Two different documents, and most riders want the first one
People search for a motorcycle licence and are usually looking for a motorcycle endorsement. The two exist side by side in most states, and choosing the wrong one has consequences that last as long as the card does.
- An endorsement is an addition to the driver’s licence you already hold. Your licence keeps working for cars and now also covers motorcycles. It appears as a letter or code — Utah prints an “M” on the licence, Virginia calls it a Class M designation.
- A motorcycle-only licence is a standalone credential for people who do not drive cars. It licenses you to ride and nothing else.
Virginia states the difference in the plainest terms of any state we checked. A Class M designation on a driver’s licence allows the holder to operate motorcycles and other vehicles. A motorcycle-only licence carries restriction code 6, and the holder “may only operate a motorcycle and may not operate a motor vehicle”.
Read that as the price of the motorcycle-only route: you give up driving a car. It is the right answer for someone who genuinely does not drive and does not intend to. For anyone who might want to later, it is a card you will have to replace.
What actually needs one
Not every two-wheeler does, and the line is drawn by engine size and speed rather than by whether the thing looks like a motorcycle. Washington publishes the clearest version:
| Vehicle | Washington requirement |
|---|---|
| Motorcycle or scooter larger than 50cc, or capable of exceeding 30 mph | 2-wheel endorsement |
| Trike, reverse trike, or a motorcycle with a sidecar | 3-wheel endorsement — a separate category |
| Scooter of 50cc or smaller with a maximum speed of 30 mph | None |
| Three-wheeled vehicle with seating, safety belts and a steering wheel | None |
Two things there catch people out. A three-wheeler is not automatically covered by a two-wheel endorsement — trikes, reverse trikes and sidecar outfits are a separate class, and a rider who buys a Can-Am on the strength of a two-wheel endorsement may not be licensed for it. And the exemption for a three-wheeled vehicle with a steering wheel and seat belts is why some machines that look like motorcycles are legally cars.
The cc-and-speed threshold varies between states, so treat Washington’s 50cc and 30 mph as the shape of the rule rather than the rule everywhere. What is consistent is that something defines the floor, and it is usually engine size, top speed, or both.
What riding without one costs
Most pages tell you to get an endorsement. Washington tells you what happens if you do not: riding without the proper endorsement means being fined $386, with the possibility of the machine being impounded.
That is one state’s published figure and others differ, but it establishes the order of magnitude — this is not a paperwork ticket. And the fine is rarely the expensive part. An unendorsed rider is riding outside the terms of their licence, which is the kind of detail an insurer examines closely after a claim.
How the endorsement gets onto your licence
Utah’s process is a clean example of the pattern most states follow:
- Be at least 16 and hold a Class D driver licence.
- Gather documents and book an appointment at a Driver License office.
- Pass a 25-question written knowledge test.
- Complete a rider skills test — either at the licensing office or through an approved course.
- Attend the final appointment and receive the endorsement, shown as an “M” on the licence.
And the detail almost nobody publishes, which is worth the whole page if it applies to you: Utah states that “Course completion will waive the rider skills test”, provided you present your completion card to the Driver License Division within six months of course completion.
A training card is not open-ended. Take the course, get busy, come back eight months later and the waiver may have expired even though you passed. If your state has a similar window — and many do — the sensible sequence is course, then licensing office, in the same fortnight. Ask your provider what the deadline is, because it is not printed on every card.
Which one you should get
| Your situation | What to get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You drive a car and want to ride | Endorsement on your existing licence | One card, both entitlements. This is what the large majority of riders need |
| You do not drive and do not intend to | Motorcycle-only licence | Available in most states, and it skips the car-licensing requirements. Virginia’s carries restriction code 6 |
| You are buying a trike, a reverse trike or a sidecar outfit | Three-wheel endorsement | A separate class in states like Washington. A two-wheel endorsement may not cover it |
| You ride a 50cc scooter that will not exceed 30 mph | Possibly nothing | Exempt in Washington. Check your own state’s threshold before assuming |
What it takes off your plate
In almost every state, a training course removes the riding test from the endorsement process — the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s own position is that most states waive the riding portion for Basic RiderCourse graduates. A handful go further: Virginia’s Rider Training Program removes the knowledge exam and the road skills test, and Illinois removes both for graduates aged 18 and over.
What survives nearly everywhere is the knowledge test, and it comes from your state’s motorcycle manual rather than the course — the motorcycle handbook is where those questions live. Utah’s is 25 questions; other states differ.
For the training itself: the motorcycle safety course covers who runs yours and what it waives, what it costs includes the two states where it is free, and how long it takes covers the calendar.
Moving state with an endorsement
An endorsement is issued by a state and lives on that state’s licence. Move, and you surrender the old licence for a new one, and the new state decides what it recognises.
In practice most states carry an existing motorcycle entitlement across when you transfer a licence in good standing, but the classes do not always map cleanly — a three-wheel endorsement in one state may not have an exact equivalent in the next, and a motorcycle-only licence transfers as a motorcycle-only licence, with the same restriction on driving a car. Ask the new state before you surrender anything, and do not let the old licence expire while you are between addresses.
Where to go from here
The full route to a licence is in how to get a motorcycle licence, and what your state will ask for is in motorcycle licence requirements. If you are not sure you need any of it, start at do I need a motorcycle licence. The permit that comes first is covered in how to get a motorcycle permit and what the permit does not let you do. For the cost of the whole thing, what a motorcycle licence costs.
Two states have their own detailed page here: the Florida motorcycle endorsement and the Texas motorcycle licence.
Frequently asked questions
What is a motorcycle endorsement?
An addition to the driver’s licence you already hold that permits you to ride a motorcycle. It appears as a letter or code on the card — Utah prints an “M”, Virginia calls it a Class M designation. Your licence continues to cover cars as well.
What is the difference between a motorcycle endorsement and a motorcycle licence?
An endorsement sits on your existing driver’s licence and adds motorcycles to what you may operate. A motorcycle-only licence is a standalone credential for people who do not drive cars, and it covers nothing else — Virginia issues one carrying restriction code 6, meaning the holder may only operate a motorcycle and may not operate a motor vehicle.
Do I need a motorcycle endorsement for a scooter?
It depends on the machine. Washington requires a 2-wheel endorsement for any motorcycle or scooter larger than 50cc or capable of exceeding 30 mph, and exempts scooters of 50cc or smaller limited to 30 mph. Thresholds differ by state, so check yours rather than assuming a small scooter is exempt.
Does a motorcycle endorsement cover a trike?
Not necessarily. Washington treats three-wheelers as a separate class: trikes, reverse trikes and motorcycles with sidecars require a 3-wheel endorsement rather than the 2-wheel one. Check before buying a three-wheeled machine on the strength of an existing endorsement.
What happens if you ride without a motorcycle endorsement?
A fine and possibly worse. Washington publishes a $386 penalty for riding without the proper endorsement, with the possibility of the vehicle being impounded. Beyond the fine, riding outside the terms of your licence is the kind of detail an insurer scrutinises after a claim.
How long is a safety course completion card valid for the skills test waiver?
There is often a deadline, and it is easy to miss. Utah requires the completion card to be presented to the Driver License Division within six months of completing the course. Take the course and go to the licensing office promptly rather than assuming the waiver waits.