  to  drive  any  one  of  the
  aforementioned  licensed vehicles shall not entitle such person to drive
  any other such licensed vehicle without first obtaining  the  additional
  appropriate driver's license.
    b.  Each  applicant  for a license, other than a commuter van driver's
  license, must:
    1. Hold a New York state chauffeur's license.
    2. Be nineteen years of age or over.
    3. Be of sound physical condition with good eyesight and no  epilepsy,
  vertigo,  heart  trouble  or  any  other infirmity of body or mind which
  might render him or her unfit for  the  safe  operation  of  a  licensed
  vehicle.
    4. Be fingerprinted.
    5. Be of good moral character.
    6. Not be addicted to the use of drugs or intoxicating liquors.
    c. Applications for driver's licenses must be filed as directed by the
  commission,  and  must  be accompanied by the required license fee. Such
  application shall be on a form provided by the  commission  and  contain
  such information as the commission deems reasonably necessary.
    d.  Each applicant for a driver's license under the provisions of this
  chapter, other than a commuter van driver's license, shall  be  examined
  as  to  his  or  her  physical  condition  by  a duly licensed physician
  designated by the commission; each such applicant shall also be examined
  by the commission as to his or her knowledge of the  city,  and  if  the
  result  of  either  examination  is  unsatisfactory  he  or she shall be
  refused a license.
    e. Each applicant for a driver's license must file  with  his  or  her
  application  two  recent photos of such applicant of a size which may be
  easily attached to his or her license, one of which shall be attached to
  the license when issued and the other filed with the application in  the
  office of the commission.
    f. Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the applicable requirements, there
  shall  be  issued  to the applicant a driver's license which shall be in
  such form as the commission may direct.
    g. Original driver's licenses and renewals thereof shall be valid  for
  a period of not less than one year nor more than three years.
    h.  The  commission  may  renew a driver's license provided the driver
  shall have made application on the prescribed  form  during  the  period
  which the commission shall designate, and the commission may require the
  same standards and tests as are applicable for original applications.
    i.  The  commission may revoke any driver's license for nonuse, in the
  event it shall determine  that  the  driver  has  not  worked  at  least
  twenty-five days as a licensed driver in the calendar year preceding the
  calendar  year  in  which such determination is made, provided that such
  failure to work as a licensed driver  shall  not  have  been  caused  by
  strike,  riot,  war  or  other public catastrophe. However, in the event
  that it is shown to the commission by competent proof that a driver  has


  been  disabled  through illness, his or her license shall not be revoked
  because of such nonuse as provided in this subdivision.
    j.  Fees  shall  be  paid by each applicant for a driver's license, as
  determined by the commission, but not to exceed the following:
  For each original one-year license.... $60.00
  For renewal of a one year period...... $60.00
    The fee for an original license or a renewal thereof shall be paid at
  the time of filing the applications and shall not be refunded in the
  event of disapproval of the application. An additional fee not exceeding
  twenty-five dollars shall be paid for each license issued to replace a
  lost or mutilated license. There shall be an additional fee of
  twenty-five dollars for late filing of a license renewal application
  where such late filing is permitted by the commission.
    k. Every driver who has obtained a license pursuant  to  this  section
  shall   comply  with  the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  by  the
  commission for drivers of the type of vehicle for which  the  driver  is
  licensed.
    l. The commission may, after a hearing, suspend or revoke any driver's
  license  for  failure  to  comply  with  any  provision  of this chapter
  applicable to licensed  drivers  or  for  failure  to  comply  with  the
  commission's rules and regulations.
    m. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the commission
  shall  not  issue a commuter van driver's license to an applicant unless
  the applicant: (1) has been fingerprinted for the  purpose  of  securing
  criminal  history  records  from  the state division of criminal justice
  services for which the applicant shall pay any processing  fee  required
  by  the  state  division of criminal justice services; (2) satisfies the
  commission that such applicant is fit and able to drive the commuter van
  for which the license is sought; (3)  possesses  a  commercial  driver's
  license  which  pursuant to the vehicle and traffic law is valid for the
  operation of such commuter van  for  the  transportation  of  passengers
  for-hire; (4) has met the qualifications set forth in article nineteen-A
  of  the vehicle and traffic law for the operation of a bus as defined in
  such article; and (5) has not engaged in any conduct  that  would  be  a
  basis  for  suspension  or  revocation of such license pursuant to rules
  promulgated by the commission.
    n. The commission shall approve or disapprove an application  for  the
  issuance  of  a  commuter van driver's license within one hundred eighty
  days after the completed application is filed. The failure to approve or
  disapprove  such  application  within  such  time  shall  be  deemed   a
  disapproval of such application.
    o.  Every  commuter  van  driver's  license  shall  be  issued  on the
  condition that the applicant possesses a commercial driver's license and
  complies with article nineteen-A of  the  vehicle  and  traffic  law  as
  described  in paragraphs three and four of subdivision m of this section
  during the time that such commuter van driver's license  is  in  effect.
  Notwithstanding  any other provision of law, suspension or revocation of
  such commercial driver's license pursuant to the vehicle and traffic law
  or noncompliance with article nineteen-A of the vehicle and traffic  law
  shall  render  the  commuter van driver's license suspended on and after
  the date of the suspension or revocation  of  such  commercial  driver's
  license  or  noncompliance  with  such article nineteen-A and during the
  period of such suspension, revocation or noncompliance, and  any  person
  who  drives  a  commuter van that is required to be licensed pursuant to
  section 19-504 of this chapter during the  period  of  such  suspension,
  revocation or noncompliance shall be deemed to be driving a commuter van
  without a license required by this section.


    p.  Any  commuter van driver's license issued pursuant to this section
  shall be revoked after the holder of such license has had an opportunity
  for a hearing in accordance with procedures to  be  established  by  the
  commission  and  such  holder  is  found  to  have failed to comply with
  paragraph two of subdivision a of section 19-529.1 of this chapter three
  times within a period of six months.