How to Get Your Motorcycle License in North Dakota: Permit and Test

To get a motorcycle license in North Dakota, you start with a Class M learner’s permit at age 14 or older, then either pass an on-cycle skill test or complete an approved Basic Rider Course to skip it. Total state fees run about $28 with the course waiver or $33 with the road test, not counting the course itself.¹

Who Can Apply

The minimum age for a Class M learner’s permit is 14.² You also need at least 90 consecutive days of North Dakota residency to qualify for licensing.³

If you already hold a valid North Dakota Class A, B, C, or D driver’s license, you’re on the endorsement track: pass the motorcycle tests and NDDOT adds Class M to your existing license. If you don’t hold any license, you’ll first need to pass the Rules of the Road knowledge test before NDDOT will issue a motorcycle permit, and you’ll finish with a standalone Class M license.¹

Age-Based Restrictions on the Permit

Restrictions loosen as you get older, and if you’re under 16 the safety course isn’t optional.

Ages 14–15: Daylight riding only, no passengers, motorcycles limited to 510 CC or less, and a helmet is required. You must be enrolled in or have completed an approved Motorcycle Safety Foundation course before NDDOT will let you test for the permit, and you must hold the permit for at least two months before applying for the full license.²
Ages 16–17: Daylight riding only, no passengers, helmet required. The engine-size limit no longer applies, but the helmet requirement continues even after you get the full license.¹
Ages 18+: Daylight riding only and no passengers while on the permit. Once you upgrade to the full license, no special restrictions apply.¹

Helmets are required for every rider 17 and younger, permit or license. Riders 18 and older aren’t required to wear one.

Documents to Bring

Every visit to an NDDOT driver license site requires original or certified documents. Photocopies and hospital-issued birth certificates aren’t accepted.³ Bring:

Proof of identity, date of birth, and legal presence, such as a U.S. birth certificate or unexpired U.S. passport.
Your Social Security number, which NDDOT verifies with the Social Security Administration.
Two documents proving North Dakota residency, such as a current utility bill, lease or rental agreement, property tax statement, or homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy.⁴

If you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application and accept financial liability for your actions on the road. If they can’t appear in person, they can designate someone through a notarized document.⁵

Step 1: Get the Learner’s Permit

Apply in person at an NDDOT driver license site. Appointments are required for testing, so call ahead or check the NDDOT website. At the office you’ll go through a vision screening, take the motorcycle knowledge test, and pay the fees.

Bring corrective lenses if you use them. The knowledge test draws from the North Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual, which NDDOT publishes as a free PDF, and you need at least 80% to pass.⁶ The fees are $5 per knowledge test attempt (one per day) and $8 for the permit itself once you pass.¹

While you’re riding on the permit, remember the constants across every age group: daylight hours only and no passengers.²

Step 2: Choose the Safety Course or the Road Test

You can earn the skill portion of your license two ways. The Basic Rider Course through the North Dakota Motorcycle Safety Program (NDMSP) is the faster path because it waives the road test. Present your course completion card at the driver license site within one year of finishing the course and NDDOT skips the skill test.¹ Wait longer than a year and the waiver expires. Course schedules and registration are at ndmsp.com.

Riders 14 and 15 don’t get to choose. The course is required before you can test for a permit, and you must complete it before applying for the full license.²

If you skip the course, you’ll take NDDOT’s on-cycle skill test. The fee is $5 per attempt.¹ Schedule the appointment through NDDOT’s scheduling desk and bring your valid learner’s permit. Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian present. You supply your own motorcycle, and the examiner will check that lights, brakes, horn, and tires are in working order before you start.

The skill test has four exercises: a cone weave, a U-turn inside a marked box, a quick stop from a set speed, and an obstacle swerve.⁶ Slow-speed control is where most riders lose points, especially on heavier bikes, so practice tight turns in a parking lot before test day. If you fail, you can pay another $5 and try again.

Step 3: Get Your Class M License or Endorsement

Once you pass the road test or hand in a valid course completion card, NDDOT issues your license. The operator’s license fee is $15.⁷ If you already hold a Class A, B, C, or D license, Class M is added as an endorsement.² Otherwise NDDOT issues a standalone Class M license.

Total state fees from start to finish:

With the safety course waiver: $5 knowledge test + $8 permit + $15 license = $28, plus whatever the course itself costs.
With the road test: $5 knowledge test + $8 permit + $5 road test + $15 license = $33.

Insurance You’ll Need Before You Ride

North Dakota requires liability insurance on motorcycles, and you need proof of coverage before riding. State minimums are:⁸

Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident.
Uninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
Underinsured motorist coverage equal to your uninsured motorist limits.

These minimums cover other people’s injuries and property when you’re at fault and protect you if an uninsured driver hits you. They do not cover damage to your own motorcycle or your own medical bills. If you’re financing the bike, your lender will almost certainly require collision and comprehensive coverage on top of the state minimums.

1
North Dakota Department of Transportation. Motorcycle License
2
North Dakota Legislative Branch. North Dakota Code 39-06-14.1 – Motorcycle Operators Licenses and Motorized Bicycles
3
North Dakota Department of Transportation. Driver License Requirements
4
North Dakota Department of Transportation. REAL ID Information
5
North Dakota Department of Transportation. Application for Minor Sponsorship
6
North Dakota Department of Transportation. North Dakota Class M Motorcycle Operator Manual
7
North Dakota Legislative Branch. North Dakota Century Code Title 39 Chapter 06
8
North Dakota Insurance Department. Boats and Recreational