How Your Identity Is Verified in the NY Online 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course
To maintain the integrity and legality of the 5-Hour Online Pre-Licensing Course, the New York State DMV requires that all students complete a series of identity and participation verification steps throughout the program.
These checks ensure that the individual taking the course is the same person who will receive credit and complete the road test — and that they’re actively engaged with the learning material.
This page outlines exactly what you can expect from the verification process and how to complete it without issues.
Online driver education courses must meet the same standards as in-person classes. Since there’s no physical classroom or instructor, the system uses automated tools to verify:
Your identity
Your ongoing participation
Your engagement with the lesson material
These checks help protect your progress, prevent fraud, and ensure all learners meet state-approved standards.
What You’ll Be Asked to Do
Voice Authentication
During registration, you’ll be prompted to record your voice saying a simple phrase. Throughout the course, you’ll be asked to repeat that phrase periodically.
The system matches your voice to confirm you are the same person completing the course. It’s secure, confidential, and takes only seconds to complete.
Security Questions
At the start of the course, you’ll answer a few personal security questions (e.g., “What is your birth month?”). These will be asked again at random points to verify continuity.
Your answers must match what you entered at the beginning. If they don’t, you may be logged out or asked to re-authenticate.
Random Participation Prompts
As you move through lessons, you may see on-screen prompts asking you to click or interact. This ensures you’re present and engaged. If you don’t respond within the time limit, you may be logged out for inactivity.
These prompts are simple but mandatory — so stay attentive.
If you fail a voice check or answer a security question incorrectly:
You may be prompted to try again
You may be logged out and asked to re-authenticate
If repeated failures occur, you may be removed from the course and required to start over
To avoid this, be sure to complete all prompts carefully and honestly.
Voice checks and prompts work best with:
Laptops or desktops with built-in or external microphones
Smartphones or tablets with standard browser support
We recommend using Google Chrome or Safari for optimal performance. Full system recommendations are listed on our Payment Methods & Technology Requirements page.
Support if You Run Into Issues
If you're having trouble with verification tools, our Customer Service & Technical Support team is ready to help. Whether it’s a microphone issue or a prompt you missed, we’ll guide you through resolving it quickly.
What’s Next?
Once you pass all verification steps and complete the course, your results will be sent to the NY DMV within 24–48 hours.
Learn more about this process on our Course Completion & DMV Notification page.