The California motorcycle permit test is really two written tests: the regular driver's knowledge test and a separate motorcycle knowledge test, both taken at a California DMV field office. The DMV does not publish how many questions the motorcycle test has or its passing score. Practice sites commonly say 30 questions with 24 correct (80%), but that figure is unofficial, so study the whole California Motorcycle Handbook. If you are under 21, you also need a rider training course before you can get the permit at all.
California motorcycle permit test: the quick answer
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Agency | California Department of Motor Vehicles (dmv.ca.gov). The rider course is run by the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) under the California Highway Patrol |
| License classes | M1 covers any two-wheeled motorcycle and everything in M2. M2 covers mopeds and motorized bicycles |
| Written tests | The driver's knowledge test and the motorcycle knowledge test. Questions come from the Motorcycle Handbook and the California Driver's Handbook |
| Questions and pass mark | Not published by the DMV. Third-party sites say 30 questions and 80%, which is unofficial |
| Attempts | Three tries per test. Failing the same test three times voids your application and you reapply |
| Who needs a permit | Riders under 21 must hold an instruction permit for at least 6 months. Riders 21 and older do not need one |
| Rider course | CMSP Basic Rider Course (about 15 hours). Required before the permit if you are under 21, optional but recommended at 21 and older |
| Fee | $46 for an original M1 or M2 license, or $46 to add M1 or M2 to a Class C license (DMV licensing fees page) |
| Online test | The DMV's motorcycle pages do not describe an online motorcycle knowledge test, so plan to test at a field office and ask the DMV if you hope to test online |
Already have a California Class C license? The handbook still lists both knowledge tests as part of the motorcycle application, so ask at the counter which ones apply to you before you sit down.
What's on the motorcycle test
The motorcycle knowledge test is built from the California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665). Car drivers often expect common sense to carry them, but the questions are about riding, not driving. These are the topics that make it different from the car test:
- Gear: the handbook says all riders and passengers must wear a U.S. DOT-compliant motorcycle helmet (Vehicle Code 27803). Expect questions on eye protection and protective clothing too.
- Controls and the pre-ride check: throttle, clutch, both brakes, kill switch, tires, lights and mirrors.
- Braking: using front and rear brakes together, and how to stop quickly in a straight line or a curve.
- Lane position: which part of the lane keeps you visible and gives you room to react.
- Curves and swerving: slow before the curve, look through the turn, and keep your eyes up.
- Being seen: headlight use, bright gear and staying out of drivers' blind spots.
- Lane splitting: the DMV says California law neither allows nor prohibits riding between lanes, and the handbook warns it can leave you vulnerable.
- Passengers, cargo and group riding.
- Alcohol, drugs and fatigue, and how they affect balance and judgment.
The second written test is the regular driver's knowledge test. Riders who studied only the motorcycle book lose points on road signs, right of way and parking rules from the California Driver's Handbook.
Steps to your California motorcycle license
Your path depends mostly on your age. Here is the order the DMV handbook lays out.
Minors 15 and a half to 17 follow the longest path: driver education first, then the rider course, then a six-month permit.
Your steps
- Finish driver education and behind-the-wheel training, or already hold a Class C license.
- Complete the CMSP Basic Rider Course and get your DL 389 certificate.
- Apply at a DMV field office with a parent or guardian signature on the DL 44 application.
- Pass the vision exam, the driver's knowledge test and the motorcycle knowledge test to get your instruction permit.
- Ride for at least 6 months with the permit: no passengers, no freeways and no riding at night.
- Return to the DMV for your M1 or M2 license.
What to bring
- DL 389 certificate
- Driver education and driver training certificates, or your Class C license
- Parent or guardian signature
- Identity and residency documents
- The application fee
You still need the rider course and the permit, but not the driver education certificates.
Your steps
- Complete the CMSP Basic Rider Course and keep your DL 389.
- Apply at a DMV field office with a DL 44 application.
- Pass the vision exam and both knowledge tests to get your instruction permit.
- Hold the permit for at least 6 months under the same restrictions.
- Return to the DMV for your license. The DL 389 can waive the DMV skills test.
What to bring
- DL 389 certificate, less than 12 months old
- Identity and residency documents
- The application fee
No permit is required. You choose between the rider course and the DMV skills test.
Your steps
- Decide on the CMSP course (recommended for new riders) or the DMV motorcycle skills test.
- Apply at a DMV field office, pass the vision exam and the knowledge tests.
- If you took the course, hand in your DL 389 within 12 months to waive the skills test.
- If you did not, book a DMV skills test by appointment and bring proof of insurance.
- Get your temporary license, valid for 60 days while the card is mailed.
What to bring
- DL 389 if you took the course
- Proof of financial responsibility for a DMV skills test
- A motorcycle for the skills test
- The application fee
The DMV skills test
If you do not use a DL 389, the DMV skills test starts with a pre-trip check of controls such as the starter, kill switch, clutch, throttle and brakes. Then you ride tracking paths, a serpentine, a circle ride, a slow ride and, on a bike with gears, a gear shift ride. It is pass or fail. Your application fee covers three attempts, and each retest after a failure costs $7. The DMV will not waive the skills test for an out-of-state course or an insurance course card, only for a California CMSP DL 389.
Applicants who have never held a license of any class and apply for a motorcycle-only license may also need an observation road test.
How to study for the California motorcycle permit test
- Download the California Motorcycle Handbook from dmv.ca.gov and read one section a day.
- Skim the California Driver's Handbook too, with extra time on signs and right of way, since that test is part of the package.
- Make a one-page California motorcycle permit test cheat sheet for study at home: permit limits, helmet law, braking, lane position and the numbers in each chapter. Testing aids, including the handbook and your phone, are banned in the test room.
- Take California motorcycle permit test practice quizzes and write down every question you miss.
- Book your CMSP course early, since classes fill up in riding season.
10-question practice quiz
Cover the answers and say each one out loud before you check. These are DMVZone study questions based on the DMV handbook, not real test questions.
- What three restrictions come with a California motorcycle instruction permit? Answer: No passengers, no freeway riding and no riding at night.
- How long must a rider under 21 hold the permit? Answer: At least 6 months.
- Who must complete the CMSP course before getting a permit? Answer: Every applicant under 21.
- How long is a DL 389 certificate valid? Answer: 12 months from the date it is issued.
- Which license class covers any two-wheeled motorcycle? Answer: M1.
- Who has to wear a helmet in California? Answer: Every rider and passenger, with a DOT-compliant helmet.
- How many tries do you get at each knowledge test? Answer: Three. Failing the same test three times voids the application.
- Will the DMV waive the skills test for an out-of-state rider course? Answer: No. Only a California CMSP DL 389 counts.
- Is lane splitting legal in California? Answer: The DMV says state law does not allow or prohibit it, so ride with care.
- What does the retest cost after a failed DMV skills test? Answer: $7.
California motorcycle permit test FAQ
California motorcycle permit test: how many questions?
The DMV does not publish the number or the passing score. Practice sites commonly say 30 questions and 80% (24 correct), which is unofficial. Remember that you also take the driver's knowledge test.
Can I take the California motorcycle permit test online?
The DMV's motorcycle license page and handbook describe testing at a DMV field office and do not say an online version of the motorcycle knowledge test is available. The DMV does offer some online knowledge testing, so ask the DMV before you plan on it.
Do I need a permit if I am 21 or older?
No. Riders 21 and older can go straight to the license by passing the tests, with either a DL 389 or a DMV skills test.
Is there a California motorcycle permit test study guide?
Yes. The official study guide is the California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665), free on dmv.ca.gov, plus the California Driver's Handbook for the driver's knowledge test.
What happens if I fail the knowledge test?
You get three tries at each test. The California Driver's Handbook says minors must wait seven days to retake a failed knowledge test, not counting the day they failed.
Fees and rules change, so confirm the details on the DMV's motorcycle license page at dmv.ca.gov and with CMSP (ca-msp.org, 1-877-743-3411) before you book.
