Permit & Licensing Information for motorcycle & scooter riders

Riding without the proper paperwork is a bad idea. Here’s what you need to know if you’re an experienced rider who is looking to get a motorcycle endorsement on your license.

First: Get your motorcycle permit.

Go to the NY DMV and study the written test book
Go to your local DMV office and take the written test ($21-$120)
If you do not already have another class of license (“D” for car), you must then:

take a pre-licensing class or driver education class.

Then: Take your road test or get a waiver

Option 1: Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic RiderCourse. This is a 15-
hour class over two or three days that teaches motorcycling from the very beginning.
Successful completion of the exercises waives the DMV road test and you walk
away with an “M” endorsement on your license.
Classes vary from $275 to $350 and are available in the Bronx, Queens, Long
Island (Farmingdale, Oakdale, Selden, Massapequa), Suffern, Newburgh,
Poughkeepsie, Stone Ridge, and Hudson.
Go to the New York Motorcycle Safety Program for a listing of courses near you.

Option 2: Take the road test with the DMV (sites in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens,
Staten Island, Freeport, Hauppauge, Peekskill, Yonkers or White Plains.) You’ll need:
– A motorcycle
– A car or truck operated by someone 18+ with a driver license. This motor
vehicle and driver will transport the examiner during the test.
If you don’t have these, some schools can provide you with a bike & car:
www.ridemss.com $200
www.bigapplemotorcycleschool.com $250
www.lrn2ride.com $175