How to Get a Motorcycle License in California? All Your Questions Answered!

Before hopping onto a motorcycle in California for a ride, operators should ask themselves several questions to ensure they have a safe and legal experience.

Have you ever taken a safety course? Do you have the protective clothing and equipment needed to stay safe, including a helmet and other gear?

Do you have a motorcycle license?

Here are the steps to obtain a Class M1 or M2 driver’s license in California you’ll need to follow to use a motorcycle legally.

Can You Drive a Motorcycle with a Regular License?

You cannot ride a motorcycle in CA with a regular driver’s license. You must obtain a motorcycle license.

California offers two valid motorcycle driver’s licenses to operate on the road legally.

1. The Class M1 license allows you to operate any two-wheeled motorcycle and all vehicles listed in the Class M2 designation.
2. A Class M2 license allows you to operate motorized bicycles, a bicycle with an attached motor, and mopeds.

When looking at the M1 vs. M2 motorcycle license, you must pursue the first one if you want to ride a traditional motorcycle. The M2 option is more for low-speed or bikes with pedals and an attached motor for extra speed.

Can You Ride a Motorcycle with a Permit in California?

Anyone under 21 must hold a motorcycle instruction permit for at least six months before being allowed to apply for a Class M1 or a Class M2 license. You must be at least 15.5 years old to have a permit issued.

California motorcycle permit restrictions include an expiration date. It is valid for 12 months after being issued.

Operators with a valid CA motorcycle permit cannot carry passengers, drive at night, or be on the freeway.

All permit applications must pass vision, skills, and knowledge tests before being authorized to operate a motorcycle.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Motorcycle License in CA

Anyone over 21 can skip the instruction permit process to apply for a motorcycle driver’s license. Completing a CHP (California Highway Patrol) approved training course or passing a driving test at a Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) site is required before it is issued.

You must follow these steps to apply for a motorcycle driver’s license.

• Complete an identification card or driver’s license application.
• Visit a DMV office, provide your Social Security number, acceptable identity documents, residency confirmation, or a state-issued ID, and pay the application fee.
• The DMV office will scan your fingerprints, conduct a vision exam, and take photos.
• New operators have three attempts to pass the knowledge test. If you fail the same test three times, an M1 or an M2 license application must be restarted.

You’ll be asked to take a driving test if you don’t provide a certificate of completion for motorcycle training. Anyone without a standard driver’s license must also complete an observation test.

A CHP-approved training course comprises 15 hours of classroom work and riding sessions.

Finally, you must schedule a driving test appointment and provide proof of financial responsibility. All motorcyclists must obtain insurance that meets or exceeds the state’s current requirements.

Each retest incurs an additional fee.

What Happens If You’re Caught Without a Motorcycle License in CA?

If you’re pulled over while riding a motorcycle without a license in California, you are subject to potentially hefty fines and other penalties.

According to California Vehicle Code §12500, no one can drive a motor-driven, motorized cycle, or motorcycle without a valid driver’s license.

The driver’s license doesn’t need to be issued in CA to be valid. Anyone over 18 with a valid motorcycle license from their home jurisdiction can legally be on the road in the state.

The penalties under VC12500 for driving without a valid license are charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction.

If someone is charged with a misdemeanor for driving without a motorcycle license, the penalty upon conviction could be a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in county jail.

Additional fines and penalties apply if operators attempt to evade a peace officer on a motorcycle. Willfully fleeing or trying to do so could generate a misdemeanor charge that carries up to a year in prison in county jail.

More fines and penalties occur if someone is convicted of causing serious bodily harm during an evasion attempt.

• A fine of $2,000 to $10,000 could be levied for those actions.
• Imprisonment in a county jail for up to a year or in state prison for 3-7 years.
• The fine and imprisonment can be issued together.

Can I Obtain Motorcycle Insurance Without a License?

It is possible to secure motorcycle insurance in California without holding a Class M1 or Class M2 driver’s license.

Whether it’s a vintage bike stored in the garage or a new motorcycle waiting for its owner to obtain a driver’s license, insurance companies issue a policy based on your current requirements.

If you obtain insurance before legally driving the motorcycle company, you’d need to consider if you’ll let someone else operate the bike. The cost of insuring it for storage is different than it is for street use.

Motorcycle operators involved in an accident that causes $750 or more damages must report the incident to the police. Failing to do so could result in a driver’s license suspension.

In California, the current insurance minimums are called 15/30/5. That’s because each operator must include the following coverage with their policy.

1. $15,000 for bodily injury incidents incurred by another individual.
2. $30,000 for bodily injury to other people in an accident.
3. $5,000 for collision-related property damage.

Those are only the minimums. Motorcycle operators are encouraged to increase those levels to ensure complete coverage if an accident occurs.

Unlike other states, CA doesn’t require UI/UM (uninsured and underinsured) coverage to operate a motorcycle.

FAQs

Here are some additional answers to common questions people have when pursuing a motorcycle driver’s license in California.