In New York State, do I need car insurance to get a license, even
though I don't own a car yet?

Hi dheckler587,

No, you don't have to have insurance to get a New York State driver license.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles web page on Driver
License and Non-driver Photo ID makes no mention of any such
requirement.  If there were such a requirement, it would certainly be
listed on that page.

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/license.htm

You do have to have liability insurance to register a car in New York
State, though.

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmvfaqs.htm#INSURANCE

The New York State Insurance Department page on Required Auto
Insurance in their 2005 Consumer Guide to Automobile Insurance also
mentions insurance only as a requirement for registering a vehicle,
not for getting a driver license.

http://www.ins.state.ny.us/autocg02.htm

--efn