Motorcycle License in Colorado
Verified against Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetMotorcycleLicense Research Team — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Colorado adds a motorcycle endorsement to an existing driver's licence: an 'M' endorsement for a two- or three-wheel motorcycle, or a '3' endorsement restricted to three-wheel machines only. A rider can add the endorsement by passing the written and riding exams at a driver licence office, or by presenting a completion card from the state's Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) programme, which replaces both exams. Colorado has no general motorcycle helmet law; a rider or passenger must wear one only if under 18.
Colorado's motorcycle license requirements — including a $2 fee to add the endorsement, a minimum age of 18, and a training course completion that can waive the skills test — are verified against Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (see Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles — I'm a Motorcycle Driver), current as of 2026-07-28.
Colorado Motorcycle License Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Colorado |
|---|---|
| Permit | Motorcycle Instruction Permit |
| Permit minimum age | 16 years |
| Permit fee | $20 |
| Permit validity | 1095 days |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | 18 years |
| License fee | $2 |
| Renewal fee | — |
| Knowledge test | Required |
| Skills test | Required |
Colorado issues two motorcycle endorsements: 'M', which allows a two- or three-wheel motorcycle, and '3', which allows only a three-wheel motorcycle and is earned by testing on one. The endorsement cannot be added by mail, online or by phone; an in-person appointment at a driver licence office is required.
How do you get a motorcycle license in Colorado?
- Reach the minimum permit age. You must be at least 16 to apply for a motorcycle permit in Colorado.
- Pass the knowledge test. Colorado requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
- Get your motorcycle permit. The permit costs $20. It is valid for 1095 days.
- Hold the permit. You must hold the permit at least 365 days before taking the skills test.
- Pass the skills test, or waive it. Colorado requires a motorcycle skills test. Completing Colorado's motorcycle safety course waives it.
- Pay the fee and get your license. The license costs $2. The minimum age for an unrestricted motorcycle license in Colorado is 18.
Common questions about motorcycle licensing in Colorado
How old do you have to be to get a motorcycle permit in Colorado?
You must be at least 16 to apply for a motorcycle permit in Colorado.
A motorcycle instruction permit costs $20 and is issued to an applicant 16 or older; it expires three years after issuance. A permit holder under 18 must ride under the immediate, close-proximity supervision of a licensed motorcycle rider 21 or older and, under current Department of Revenue guidance, must purchase and hold the permit for 12 months before the motorcycle endorsement can be added. An applicant 18 or older is not subject to that 12-month hold and may test as soon as they are prepared.
What is the minimum age for a motorcycle license in Colorado?
You must be at least 18 for an unrestricted motorcycle license in Colorado.
Colorado issues a motorcycle instruction permit from age 16, but a permit holder under 18 must hold the permit for 12 months before the endorsement is added, and under 16 must ride under an MSF-certified instructor's direct supervision. From 18 a rider may test as soon as they hold the permit; no minimum hold applies.
Does Colorado require a motorcycle knowledge test?
Yes, Colorado requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
A motorcycle written exam at a driver licence office, required before a motorcycle instruction permit is issued. A Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) completion card is presented after adding the endorsement and does not remove this exam, which is taken beforehand to obtain the permit.
Does Colorado require a motorcycle skills test?
Yes, Colorado requires a motorcycle skills test. In Colorado, completing Colorado's motorcycle safety course waives it.
A motorcycle drive skills test taken by appointment at a driver licence office. Presenting an original MOST completion card takes the place of this test; the rider instead purchases a new driver licence with the endorsement added directly.
How much does a motorcycle license cost in Colorado?
A motorcycle license in Colorado costs $2. The permit costs $20.
Completing Colorado's motorcycle safety course waives the state's motorcycle skills test. See Colorado’s motorcycle safety course.
Colorado helmet law
Required for some riders
A rider is exempt only if all of the following are true:
- the rider is 18 years of age or older
Section 42-4-1502(4.5) requires each person under 18 riding as an operator or passenger on a motorcycle, autocycle or low-power scooter to wear a protective helmet meeting federal motorcycle-helmet standards (49 CFR 571.218), secured with a chin strap. A rider or passenger 18 or older may ride without one. A three-wheeled autocycle with a maximum design speed of 25 mph, a windshield and seat belts is exempt regardless of the occupants' ages. Violation is a class A traffic infraction.
C.R.S. § 42-4-1502(4.5) · verified 2026-07-28
Source Notes
Where a source is stale, conflicting, or required a judgment call, we document it here rather than presenting a single confident-sounding number. See our methodology for how these calls are made.
- Endorsement rules, permits, tests and fees come from the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles. Training facts come from the Motorcycle Operator Safety Training program, run by the Colorado State Patrol, and its public site, Ride Safe Colorado. Helmet rules come from the Colorado Revised Statutes.
- A change already enacted by the Colorado legislature (HB 24-1021) will require every applicant under 21 to complete an approved motorcycle safety course before a motorcycle instruction permit is issued, but only for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027. Everything on this page reflects the law as it stands before that date.
- Motorcycle Operator Safety Training courses are taught by independently owned vendors across the state, each certified by the Colorado State Patrol. Course tuition is set by the individual vendor and is not published by the state.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles — I'm a Motorcycle Driver
- Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles — State DMV Fees
- Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42 (§ 42-2-106, instruction permits; § 42-2-106 (1)(c), motorcycle permit; § 42-4-232, minimum safety standards for motorcycles)
Data last verified: 2026-07-28 (verified by: agent) | Source: Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles — I'm a Motorcycle Driver