Motorcycle Licensing
The Virginia motorcycle classification, the motorcycle learner's permit and the rider training course that waives the DMV skills test.
3 guides
Virginia does not issue a separate motorcycle license. Under Va. Code § 46.2-328 C the authority to ride is a classification added to the driver's license you already hold — which is why the card, the expiry date and most of the fee are the ones you already have, and why losing the license loses the motorcycle privilege with it.
There are two routes into that classification, and they are covered separately here: the DMV's own motorcycle examination and road test under § 46.2-337, and the Virginia Rider Training Program. The second matters more than most riders realize. Under § 46.2-1188 a course approved by the DMV exists for the purpose of obtaining a waiver of that road test, and under § 46.2-328 C a licensed rider aged 19 or older who completes one holds a temporary motorcycle classification valid for 30 days from the completion date shown on the paperwork.
The motorcycle learner's permit page covers the stage before either route. These pages are about the license and the classification; the DMV's practice tests and the questions on the motorcycle knowledge exam are a different subject and are not covered here.
All guides
- Motorcycle License in VA: How the Class M Designation Works
Virginia issues no separate motorcycle license: you add a Class M, M2 or M3 to the license you hold. Both routes, the $2 fee and the 30-day rule.
- The Virginia Rider Training Program and the Road Test Waiver
Completing a Virginia Rider Training Program course lets the DMV waive the motorcycle exams. Which courses count, and the 30-day rule that follows.
- The Virginia Motorcycle Learner's Permit: Rules and Limits
A Virginia motorcycle permit costs $3, lasts 12 months and carries three hard rules. Who can get one, how long you hold it, and when you can skip it.