Getting your motorcycle license in California is not complicated, but the order of the steps matters, and the order depends on your age. Riders under 21 take a training course first and then hold a permit for six months. Riders 21 and older can go straight to a license once they pass the tests.
Here is how each path works, what the permit allows, and what to plan for.
The license you need: Class M1
California issues two motorcycle classes. Class M1 covers any two-wheeled motorcycle, plus everything in Class M2. Class M2 covers mopeds, motorized bicycles and bicycles with an attached motor. If you want to ride a real motorcycle, you want the M1.
Two pieces of paper come up again and again in this process:
- The instruction permit. It lets you ride on the street while you learn, with restrictions (more on those below).
- The DL 389. This is the Certificate of Completion of Motorcycle Training you receive when you pass the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) course. It waives the DMV riding skills test.
If you are under 21
The CMSP training course is required for every rider under 21, and it comes first. The DMV Motorcycle Handbook says applicants under 21 must complete the course before receiving a motorcycle instruction permit.
The path looks like this:
- Take the CMSP Motorcyclist Training Course. You leave with your DL 389.
- Apply for your permit at the DMV. Fill out the Driver’s License or ID Card Application, bring your DL 389, pass a vision exam, have your photo taken and pass the knowledge tests.
- Hold the permit for at least six months.
- Return to the DMV for your license. Bring the permit, the DL 389 and, if you do not have a California driver’s license, proof of driver education and training. With the certificate you will not take the skills test, though you may be asked to do an observation test.
If you are 15½ to 17½, the DMV also requires proof that you completed driver education and driver training (or a Class C license), and a parent or guardian must sign the application if you are under 18. The minimum age for a motorcycle instruction permit is 15½.
To enroll in a CMSP course you need a valid U.S. driver’s license, a California learner’s permit for a car, or a California ID card. Riders under 18 also need written permission from a parent or guardian.
If you are 21 or older
The DMV says riders 21 and older do not need an instruction permit before applying for an M1. You have two ways to show you can ride:
- Complete a CMSP course and bring your DL 389, or
- Pass the motorcycle driving test at a DMV office.
Either way, you complete the application, visit a DMV office, provide your Social Security number and an acceptable identity document, pay the application fee, pass a vision exam, have your fingerprint scanned and your photo taken, and pass the knowledge tests.
If you choose the DMV driving test, you need an appointment (tests are not given without one) and proof of insurance that meets California’s requirements. The test includes a pre-trip inspection of the controls, riding in marked track paths, slow riding and gear shifting.
Our view: take the course even though it is optional at 21. Ten hours on a training bike with an instructor watching is worth more than weeks of parking-lot practice on your own, and you skip the skills test. If you already ride but have never been licensed, the CMSP also lists a one-day Premier course for riders 21 and older, which requires passing an entry skills exam.
The knowledge test
Everyone takes the knowledge tests. Questions come from the California Motorcycle Handbook and the California Driver’s Handbook, so study both. The DMV permit page lists a passing score of 80%.
You get three attempts to pass each knowledge test. Fail the same test three times and the application is void, so you would need to start over. The DMV does not give knowledge tests close to closing time, so go early in the day.
The CMSP course
The CMSP is California’s official motorcycle safety and training program, run by the California Highway Patrol. Its Motorcyclist Training Course is 15 hours: five hours of classroom work and ten hours of riding on a closed range.
What to know before you book:
- They provide the motorcycle and a DOT-compliant helmet. You can bring your own helmet if it passes inspection. Half helmets are not allowed.
- You bring the rest: full-fingered gloves, long durable pants with no holes, sturdy footwear with ankle support (boots preferred), a jacket or long-sleeve shirt, and eye protection.
- The DL 389 has a shelf life. The DMV says the certificate waives the skills test for 12 months from its issue date. Plan your permit and license visits so it is still valid.
- Fees are not listed on the CMSP’s main pages. Check with the training site when you book.
The CMSP says it has more than 100 training locations in California, so there is likely one near you.
What you can and cannot do on a permit
The DMV Motorcycle Handbook lists three restrictions on a Class M1/M2 instruction permit:
| Permit restriction | What it means |
|---|---|
| No passengers | You ride alone |
| No freeway riding | Surface streets only |
| No nighttime riding | Daylight hours only |
You also need to carry the permit with you. The DMV says that regardless of age, you must have a license or instruction permit of the right class in your possession to operate a motor vehicle.
The restrictions are not just paperwork. The Handbook notes that more than half of all motorcycle collisions involve riders with less than six months of experience. The permit months are your time to build skill where the stakes are lower.
Fees
The DMV’s licensing fees page lists $46 for an original Class M1/M2 application. Adding a motorcycle class to an existing Class C license is also listed at $46. The DMV says the application and fee are valid for 12 months, and the fee covers three attempts at the driving test. A retest after a failed driving test carries an additional fee; check the DMV fee page for the current amount.
How long it takes
| Your age | Shortest path | Realistic timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Under 21 | CMSP course, then permit, then six months, then license | A little over six months |
| 21 and older, with CMSP course | Course, then knowledge test and license application | As soon as you finish the course and get a DMV visit |
| 21 and older, DMV skills test | Knowledge test, then a scheduled driving test | Depends on test appointment availability |
When you pass, the DMV issues a temporary license valid for 60 days while the card comes by mail.
What to do next
- Get your gear sorted before your first street ride. California law requires every rider and passenger to wear a helmet certified to the federal DOT standard (FMVSS 218). The Handbook also recommends eye protection, a jacket, long heavy pants, over-the-ankle boots and full-fingered gloves.
- Choose a bike that fits you. The Handbook’s first rule is simple: your feet should reach the ground comfortably while you are seated. Our guide to choosing your first motorcycle goes deeper.
- Line up insurance. You need proof of financial responsibility to take the DMV driving test and to ride.
Questions riders ask
Do I need a permit if I am over 21?
No. The DMV says riders 21 and older do not need an instruction permit before applying for a motorcycle license. The DMV’s permit page requires the CMSP course only for applicants under 21, so you can still get a permit if you want to practice on the street before a DMV skills test. If you take the CMSP course instead, you can go straight to the license application.
Can I ride on the freeway with a motorcycle permit?
No. The Class M1/M2 permit does not allow freeway riding. It also bars passengers and nighttime riding.
Does the CMSP course replace the DMV riding test?
Yes. The DL 389 you receive when you pass waives the DMV motorcycle skills test for 12 months from its issue date. You still take the knowledge tests, and if you have never held any license you may need an observation test.
I have a car license. Do I start from scratch?
No. You add the M1 class to your existing license. You still take the motorcycle knowledge test and either the skills test or the CMSP course, and if you are under 21 the course and six-month permit still apply.
How SCM can help
Once the paperwork is moving, the fun part starts. Our team in Brea, North Orange County, is glad to help with first-bike questions and gear fitting, and you can book a test ride when you are ready. If you are still working out where to begin, ask us.
Checked against the DMV and CHP pages on October 11, 2026. Rules change, so always confirm with the DMV.