Relates to the operation of three-wheeled vehicles; removes requirement that such vehicles have two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the rear.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8831
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 9, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera-
tion of a three-wheeled vehicle
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraphs (iv) and (vii) of paragraph (a) of subdivi-
2 sion 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by
3 chapter 25 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
4 (iv) Class D. Such license shall be valid to operate any passenger or
5 limited use automobile or any truck with a GVWR of not more than twen-
6 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR
7 of not more than ten thousand pounds, or any such vehicle towing another
8 vehicle with a GVWR of more than ten thousand pounds provided such
9 combination of vehicles has a GCWR of not more than twenty-six thousand
10 pounds, or any personal use vehicle with a GVWR of not more than twen-
11 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR
12 of not more than ten thousand pounds, except it shall not be valid to
13 operate a tractor, a motorcycle other than a class B or C limited use
14 motorcycle, a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire or for which
15 a hazardous materials endorsement is required, or a vehicle defined as a
16 bus in subdivision one of section five hundred nine-a of this title.
17 Such license also shall be valid to operate a three-wheeled motor vehi-
18 cle that has [two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the
19 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not require the
20 operator to straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for
21 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal motor vehicle
22 safety standards for motorcycles including, but not limited to, 49
23 C.F.R. part 571.
24 (vii) Class M. Such license shall be valid to operate any motorcycle,
25 or any motorcycle, other than a limited use motorcycle, towing a trail-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13286-01-5
A. 8831 2
1 er. Such license also shall be valid to operate a three-wheeled motor
2 vehicle that has [two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the
3 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not require the
4 operator to straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for
5 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal motor vehicle
6 safety standards for motorcycles including, but not limited to, 49
7 C.F.R. part 571.
8 § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle and
9 traffic law, as amended by chapter 379 of the laws of 2022, is amended
10 to read as follows:
11 (b) Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para-
12 graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an alcohol and drug
13 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
14 "Road Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this
15 subdivision, a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described in
16 paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, a "Motorcycle Safety" awareness
17 component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, a "School
18 Bus Safety" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-4) of this
19 subdivision, and a "Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety" awareness component
20 as described in paragraph (c-5) of this subdivision, the commissioner
21 shall cause the applicant to take a road test in a representative vehi-
22 cle of a type prescribed by the commissioner which shall be appropriate
23 to the type of license for which application is made, except that the
24 commissioner may waive the road test requirements for certain classes of
25 applicants. Provided, however, that the term "representative vehicle"
26 shall not include a three-wheeled motor vehicle that has [two wheels
27 situated in the front and one wheel in the rear, has] a steering mech-
28 anism and seating which does not require the operator to straddle or sit
29 astride, is equipped with safety belts for all occupants and is manufac-
30 tured to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards for motorcy-
31 cles including, but not limited to, 49 C.F.R. part 571. The commissioner
32 shall have the power to establish a program to allow persons other than
33 employees of the department to conduct road tests in representative
34 vehicles when such tests are required for applicants to obtain a class
35 A, B or C license. If [she] the commissioner chooses to do so, [she] the
36 commissioner shall set forth [her] their reasons in writing and conduct
37 a public hearing on the matter. [She] The commmissioner shall only
38 establish such a program after holding the public hearing.
39 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.