Motorcycle License in New York
Verified against New York State Department of Motor Vehicles ·
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 York issues a Class M driver license to an adult motorcycle rider and a Class MJ license to a rider aged 16 or 17. A Class M or MJ learner permit comes first, and the road test can be waived by a Basic RiderCourse or Basic RiderCourse 2 completion card from the state's own Motorcycle Safety Program. New York requires a helmet of every operator and every passenger, with no age, experience or insurance exemption.
New York's motorcycle license requirements — including a minimum age of 18 and a training course completion that can waive the skills test if within 24 months — are verified against New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (see New York DMV — Get a Motorcycle Learner Permit and License), current as of 2026-07-28.
New York Motorcycle License Requirements at a Glance
| Permit | Class M or Class MJ Motorcycle Learner Permit |
|---|---|
| Permit minimum age | 16 |
| Permit fee | — |
| Permit validity | — |
| Minimum age (unrestricted) | 18 |
| License fee | — |
| Renewal | — |
| Knowledge test | Required20 questions, 70% passing score |
| Skills test | Required |
The combined fee for a first New York driver license or learner permit, including any Class M or MJ credential, is set by the applicant's age and county of residence rather than by a single figure: DMV's own table runs from roughly $68.75 to $97.50 before the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) surcharge, and from about $77.75 to $107.50 with it, with the applicant's age at issuance determining the exact figure because the credential's duration is tied to age. Residents of New York City and the surrounding downstate counties pay the MCTD surcharge; other residents do not. Part of the Class M and MJ fee funds the New York State Motorcyclist Safety Program.
Completing New York's motorcycle safety course waives the state's motorcycle skills test if within 24 months. See New York’s motorcycle safety course.
New York helmet law
Required for all riders
Every motorcycle operator and every passenger must wear an approved motorcycle helmet meeting United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218, with no age, experience or insurance exception. New York was the first state in the country to adopt a universal helmet requirement, in force since 1 January 1967. The Department recommends, but does not require, at least four square inches of reflective material on each side of the helmet.
N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 381, as published by the NYS DMV in the Motorcycle Operator's Manual (MV-21MC) · 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, permits, tests and fees come from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Training facts come from the New York State Motorcyclist Safety Program, which the Department of Motor Vehicles names as its partner in administering the program. Helmet and eye-protection rules come from the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law.
- New York's first-license-or-permit fee for a Class M or MJ credential varies with the applicant's exact age and county of residence rather than a single flat amount; published figures run from roughly $69 to $108 depending on age and whether a Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District surcharge applies.
- New York's road-test waiver through a Basic RiderCourse or Basic RiderCourse 2 License Waiver completion card only applies to a course taken in New York, and lapses two years after the course is completed.
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 York DMV — Get a Motorcycle Learner Permit and License