According to the New York new driver's brochure, a motorist with a learner's permit, junior permit or junior license may drive outside of New York State if it is allowable by the laws of the other state(s).
If you drive out of New York, you must obey that state's learner or junior permit and license restrictions that may apply. The NYS DMV suggests that you check with the police or motor vehicle authorities of the states which you plan on visiting in your automobile. There does not appear to be a master list of states in which a NY permit is allowable for driving.
You will need to check with the DMVs to find out specifically if your will need to follow both the restrictions of your home/licensing state of New York and the state in which you are driving through or only the conditions placed on your by New York. We have read that it is only the conditions that NYS placed on you must be adhered to in some states, such as NJ, however we would advise you to double check this information with the Department of Motor Vehicles, or like state licensing agency, of all the states you plan to drive through on a trip from New York to Florida.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) told us that with a valid learner’s permit or license from another state one may legally drive in New Jersey as long as you are driving a vehicle that is titled, registered, inspected, and insured in your home state. You may want to contact the NJ MVC to find out exactly what restrictions or conditions you will have to adhere to while in New Jersey, those of your home state of NY, those of NJ or both.
To the best of our knowledge Connecticut allows one to drive with an out of state learner's permit if they are at least 16 years old and adhere to the same restrictions as their home state placed on their permit. The person must also be under the instruction of person who has held a driver's license for at least 4 years.
From what we have read any nonresident driving in North Carolina who is at least 16 years old and is abiding by the restrictions on their learner’s permit or license as required by the issuing State is authorized to drive in this State. We would still advise that you contact the NC DOT to make certain that you can drive in NC with your New York learner's permit and to find out what conditions or restrictions you will have to follow.
We have read in various sources that South Carolina does not recognize out of state beginner or learner licenses as a license to operate a vehicle on their roadways. From what we have read regarding this manner the state believes that since requirements vary so much from state to state on how a person obtains and maintains a learner’s permit they do not allow other state learner’s permit to drive on SC roads. Laws can change so you should contact the SC DMV and find out if this is true, especially for your situation since you are over 18.
A VA DMV representative told us that Virginia will accept any valid learner’s permit subject to restrictions mandated by the issuing state as long as a person is at least 15 years of age and that person is accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) stated that you should contact them at their Customer Service Number of (678) 413-8400 for specific information regarding your right to drive in GA with a Florida learner's permit. This is to discuss restrictions and conditions you may have to abide by since the state of issuance (FL) may have different requirements for those under age 18 than the teen driving requirements in Georgia.
From the Georgia representative we contacted it sounded as if you could drive in Georgia with a permit but that you would need to contact the GA DDS first so that they were certain that you and your parents understood what conditions would be placed on you if you operated a vehicle in Georgia with only a NYS learner’s permit.
We contacted the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) and the representative stated that you can indeed drive in FL with an out of state learner's permit. You must have a fully licensed supervising adult over the age of 21 in the passenger seat though at all times and follow the restrictions on your NYS learner's permit.
If you plan on driving out of state with your parent or friend that is a fully licensed driver with only a NYS learner's permit, you should contact the Department of Motor Vehicles of the specific states in which you plan to operate a vehicle. The information we gave here is accurate to the best of our knowledge however states laws can change plus when you contact the various DMV you can find out information specific to your situation. It would appear in many states that the licensed driver that will be traveling with you, and supervising your driving, would need to be at least 21 years of age.
You will want to find out from each state’s DMV what restrictions you will have to follow, only those given to you by the NYS DMV or also the restrictions that state has on its drivers that only have a learner’s permit. By contacting the DMVs of the states in which you want to drive you can find out if it is acceptable for you to drive in their state and if so what restrictions they have on your ability to operate a vehicle while in their state.
The car owner of the vehicle you are using for the trip will also want to call their insurer and make certain you are covered to drive during the trip. You would hate to take a trip only to have an accident and find out that you were not covered by car insurance.