Section 1: Motorcycle Rider Licensing

Section 1: Motorcycle Rider Licensing

This Section Covers

• How to Obtain Your Motorcycle License – 1.1
• Required Motorcycle License Test – 1.2
• Rider Skills Test – 1.3
• Motorcycle Rider Education, Training, and License Test Waivers – 1.4
• Signs, Signals, and Markings – 1.5

Operating a motorcycle can be safe and fun when you act as a responsible rider. It also requires special skills and a heightened sense of awareness about other road users, traffic, and environmental conditions and a personal strategy to manage potential problems.

Studying this manual will not only help you pass your licensing tests, but it will also help prepare you to become a responsible and safe motorcyclist.

Take your time learning how to operate your motorcycle and get plenty of riding experience and training. You’ll need to be fully prepared for handling today’s traffic environment and reducing the potential for a crash.

1.1 – How to Obtain Your Class M Motorcycle License

You may obtain a Class M Motorcycle License if you:

• Are at least 17 years of age.
• Under age 18, a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult to sign the Form for Driver’s License/ID/Permit and complete the Responsible Adult Affidavit.
• Under age 18, a Certificate of School Enrollment (Form DS-1) must be presented.
• Pass required Motorcycle License tests, which include special road signs test, a special road rules test and an actual riding test on a motorcycle. (NOTE: The Motorcycle License test is waived if a 90-day test waiver is submitted for successfully completing the Basic RiderCourse or Basic RiderCourse 2.)
• Pass a vision test. If the vision test was administered and passed during the year in conjunction with another license issuance, the vision test may be waived.
• If the applicant meets the established requirements for a Class M License and also possesses a Class C or combination of other classes of permits, that license must be surrendered and a license containing the Class M will be issued. The applicant will not be given a refund for their remaining period of validity of the other license.

Class MP – Instructional Permit

An Instructional (Learner’s) Permit is issued for the purpose of learning how to operate a motorcycle on public roads or highways. An Instructional Permit is not a Motorcycle License.

All Instructional Permit applicants must pass a vision test and an examination of motorcycle knowledge. A Class M Instructional Permit (MP) is valid for 6 months. It is not mandatory for a Class M License applicant to obtain a Class M Instructional Permit (MP) before taking the Class M examination, although road test reservations are available only to those applicants who hold a Class M Instructional Permit (MP). Requirements for a Class M Instructional Permit (MP) are as follows:

• Must be at least 16 years of age.
• Applicants 16 years of age must comply with Joshua’s Law by successfully completing a DDS certified Georgia Driver Training/Driver Education Course consisting of at least 30 hours of theoretical instruction (classroom or virtual) and 6 hours of practical behind-the-wheel instruction (instructor or parent taught). A list of certified courses can be found online at https://online.dds.ga.gov/ddsgeorgiagov/locations/certified-driver-trai….
• Pass Vision Exam.
• Pass Motorcycle Knowledge Exam.
• If applicant is under 18 years of age, then a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult is required to sign the Form for Driver’s License/ID/Permit and complete the Responsible Adult Affidavit. The participating signatories also have the authority to request revocation of the permit at any time before the minor’s 18th birthday.
• Under age 18, a Certificate of School Enrollment (Form DS-1) must be presented.

MP Restrictions are:

• Motorcycle operation in daylight hours only.
• No passengers allowed.
• No limited access roadways.
• Safety equipment as prescribed by law.

 Real ID License Documentation Requirements

DDS has been issuing Real ID compliant licenses and IDs since 2012. These procedures require that you bring additional documentation with you when you visit one of our Customer Service Centers (CSC).

To verify that you have a Real ID card, check the upper right-hand corner of your license/ID for either a Black star or Gold star.

If you are a US Citizen and have a Real ID card, you will NOT need to bring your documents in again unless you are performing a name change, gender change or other services that require identification verification.

If you are new to Georgia or do not have a Real ID license, please visit the DDS website's Real ID Requirements page to identity which documents you will need to bring.