Can You Drive Over the Verrazzano With a Learner's Permit? Staten Island Permit Rules

Illustration (AI-generated image). Not a photo of Drive Rite staff or students.

No, on Staten Island and everywhere else in NYC, you cannot drive over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with a learner permit. The DMV bans permit holders from every bridge and tunnel run by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, known today as MTA Bridges and Tunnels, and the Verrazzano is one of them. A supervising driver does not change that.

Reviewed by Michael, Professional Driving Instructor
Last updated: October 22, 2026

On Staten Island, almost every trip off the island means a bridge, so this is a natural first question for new drivers and their parents. This guide explains why the Verrazzano is off-limits, what the rules say about the three bridges to New Jersey, whether you can use the Staten Island Expressway, and who can supervise you. It finishes with a six-step plan for legal practice this fall. We checked every rule on official DMV, MTA and Port Authority pages on October 22, 2026.

Here is the short version before we go into detail.

The infographic below shows the six steps for legal permit practice on Staten Island, in the same order as the step list later in this guide.

Photo panels are illustrations (AI-generated images).

Why Can't You Drive Over the Verrazzano With a Learner's Permit?

The rule comes straight from the DMV's learner permit restrictions. No matter how old you are, if you hold a learner permit you may not drive on any bridge or tunnel under the jurisdiction of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.

The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority is the agency that operates as MTA Bridges and Tunnels. It runs seven bridges and two tunnels in New York City, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is one of them. The MTA says the bridge runs from Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn to Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, where it joins the Staten Island Expressway.

The rule does not bend for whoever sits next to you. A parent or a driving school instructor can supervise you on regular streets, but no supervisor makes a TBTA crossing legal for a permit holder. If your plans take you to Brooklyn, the licensed driver takes the wheel for the bridge.

What About the Goethals, Outerbridge and Bayonne Bridges?

Staten Island's other three bridges, the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing and the Bayonne Bridge, are run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and all three connect the island with New Jersey. None of them is a Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority crossing, so the DMV ban on TBTA bridges does not name them.

That does not make them a good choice for permit practice. Each bridge takes you out of New York State, and the DMV says you may drive in another state with a permit only if that state's laws allow it, so check with its motor vehicle authorities first. For New Jersey, that is the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. For most Staten Island learners, the simplest plan is to keep permit practice on the island.

This table shows who runs each Staten Island bridge and what it means for you.

Can You Drive on the Staten Island Expressway With a Permit?

Yes, with the right supervising driver. The Staten Island Expressway is not on the DMV's list of places permit holders cannot drive, and that list does not include a general highway ban. Every other permit rule still applies, including the supervisor rules and, if you are under 18, the hour and dual-brake rules covered in the next section.

The catch is where the expressway leads. Because the Verrazzano joins the Staten Island Expressway, heading east toward Brooklyn takes you straight onto the bridge. The Port Authority also describes the expressway as the direct connection between the Goethals Bridge and the Verrazzano, and it says the Outerbridge Crossing reaches the Verrazzano by way of the West Shore Expressway. Before any practice drive on these roads, agree with your supervising driver on the exit you will take, well before a bridge approach.

Who Can Supervise You on Staten Island?

Knowing where you can drive is half of the picture. The other half is who sits next to you, and because Staten Island is one of the five boroughs, the DMV's New York City rules apply here.

Every permit holder needs a supervising driver who is 21 or older and has a valid license for the car you are driving. If you are 18 or older, any licensed driver who meets those two conditions can supervise you.

If you are under 18 and have a junior learner permit, the DMV's rules for the five boroughs are stricter:

• You may drive only between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., and never in New York City between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Your supervising driver must be your parent, your guardian, a person acting as your parent, a driver education teacher or a driving school instructor.
• The car must have dual controls, which means dual brakes.
• Only your supervising driver sits in the front seat, every passenger wears a seat belt, and passenger limits apply.

Under-18 learners also need at least 50 hours of supervised practice, including 15 after sunset, recorded on the MV-262 form that a parent or guardian signs, according to the DMV's pre-licensing requirements. Our guides to who can supervise a learner driver in NYC and to NYC learner permit rules cover these rules in more depth.

Other Places Permit Holders Cannot Drive on Staten Island

Bridges get the most attention, but two other rules on the DMV list matter just as much on the island.

Streets inside parks. You may not drive with a learner permit on any street within a park in New York City. If a road runs through a park rather than along its edge, skip it during permit practice and choose a regular city street instead.

DMV road test areas. The DMV's learner permit information sheet (MV-500H) says you may not drive in any area the DMV designates as a road test area, except when you take a road test, and its road test page adds that practice driving is not allowed at New York State test sites. The DMV lists six auto test sites on Staten Island: Dugdale, Fox Hills, Fr. Capodanno, Lenevar, Snug Harbor and Staten Island 2. Practice on other streets, and save the test area for test day.

Fall Practice on Staten Island: Earlier Sunsets and Wet Leaves

Late October brings two changes that affect permit practice on the island. First, the clocks change. According to NIST, the official U.S. timekeeper, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour. From that evening on, it gets dark about an hour earlier by the clock.

For under-18 learners, the 9 p.m. limit does not move, but the earlier sunset makes it easier to log after-sunset hours well before 9 p.m. Start those first dark drives on streets you already know.

Second, the leaves come down. Wet leaves on tree-lined streets can hide lane lines and potholes and make the road slippery, so brake earlier, leave extra space behind the car ahead, and take turns more slowly.

A Six-Step Plan for Legal Permit Practice on Staten Island

Here is how to put all of these rules together before each drive. These are the same six steps shown in the infographic above.

1. Check Your Supervisor. Confirm your supervising driver is 21 or older with a valid license for the car.
2. Know the Under-18 Rules. With a junior permit, drive only from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a parent, guardian or instructor, in a car with dual brakes.
3. Plan Around the Bridges. Never drive onto the Verrazzano with a permit, and pick your expressway exit well before any bridge approach.
4. Avoid Park Roads and Test Sites. Skip streets inside parks, and stay away from the six DMV road test sites until test day.
5. Plan for Earlier Sunsets. After the clocks go back on November 1, start evening drives earlier and log after-sunset hours before 9 p.m.
6. Build Up to the Expressway. Start on quiet streets, move to busier roads, and add expressway driving when your supervisor agrees you are ready.

Practicing With Drive Rite on Staten Island

If no one in your family can supervise you, or you would simply like a professional in the passenger seat, lessons are an easy way to get legal practice on the island. Our Staten Island concierge pickup can meet you within our pickup area; call 718-928-7048 or use the website chat to confirm your pickup spot. You can also meet us at our office at 1567 Richmond Rd, by appointment.

On Staten Island, a single lesson for permit holders is $60 for 45 minutes, $65 for 60 minutes and $120 for 90 minutes. For packages with the 5-hour course and a road test car, call our team at 718-928-7048 or use the chat on our website. If you need to move a lesson, tell us early, because a reschedule fee may apply.

You can also take the 5-hour pre-licensing course with us before your road test. If you are still studying for the written test, start with our complete guide to getting your learner permit in New York.

Still have questions? The answers below cover common questions about permits and Staten Island bridges.

The Bottom Line for Staten Island Learners

With a learner permit, the Verrazzano is off-limits, the three Port Authority bridges lead into New Jersey and its rules, and the Staten Island Expressway is fine with the right supervisor if you plan your exit. Add the supervisor rules, the park and test site bans, and the earlier sunsets after November 1, and you have what you need for safe, legal practice on the island this fall.

Ready to practice with a professional? Book a lesson on our Staten Island page, or choose another borough below.