The Texas motorcycle license test works differently from most states: every applicant must complete a motorcycle safety course approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), and finishing that course lets the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) waive its motorcycle knowledge test. So for most riders the written part happens in the course, not at DPS. Whether you also take the DPS skills test depends on your age and whether you already hold a Texas car license.
Texas motorcycle license test: the quick answer
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Agency | Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division (dps.texas.gov). Rider courses are approved by TDLR |
| License | Class M, either on its own or added to a Class A, B or C license |
| Rider course | Required for all applicants. The completion certificate (MSB-8 or MSB-R) is valid for 24 months |
| Written test | Finishing the course lets DPS waive the motorcycle knowledge test. DPS does not publish a question count or pass mark for it |
| Skills test | Required for every rider under 18 and any adult without a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license |
| Minimum age | 15, with a parent or guardian, driver education and an engine-size limit of 250cc until 16 |
| Fees (DPS) | $16 to add Class M to your license. $33 for a new Class M-only license. $48 for a new driver license with Class M. $16 for a Class M learner license under 18 |
| Where | In person at a DPS driver license office, by appointment |
Course prices are set by each provider, so compare a few and ask what gear you need to bring. The DPS fees above are from its driver license fees page and can change.
What's on the Texas motorcycle written test
Because the course replaces the DPS knowledge test for most riders, the Texas motorcycle license written test you face is usually the course's own check of what you learned. Approved courses mix classroom lessons with riding exercises, so ask your provider exactly how they test you. The topics are the same ones every motorcycle manual covers, and they are very different from the car test:
- Protective gear and helmet rules. Riders under 21 must wear a helmet in Texas. At 21 and older a rider may skip it only after completing a motorcycle operator training course or with health insurance that covers motorcycle crash injuries.
- Controls and the pre-ride check: tires, brakes, lights, chain or belt, fluids and mirrors.
- Braking with both brakes, and why the front brake does most of the stopping.
- Lane position and following distance so drivers can see you.
- Cornering: slow before the curve, look through the turn, then roll on the throttle.
- Swerving and quick stops to avoid a hazard.
- Carrying passengers and loads, and riding in a group.
- Alcohol, drugs and fatigue, and how they affect balance and judgment.
The DPS motorcycle learner license carries a J restriction: you may practice only with a licensed motorcycle operator who is 21 or older and stays in sight. Know this before your first ride on the street.
Steps to your Texas motorcycle license
Pick the path that matches you. All of them start with a TDLR-approved course.
The shortest path. With a valid, unrestricted Class A, B or C license and a course certificate, DPS waives both the knowledge test and the skills test.
Your steps
- Complete a TDLR-approved motorcycle safety course.
- Book a DPS appointment within 24 months of your certificate date.
- Submit the DL-14A application, your certificate and the fee.
- Get Class M added to your license.
What to bring
- Your valid, unrestricted Texas license
- MSB-8 or MSB-R course certificate
- The $16 fee to add Class M
The course waives the knowledge test, but you take the DPS skills test.
Your steps
- Complete a TDLR-approved motorcycle safety course.
- Get an Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) completion certificate, which DPS asks for at the skills test if you have no current Texas license.
- Book a DPS appointment with your REAL ID documents.
- Bring a motorcycle and a licensed driver in a passenger vehicle to follow you, and pass the skills test.
- Finish the application, photo, fingerprints and fee.
What to bring
- MSB-8 or MSB-R course certificate
- ITD completion certificate
- REAL ID documents
- A motorcycle plus a follow car and licensed driver
Minors always take the skills test and need a parent or legal guardian with them.
Your steps
- Finish the 32-hour classroom part of driver education (Form DE-964 or DEE-964).
- Complete a TDLR-approved motorcycle safety course.
- Get a diploma or a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form.
- Go to DPS with a parent or guardian, apply and pay the fee.
- Pass the skills test. At 15 you are limited to 250cc or less until you turn 16 and pass a DPS skills test again.
What to bring
- Parent or legal guardian
- Driver education certificate
- Course certificate
- Diploma or VOE form
- REAL ID documents
- A motorcycle plus a follow car and licensed driver
Texas motorcycle license skills test
If your path includes the DPS skills test, you bring your own street-legal motorcycle, plus a passenger vehicle with a licensed driver who follows you during the test. DPS does not publish a detailed list of the exercises on its motorcycle page, so ask when you book. Riders transferring a valid, unrestricted motorcycle license from another U.S. state or a Canadian province can have the skills test waived at 18 and older.
How to study for the Texas motorcycle license test
- Read a motorcycle operator manual before your course so the classroom part feels familiar.
- Learn the DPS rules that trip people up: the 24-month certificate, the J and I restrictions and who must take the skills test.
- Practice slow-speed control in a safe, empty lot only if you are allowed to ride, with a licensed motorcycle operator 21 or older in sight.
- Take a Texas motorcycle permit practice test and write down every question you miss.
- Sleep well before your course days. The riding exercises are physical, and tired riders make mistakes.
10-question practice quiz
Say each answer before you check. These are DMVZone study questions based on DPS rules and common riding skills, not real test questions.
- Who must complete a TDLR-approved motorcycle course in Texas? Answer: Every Class M applicant.
- How long is the MSB-8 or MSB-R certificate valid? Answer: 24 months.
- What does finishing the course let DPS waive? Answer: The motorcycle knowledge test.
- Which adults can skip the DPS skills test? Answer: Those with a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license plus the course, or those transferring a valid motorcycle license from another state or Canadian province.
- Who always takes the skills test? Answer: Every applicant under 18.
- What does the J restriction mean? Answer: You may ride only with a licensed motorcycle operator 21 or older in sight.
- What engine limit applies at age 15? Answer: 250cc or less.
- What must you bring besides your motorcycle to the skills test? Answer: A passenger vehicle with a licensed driver to follow you.
- Which brake gives most of a motorcycle's stopping power? Answer: The front brake, so use both together.
- How much does it cost to add Class M to an existing Texas license? Answer: $16.
Texas motorcycle license test FAQ
Do I have to take a written test for a Texas motorcycle license?
DPS waives its motorcycle knowledge test once you complete a TDLR-approved course, and every applicant must take that course. Your course provider will tell you how its own written check works.
Is there a Texas motorcycle permit practice test?
DPS does not offer one on its motorcycle page. DMVZone has free motorcycle practice questions covering gear, braking, lane position and hazards.
How does the Texas motorcycle endorsement test work if I already drive?
With a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license and a course certificate, DPS waives both tests at 18 and older. You add Class M at a DPS appointment for $16.
What is the Texas DPS motorcycle license test for minors?
Riders 15 to 17 need driver education, the course, school attendance proof and a parent or guardian present, and they must pass the DPS skills test.
Can I add a motorcycle license while living out of state?
Texas residents 18 and older living out of state can add Class M by mail after an approved course, using form DL-16P. DPS lists the steps on its motorcycle page.
Rules and fees change, so confirm everything on the DPS motorcycle license page at dps.texas.gov and with your TDLR-approved course provider before you go.
