The guide below can help you determine where to start and the required steps for getting your motorcycle license.
It is worth noting that laws regarding obtaining a motorcycle license can vary from start to state.
For your state’s specific requirements, consult your Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).
What is a Motorcycle Learners Permit vs. a Motorcycle License?
Getting your motorcycle license will typically begin with obtaining your learner’s permit, but what does this mean for you exactly? You must understand the differences between acquiring a valid motorcycle permit and getting your license.
Motorcycle License
Obtaining a motorcycle license means full riding privileges for the driver. Licenses are legally required to be able to hit the road on your motorcycle.
There are a couple of ways you can get your license. Getting your license means you have passed a written test, got real-world riding practice, and completed the skills test. Where you start with the process is based on how confident you feel as a driver.
Getting your motorcycle license means you have proven to your state’s DMV, or MVD, that you are to be trusted as a motorcycle driver on the road and possess the fundamental skills to operate a motorcycle safely and successfully.
Limitations seen with motorcycle riding permits do not follow you with your license.
Motorcycle Learners Permit
A motorcycle permit is a limited endorsement from your state’s DMV or MVD. You may have already encountered permits when you started working towards getting your driver’s license. There is little difference between a motorcycle permit and a driver’s permit.
You will study your state’s motorcycle laws, complete a short written test, and, when you pass, receive the privilege of legally riding a motorcycle on the street with some limitations.
The full scale of limitations varies from one state to another, but, in general, you can be forbidden from carrying passengers, riding at night, and riding on freeways.
Motorcycle permits also come with expiration dates, so be mindful of that. You want your permit to stay active even after you take your license test.
How Do You Get a Motorcycle License?
Once you’ve successfully gotten your motorcycle learner’s permit and have some experience on the road riding, it is time to go for your motorcycle license.
You can take two paths, either through your state’s DMV or MVD or through a motorcycle-approved safety course. More on what these options entail is explored below.
Step 1: DMV Motorcycle Skills Test
Schedule your skills test with your local DMV or MVD if you feel ready.
The test will involve you being asked to ride on a course while an evaluator looks on. They are ensuring you can handle a motorcycle safely, so ensure you are confident in your riding skills.
If you need extra practice before exam day, finding a private skill training course you can use to prepare and get more road tests may be helpful.
In order to pass the state exam, you’ll need an approved motorcycle with the current registration and active motorcycle insurance. It may also need to be inspected. This route can be tricky if you do not own a motorcycle.
Step 2: Motorcycle Safety Course
The second option for getting your motorcycle license is to attend a motorcycle safety course. Completing this course will waive the license test requirement.
This is especially helpful for riders who do not own a motorcycle and want to get their license first. The courses provide participants with learner-friendly bikes to complete them. The first few sessions are spent in a classroom, and then the sessions are transitioned into hands-on instruction. Coaches guide students and answer any questions they may have. Coaches are also helpful as they assess your technique.
If this sounds perfect, sign up quickly. These courses are very popular, especially during excellent weather months. They also may cost a couple of hundred dollars to register.
How Much Do Motorcycle Licenses Cost?
It is hard to give an exact number for how much obtaining a motorcycle license will cost you. It varies from state to state.
On average, you can pay around $200-$300 for your license. However, you may encounter smaller fees when getting a valid motorcycle permit and taking the tests. Adding a motorcycle endorsement to your existing license may also cost you.
If you decide to take the motorcycle safety course route to get your license, those come with their fees, which can range from free to costing you a few hundred dollars.
The price to get your motorcycle license or endorsement depends significantly on your route.
Keep this in mind as you go to get your license, but do not let it determine where you start. You want to take your time with learning to ride a motorcycle.
Tips For Getting Your Motorcycle License
Getting a license of any kind is a challenging feat. It takes a lot of hard work and concentration to understand your vehicle and all the rules of the road.
For these reasons, reviewing form tips and tricks for getting your motorcycle license may be helpful. Considering the advice below, the road to getting your license may be much smoother.
Study The DMV’s Motorcycle Handbook
When it comes to getting a valid motorcycle permit, it is all about passing the written test. There is no expectation for you to present any motorcycle riding skills. This is why permits are commonly known as learner’s permits.
You must obtain a copy of your state’s motorcycle handbook to pass your written test. You will need to read it front to back multiple times. You must know every inch of that book, as the questions on your test will pull right from the information within it.
If it has a practice quiz, it would be in your best interest to take the quiz and understand the questions. There may be some practice quizzes online you can take to strengthen your knowledge further.
Consult Other Motorcycle Riders Before The Test
If you know any other motorcycle riders, they have already gone through the licensing process. Before you take the skills test at your DMV or MVD, it may be beneficial for you to consult with another rider about what to expect. With their advice, you have a chance to practice so you are not caught off-guard.
But be mindful of how other riders advise you with the testing process. Suppose they are experienced riders with years under their belt. In that case, they may be comfortable on their bikes and cutting corners for certain maneuvers. This can run into trouble because what they do may need to align with the state-approved standards. Stay open to new riding habits if you have gotten used to riding a motorcycle a certain way.
Get an Off-Road Motorcycle Practice License
You may not know this, but dirt bikes are great tools for learning to ride.
For many people, dirt bikes are their first introduction to riding. You don’t need a dirt bike license as they are off-road vehicles. You can learn a lot by hitting a trail with a dirt bike. It helps you get used to operating a vehicle that is not a car and requires similar balancing skills to those needed for a motorcycle.
When you’re confident enough to move up to a motorcycle, local motorcycle tracks may allow you to ride without a valid motorcycle permit or license. Although, you should have at least some proficiency in operating a motorcycle before going.
Contact the track’s organizers to ensure you can ride there.
What to do after you get your Motorcycle License
If you still need to, the next step would be purchasing your motorcycle so you can get on the road. Remember to purchase affordable motorcycle insurance once you’re ready to start riding.
Not only is proper insurance required for those completing their test through their state’s DMV or MVD, but it is also required for every vehicle on the road. Lacking motorcycle insurance can be financially detrimental if you end up in a collision.
Purchasing a motorcycle insurance policy will help protect you while on the open road. But it would help if you did not wait until after you get your bike to worry about insurance.
It would help to inform your auto insurance provider when you start riding. Read more on our Guide to Types of Motorcycles.
