In Virginia you ride on a driver's license that carries a Class M designation, or on a motorcycle-only license. There are two routes to it: finish a Virginia Rider Training Program course and bring the certificate to the DMV, or pass the knowledge exam and road skills test yourself after a waiting period on a learner's permit. Age changes how long you wait.
Pick the situation that matches yours
Riders under 18 hold a motorcycle learner's permit for 9 months on either route. A rider course waives the tests, but not the waiting period.
Your steps
- Pass the vision screening and get the motorcycle learner's permit. Check the DMV's permit page for the minimum age and the permit's riding limits, which I could not confirm.
- Hold the permit for 9 months. This applies whether you take a rider course or test on your own.
- Option A: complete a Virginia Rider Training Program course. The certificate waives the knowledge exam and road skills test for one year from completion.
- Option B: pass the motorcycle knowledge exam and then the road skills test at a DMV center that offers it.
- If you want a motorcycle-only license, you also need proof of an approved driver education program and the two-part driver's license knowledge exam.
What to bring
- Rider Training Program certificate, if you took the course
- Proof of approved driver education (for any license at your age, including motorcycle-only)
- Proof of identity and the other items on the DMV Document Guide
- Your learner's permit
- For the road skills test: DOT-approved helmet with a face shield or safety glasses, jacket, gloves, long pants and ankle-covering footwear
An adult with a Virginia license adds the Class M designation. The rider training route is faster because it skips the permit waiting period.
Your steps
- Choose between the rider course route and the testing route.
- Course route: pass the vision screening, complete a Virginia Rider Training Program course and take your certificate to a DMV customer service center. The knowledge exam and road skills test are waived.
- If you are 19 or older, the certificate works as a temporary M2 or M3 when carried with your license, for 30 days from completion. Visit the DMV within that window to have the designation added.
- Testing route: pass the vision screening, pass the motorcycle knowledge exam, hold the learner's permit for 30 days, then pass the road skills test.
- Book the road skills test, which requires an appointment and is not offered at every customer service center.
What to bring
- Your valid Virginia driver's license
- Rider training certificate, valid for one year from completion
- Documents listed on the DMV Document Guide
- Registered and inspected motorcycle with a valid plate and current inspection sticker (road skills test)
- Helmet with a face shield or safety glasses, jacket, gloves, long pants and boots or shoes that cover the ankles
Your permit starts the waiting period. Once it is over you can test, and a rider course can still replace the tests.
Your steps
- Count your waiting time: 30 days if you are 18 or older, 9 months if you are under 18.
- Consider a Virginia Rider Training Program course while you wait. The certificate waives the knowledge exam and road skills test.
- If you test on your own, reserve a road skills test appointment at a DMV center that offers it.
- Expect to be tested on starting, accelerating, shifting, turning, braking and swerving. You must complete every exercise, and the examiner may stop the test for unsafe riding.
- If you fail the road skills test twice, you must complete the rider training program before the Class M designation can be added.
- After you pass, pay the replacement license fee and the yearly motorcycle classification fee for the remaining years on your license.
What to bring
- Your motorcycle learner's permit
- Proof of identity and any items the Document Guide lists
- Motorcycle with a license plate and current inspection sticker
- Protective gear: DOT-approved helmet, eye protection, long sleeves, gloves, long pants and ankle-covering footwear
- Payment for the replacement license and classification fees
Virginia does not accept out-of-state rider course certificates, and a Virginia license cannot be held at the same time as an out-of-state one.
Your steps
- Exchange your out-of-state license for a Virginia license. Virginia law does not allow you to hold both.
- Ask the DMV how your existing motorcycle classification is handled on the exchange. I could not confirm this from the pages I checked.
- If your out-of-state license has no motorcycle class and you only have an out-of-state safety course certificate, you cannot use it. You must pass the knowledge and road skills tests and hold the permit for 30 days (9 months if under 18).
- A Virginia Rider Training Program course will not get you a Virginia motorcycle-only license while you still hold an out-of-state license.
- Active-duty military members, spouses and dependents stationed outside Virginia with a Virginia license have a separate mail-in process that requires a military-approved rider course certificate.
What to bring
- Your out-of-state license
- Documents from the DMV Document Guide
- For the testing route: a registered and inspected motorcycle and protective gear
- For the military mail-in: orders or a signed certification letter, military ID front and back, course certificate, and application DL 1P
Documents, costs and tips
Documents
- A valid Virginia driver's license to attach the Class M designation to.
- Rider Training Program certificate of completion if you are using the waiver.
- Proof of approved driver education if you are under 18 and applying for any Virginia license, including motorcycle-only.
- Everything else on the DMV Document Guide for your situation.
Costs
- The Class M designation carries an annual fee that runs with your license and is renewed with it. Check the DMV Fee Chart for the amount.
- A motorcycle-only license costs $6 per year and is normally valid for 8 years.
- After a road skills test pass you pay a replacement license fee plus the yearly classification fee for each remaining year of your license.
- Rider course prices are set by each provider, so ask them directly.
Virginia tips
- Both operators and passengers must wear an approved helmet. Operators also need a face shield or safety glasses or goggles unless the bike has a windshield approved by the Virginia State Police.
- The code on a license matters: M2 is two-wheeled only, M3 is three-wheeled only, and a restriction 6 means motorcycle-only.
- The testing motorcycle must be registered, have a plate and a current inspection sticker, and pass the examiner's equipment check before the test begins.
- Not every DMV center gives the motorcycle road skills test, so check the location and book an appointment first.
Common questions
Do I have to take a rider course in Virginia?
No. You can instead pass the knowledge exam, hold the learner's permit for the waiting period, and pass the road skills test. A course simply waives both tests and, for adults, lets you skip the permit waiting period.
How long is the rider training certificate good for?
It is valid for one year from the completion date. Riders 19 and older can use it as a temporary M2 or M3 with their license for 30 days after completion.
What happens if I fail the road skills test?
After two failed attempts you must complete the Virginia Rider Training Program before the Class M designation can be added.
Can I ride on a car license?
No. You need a license with a Class M designation, or a motorcycle-only license. Class M can be added to your existing license.
Does a course guarantee I will get the designation?
No. The certificate waives the tests, but you still need to meet the DMV's other requirements, such as the vision screening, and rules can change, so confirm with the DMV.
Requirements and fees can change, so confirm everything with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/motorcycle) before your visit.