Motorcycle License in Georgia
Verified against Georgia Department of Driver Services ·
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 →
Georgia issues a Class M Motorcycle License, reachable either by completing a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program course for a 90-day test waiver or by testing directly at a Department of Driver Services centre. The Basic Rider Course is entirely optional at every age — Georgia is one of the few states that never requires it. Georgia's helmet law is universal: every operator and passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet regardless of age, with no insurance or experience exemption of any kind.
Georgia's motorcycle license requirements — including a $32 licence fee, a minimum age of 17, and a training course completion that can waive the skills test if within 3 months — are verified against Georgia Department of Driver Services (see Georgia DDS — Get a Motorcycle License (Class M)), current as of 2026-07-28.
Georgia Motorcycle License Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Georgia |
|---|---|
| Permit | Class M Instructional Permit (MP) |
| Permit minimum age | 16 years |
| Permit fee | $10 |
| Permit validity | 180 days |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | 17 years |
| License fee | $32 |
| Renewal fee | $32 |
| Renewal period | 8 years |
| Knowledge test | Required |
| Skills test | Required |
Georgia offers two routes to the Class M license with no preference given to either: complete a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program course for the 90-day waiver of both exams, or visit a DDS Customer Service Center and test directly. Neither the Class MP permit nor the GMSP course is a mandatory step for any applicant.
How do you get a motorcycle license in Georgia?
- Reach the minimum permit age. You must be at least 16 to apply for a motorcycle permit in Georgia.
- Pass the knowledge test. Georgia requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
- Get your motorcycle permit. The permit costs $10. It is valid for 180 days.
- Train if required. Georgia does not require any rider to complete a safety course.
- Pass the skills test, or waive it. Georgia requires a motorcycle skills test. Completing Georgia's motorcycle safety course waives it if within 3 months.
- Pay the fee and get your license. The license costs $32. The minimum age for an unrestricted motorcycle license in Georgia is 17.
Common questions about motorcycle licensing in Georgia
How old do you have to be to get a motorcycle permit in Georgia?
You must be at least 16 to apply for a motorcycle permit in Georgia.
An MP is eligible for only one renewal. The Motorcycle Knowledge Exam score attached to it expires after one year; if the Motorcycle Riders Skills Test is not passed within that year, the knowledge exam must be retaken before the skills test can be scheduled again.
What is the minimum age for a motorcycle license in Georgia?
You must be at least 17 for an unrestricted motorcycle license in Georgia.
An applicant for the Class M license itself must be at least 17. The Class M Instructional Permit is available a year earlier, at 16, for riders who want to practise before testing.
Does Georgia require a motorcycle knowledge test?
Yes, Georgia requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
Required at a DDS Customer Service Center unless the applicant presents a 90-Day Motorcycle License Test Waiver earned by completing a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program course.
Does Georgia require a motorcycle skills test?
Yes, Georgia requires a motorcycle skills test. In Georgia, completing Georgia's motorcycle safety course waives it if within 3 months.
The Rider Skills Test (RST-2W for two wheels, RST-3W for three) is required at a DDS Customer Service Center unless the applicant presents the 90-Day Motorcycle License Test Waiver. An applicant testing directly must provide their own insured motorcycle, gear and DOT-approved helmet.
How much does a motorcycle license cost in Georgia?
A motorcycle license in Georgia costs $32. The permit costs $10.
How often do you renew a motorcycle license in Georgia?
A motorcycle license in Georgia renews every 8 years. Renewal costs $32.
Completing Georgia's motorcycle safety course waives the state's motorcycle skills test if within 3 months. See Georgia’s motorcycle safety course.
Georgia helmet law
Required for all riders
Georgia requires a DOT-compliant helmet of every operator and every passenger, with no age, experience or insurance exemption of any kind — a rider 18, 68 or any age in between must wear one. The Department of Driver Services' own rider manual states plainly that 'Georgia requires a DOT compliant helmet' and that 'your passenger should wear the same protective gear as you'. The standard for approved headgear is set by Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 570-13-.02 by reference to 49 C.F.R. § 571.218, the federal Motorcycle Helmets standard (FMVSS 218).
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-315 · 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.
- Licence classes, ages, permits, fees and test rules come from the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Helmet and eye-protection rules come from Georgia's administrative rules implementing O.C.G.A. § 40-6-315 and from the Department's own rider manual, since Georgia's official codified statute text has no free .gov-hosted mirror.
- The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program is entirely optional at every age; completing it earns a 90-day waiver of the state's written and riding tests, but an applicant may test directly at a DDS Customer Service Center instead.
- Georgia's helmet law has no exemption for age, riding experience or insurance coverage. Every operator and passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet.
Sources
Data last verified: 2026-07-28 (verified by: agent) | Source: Georgia DDS — Get a Motorcycle License (Class M)