Motorcycle License in New Jersey
Verified against New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission ·
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 →
New Jersey adds a motorcycle class to a driver's license, reached through a motorcycle examination permit and either a practice-and-road-test route or completion of the state's Basic RiderCourse, which is compulsory for every applicant under 18. New Jersey also issues a separate, lower-tier Moped license for riders as young as 15 who do not hold any other driving credential. New Jersey's helmet law is universal, with no age or experience exemption for either the operator or a passenger.
New Jersey's motorcycle license requirements — including a $24 licence fee and a training course completion that can waive the skills test if the Basic RiderCourse or BRC2 completion card is presented; the MVC describes the road-test waiver as something a graduate 'may be eligible for' rather than automatic — are verified against New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (see New Jersey MVC — License and Permit Fees), current as of 2026-07-28.
New Jersey Motorcycle License Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Permit | Motorcycle Examination Permit |
| Permit minimum age | 17 years |
| Permit fee | $5 |
| Permit validity | 90 days |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | — |
| License fee | $24 |
| Renewal fee | $24 |
| Knowledge test | Required |
| Skills test | Required |
New Jersey publishes no distinct renewal period, in years, for the motorcycle license; the $24 figure covers both the initial and the renewal fee.
How do you get a motorcycle license in New Jersey?
- Reach the minimum permit age. You must be at least 17 to apply for a motorcycle permit in New Jersey.
- Pass the knowledge test. New Jersey requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
- Get your motorcycle permit. The permit costs $5. It is valid for 90 days.
- Train if required. Riders under 18 must complete a motorcycle safety course.
- Pass the skills test, or waive it. New Jersey requires a motorcycle skills test. Completing New Jersey's motorcycle safety course waives it if the Basic RiderCourse or BRC2 completion card is presented; the MVC describes the road-test waiver as something a graduate 'may be eligible for' rather than automatic.
- Pay the fee and get your license. The license costs $24.
Common questions about motorcycle licensing in New Jersey
How old do you have to be to get a motorcycle permit in New Jersey?
You must be at least 17 to apply for a motorcycle permit in New Jersey.
Parent or guardian consent is required for an applicant under 18. The permit holder must complete a mandatory minimum practice-riding period of 20 days, restricted to no earlier than half an hour after sunset and no later than half an hour before sunrise, carries no passengers, and may not use a state toll road or limited-access highway. An applicant without any other driver's license must additionally accrue 6 months of practice riding if under 21, or 3 months without any suspension or postponement if 21 or older, before the road test.
What is the minimum age for a motorcycle license in New Jersey?
An applicant under 18 must enrol in and complete the Basic RiderCourse; an applicant 18 or older may instead take the permit-and-road-test route. New Jersey does not publish an unrestricted licensing age distinct from the standard driver's license age already reached through either pathway.
Does New Jersey require a motorcycle knowledge test?
Yes, New Jersey requires a motorcycle knowledge test.
Booked through the MVC's online testing portal. The Motor Vehicle Commission does not publish a question count or passing score for the motorcycle knowledge test.
Does New Jersey require a motorcycle skills test?
Yes, New Jersey requires a motorcycle skills test. In New Jersey, completing New Jersey's motorcycle safety course waives it if the Basic RiderCourse or BRC2 completion card is presented; the MVC describes the road-test waiver as something a graduate 'may be eligible for' rather than automatic.
The applicant supplies their own registered and insured motorcycle or trike, helmet and eye protection for the road test. A road test taken on a motorcycle of 231cc or less restricts the resulting license to motorcycles of 500cc or less, unless the applicant has completed the Basic RiderCourse or BRC2. Third-party administration of the road test is not stated on any MVC page consulted.
How much does a motorcycle license cost in New Jersey?
A motorcycle license in New Jersey costs $24. The permit costs $5.
How often do you renew a motorcycle license in New Jersey?
Renewal costs $24.
Completing New Jersey's motorcycle safety course waives the state's motorcycle skills test if the Basic RiderCourse or BRC2 completion card is presented; the MVC describes the road-test waiver as something a graduate 'may be eligible for' rather than automatic. See New Jersey’s motorcycle safety course.
Engine-size tiers
- Moped License (separate credential) — A restricted Moped license and a separate Moped Permit exist for applicants without any other driver's license or motorcycle license. The Moped Permit is available from age 15, costs $5 and is valid for 45 days; the Moped license itself costs $6 to obtain or renew. A basic auto license holder may also operate a low-speed motorcycle without any separate endorsement or license.
New Jersey helmet law
Required for all riders
No person may operate or ride upon a motorcycle unless wearing a securely fitted protective helmet, of a size proper for that person and of a type approved by the federal Department of Transportation, equipped with either a neck or chin strap and reflectorized on both sides. The rule binds anyone riding upon the motorcycle, so it reaches a passenger exactly as it reaches the operator, with no age or experience exemption.
N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.7 · 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 and fees come from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Training facts come from the Motor Vehicle Commission's NJ RideSafe programme, delivered through independently approved training providers under the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's curriculum. The helmet rule comes from the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Highway Traffic Safety, which publishes the statute's operative text; this review could not independently retrieve the codified statute from the New Jersey Legislature's own database, which serves its statutes through an interactive search tool rather than static, linkable pages.
- New Jersey Basic RiderCourse and BRC2 tuition varies by the independent provider a rider chooses and is not published centrally by the state.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
Data last verified: 2026-07-28 (verified by: agent) | Source: New Jersey MVC — License and Permit Fees