How to Get a Motorcycle License in Wyoming: Permit, Course, and Test

To get a motorcycle license in Wyoming, you add a Class M endorsement to a Wyoming driver’s license (or apply for a standalone motorcycle license) through a Wyoming Department of Transportation Driver Services office. The path is: gather your identity and residency documents, pass a written knowledge test and vision screening for an instruction permit, prove your riding skills either by completing the Basic Rider Course or passing the state skills test, then visit a Driver Services office to finalize the endorsement. Adding Class M to an existing Wyoming license costs $11.¹

Age Rules That Decide Your Path

Which steps apply to you depend on your age on the day you walk in.

At 15, you can apply for a 90-day motorcycle instruction permit after passing the written test and vision screening.²
At 16, if you have held an instruction permit, logged at least 50 hours of practice (10 at night), and completed a driver’s education course, you can move toward an intermediate motorcycle permit or a full endorsement.²
At 17, you qualify for a full, unrestricted motorcycle license or Class M endorsement without first holding an intermediate permit.³

Anyone under 18 needs a parent or legal guardian to sign the application. When no parent or guardian is available, a justice of the peace or county court judge can sign after finding the applicant mature enough to take on the responsibility.

Documents to Bring to the Office

Every applicant has to appear in person at a Driver Services office, so pull your paperwork together first. Wyoming asks for documents in three groups.⁴

One proof of identity: a certified birth certificate, unexpired U.S. passport, certificate of citizenship, certificate of naturalization, or valid permanent resident card. A hospital souvenir birth certificate is not accepted; it has to be the state-certified copy.
Two proofs of Wyoming residency, each showing your name and physical address: utility bills, lease agreements, bank statements, or similar documents. A P.O. box will not work, and documents generally need to be no more than 30 to 45 days old.
Proof of Social Security number (recommended): a Social Security card, W-2, or bank statement showing your full SSN. WYDOT lists this as recommended rather than mandatory, but bringing it avoids problems at the counter.

You will also complete the Wyoming Driver License / Identification Card Application, available at any Driver Services office or as a PDF on the WYDOT website.⁵ Match the information on the form to your legal ID exactly. A small discrepancy with your birth certificate can stall the whole process.

Step 1: The Motorcycle Instruction Permit

Before you can ride on public roads, you need an instruction permit. Getting one means passing a written knowledge test drawn from the Wyoming Motorcycle Operator’s Manual, which covers traffic laws, safe riding techniques, and equipment requirements. You will also take a vision screening at the office.

The basic instruction permit is valid for 90 days and does not allow carrying passengers. Riders 17 and older face no time-of-day restriction on this permit. Permit holders under 17 may only ride between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., with exceptions for work, school, medical emergencies, and religious or sports activities.²

Riders 16 and older who meet the 50-hour practice requirement can apply for an intermediate motorcycle permit instead, which carries the same no-passenger and 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. rules. It is a stepping stone for younger riders working toward a full endorsement before 17.

Step 2: Prove You Can Ride

Wyoming gives you two ways to show the state you can handle a motorcycle. One is a training course that eliminates testing at the Driver Services office entirely. The other is a riding exam you take with a state examiner.

The Basic Rider Course

The Basic Rider Course, developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and offered through WYDOT’s Motorcycle Safety Program, covers everything from basic controls to emergency maneuvers. It costs $50 for Wyoming residents and $150 for out-of-state riders.⁶ Motorcycles and helmets are typically provided, so you don’t need to own a bike to sign up.

When you pass, you get a completion card that waives both the written knowledge exam and the riding skills test for the Class M endorsement.⁶ Bring the card to a Driver Services office with your other documents. One deadline matters: the card has to be presented within two years of the course date or the waiver expires.

The State Skills Test

Skipping the course means scheduling a riding skills test through a Driver Services office. You bring your own motorcycle, and the examiner inspects it for working brakes, functional lights, and proper mirrors before you ride.

The test evaluates fundamental riding ability through a short series of exercises:

A cone weave through cones spaced 12 feet apart, without touching or skipping any.
A U-turn inside a marked boundary without putting a foot down.
A normal stop: riding in a straight line and making a smooth, controlled stop within a designated area.
A quick stop: accelerating to 12–18 mph and stopping as quickly as possible within a set distance.
An obstacle turn: swerving to avoid an obstacle while staying inside marked lanes.

Stalling repeatedly, putting feet down during maneuvers, and drifting outside the boundaries are the usual reasons people fail. You can retake the test, though there may be a waiting period before you can schedule another attempt.

Step 3: Finish at the Driver Services Office

Whichever route you took, the last step is a Driver Services visit. Bring the completed application, your identity and residency documents, and either the course completion card or your skills test result. Staff verify the paperwork and run a vision screening if one hasn’t already been done.

The endorsement fee is $11 when you are adding Class M to an existing Wyoming license.¹ If you don’t yet hold a Wyoming driver’s license, expect to pay the base license fee on top of the endorsement fee.

Once your payment and documents clear, the office hands you a temporary paper credential you can use immediately. The permanent card arrives by mail, and WYDOT advises allowing four to six weeks for delivery.⁷

Moving to Wyoming With a Motorcycle License

If you move to Wyoming with a valid motorcycle endorsement from another state, you have one year from the date you establish residency to get a Wyoming license. Visit a Driver Services office in person, surrender the out-of-state license, present the standard identity and residency documents, take a vision screening, and have your photo taken. There is an exception: if your out-of-state license was issued by Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, or Wisconsin, or if it is a commercial license, you must apply as soon as you establish Wyoming residency rather than using the full year.⁸

Whether Wyoming makes you retake the written or skills test when transferring depends on the status of your out-of-state endorsement and how long it has been expired. A current motorcycle safety course completion card, if you still have one inside the two-year window, can help you avoid retesting.

Insurance You Need Before You Ride

Wyoming requires liability insurance on all motor vehicles operated on public roads, motorcycles included. The state minimums are:

$25,000 for bodily injury to one person per accident
$50,000 total bodily injury when more than one person is hurt in a single accident
$20,000 for property damage per accident⁹

These are floors, and many riders carry higher limits because motorcycle injuries run past $25,000 in medical bills quickly. You need proof of insurance to register the motorcycle, and you should keep proof on you whenever you ride.

Helmet and Equipment Rules

Wyoming does not require adult riders to wear helmets. The helmet law applies only to riders age 17 and younger.¹⁰ Many training instructors still require a DOT-certified helmet to take their course.

The motorcycle itself has to meet basic equipment standards. Specifics vary a little by model year, but Wyoming generally requires:

At least one headlamp, which must stay on whenever the motorcycle is in operation
A red tail lamp and rear reflector
A working brake system on both wheels
At least one rearview mirror
A horn and a muffler (straight pipes with removed baffles are not legal)
Turn signals on motorcycles manufactured after the mid-1980s

If you are bringing your own bike to the state skills test, check every item before you go. A burned-out tail lamp or missing mirror can end the exam before the riding portion begins.

1
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Driver License Fee Updates
2
Justia. Wyoming Code 31-7-110 – Instruction and Temporary Drivers Permits
3
Justia. Wyoming Code 31-7-108 – Persons Not to Be Licensed Investigation by the Division
4
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Document Requirements for Wyoming License, Permit or ID Card
5
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Forms/Applications
6
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Wyoming Department of Transportation – Motorcycle Safety – Get Trained
7
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Driver License – Lost / Renewal
8
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Driver License
9
FindLaw. Wyoming Code 31-9-405
10
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws