In Pennsylvania you start on a Class M learner's permit, which lasts one year, then prove your riding either on a Driver License Center skills test or by finishing a rider course run by the state's Motorcycle Safety Program. Riders under 18 have extra steps, including a mandatory course and supervised practice hours. Find your situation below.
Pick the situation that matches yours
Riders under 18 must complete a state-approved Beginner Riding Clinic and log supervised practice before the skills test, with a parent or guardian involved at several stages. The permit page does not state a minimum age, so confirm that with PennDOT before you book anything.
Your steps
- Study the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Operator's Manual, then have a parent or guardian go with you to a PennDOT Driver License Center with application form DL-5 and the permit fee.
- Pass the vision screening and the motorcycle knowledge test to receive your Class M learner's permit.
- Hold the permit for at least 6 months and complete 65 hours of supervised riding; the Beginner Riding Clinic counts for 15 of those hours.
- Complete the Beginner Riding Clinic, which is 17 hours of classroom and riding time; the program supplies the motorcycle and a helmet, but you bring your own other gear.
- Take your Certificate of Completion Card and the parent or guardian certification form DL-180C to your licensing step, and follow the instructions PennDOT gives for the skills evaluation.
- Ride only from sunrise to sunset, with no passengers, until you hold the license.
What to bring
- Completed form DL-5
- Parent or guardian, present at the Driver License Center
- Permit fee (see the cost box below)
- Form DL-180C, parent or guardian certification
- Your Beginner Riding Clinic Certificate of Completion Card
- Your riding log showing the 65 hours
Adults who already drive a car can apply for a motorcycle permit by passing the knowledge test, then choose between the course and the skills test.
Your steps
- Read the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Operator's Manual and complete form DL-5.
- Visit a Driver License Center, pass the vision screening and the motorcycle knowledge test, pay the fee and receive your Class M learner's permit.
- Decide your route: book a skills test at a Driver License Center, or enroll in a Motorcycle Safety Program course.
- If you choose the course, a certified Rider Coach evaluates you, and passing means no separate skills test at the Driver License Center.
- If you choose the skills test, bring a registered, insured and inspected motorcycle, because the exam uses your own bike.
- Until you are licensed, ride only between sunrise and sunset and carry no passenger.
What to bring
- Completed form DL-5
- Your current Pennsylvania driver's license if you hold one
- Permit fee
- For a skills test: permit, valid inspection sticker, registration card and proof of insurance for the motorcycle
- A helmet and protective gear of your own
The permit is good for one year and cannot be renewed, so plan your last step well before it expires.
Your steps
- Check the date on your permit and book early, because after it expires you must reapply in person.
- If you hold only the motorcycle permit, you must ride under the immediate supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator while practicing.
- Pick between the skills test and the Motorcycle Safety Program: the Beginner Riding Clinic is for new riders, while the one-day Intermediate Riding Clinic is for experienced riders on their own motorcycle.
- For the skills test, schedule online or by phone; the test covers a pre-trip inspection, left circles, right circles and figure eights.
- If you pass the knowledge test but fail the skills test three times, you must apply for a new permit.
- If you ride a three-wheeler, check which centers test them and look into the Three-Wheel Riding Clinic, which earns a license with a restriction code 9.
What to bring
- Your Class M learner's permit
- Your valid Pennsylvania driver's license if you hold another class
- Valid inspection sticker, registration card and proof of insurance for your motorcycle
- Helmet and other protective gear
- A licensed motorcycle rider to accompany you, unless you hold another license class
The PennDOT pages we reviewed do not spell out how an out-of-state motorcycle endorsement is handled, so use these steps as a checklist and confirm the details before you go.
Your steps
- Contact PennDOT or check its driver licensing pages to ask whether your out-of-state motorcycle endorsement can be converted, and which tests, if any, are waived.
- Ask which documents you need to move your regular license to Pennsylvania, since the motorcycle class is added to the same license.
- If you are told you must start from the permit, follow the adult steps in the other tab.
- Remember that a Pennsylvania permit holder who has no other license class rides only under supervision, so ask before you plan solo rides.
- Once licensed, update your registration, inspection and insurance for any motorcycle you bring.
What to bring
- Your current out-of-state license showing the motorcycle endorsement
- Proof of identity and Pennsylvania residency, as listed by PennDOT
- Registration and insurance for your motorcycle
- Your Rider Course card, if you hold one
Documents, costs and tips
What to carry
- Form DL-5 for the learner's permit application.
- For riders under 18, a parent or guardian at the Driver License Center and form DL-180C.
- A registered, inspected and insured motorcycle for the skills test.
- Your Rider Course Certificate of Completion Card if you took a course.
- Helmet and eye protection of your own.
Costs
- The Class M learner's permit costs $12 and lasts one year.
- The state rider courses are free to Pennsylvania residents who hold a Class M license or permit.
- Motorcycle renewal is $6 per year, according to PennDOT.
- The fee for the license itself and for the skills test was not verified here, so check PennDOT's fee schedule before you go.
Pennsylvania tips
- You can apply for the permit up to three times in five years, with a maximum of four permits, and you must pass the knowledge test each time.
- Permit riding is allowed only from sunrise to sunset and the only passenger permitted is a licensed instructor.
- Helmets are required unless you are over 21 and have two years of riding experience or have completed a PennDOT- or MSF-approved safety course.
- Protective eye gear is required by state rules, and any type counts, though shatter-proof is recommended.
Common questions
How long is the Pennsylvania motorcycle permit valid?
One year. It cannot be renewed, so if it runs out you have to reapply in person, and you cannot reapply until after it expires.
Can I skip the skills test at the Driver License Center?
Yes, in one case: permit holders who finish an eligible Motorcycle Safety Program course and are evaluated by a Rider Coach receive the license without a separate skills test at the center.
Do I have to wear a helmet?
Usually yes. The exemption applies to riders over 21 who have two years of riding experience or have completed a PennDOT- or MSF-approved safety course. Permit holders must wear a helmet.
Can I carry a passenger on my permit?
No. The only person allowed to ride with you is a properly licensed instructor.
Are rules likely to change?
They can. Confirm the current permit rules, fees and course options with PennDOT before you book, and register for courses through the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program.
This guide summarizes information from PennDOT's pages as of its writing and is not legal advice. Confirm forms, fees and requirements with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation before you go.