To meet the Illinois motorcycle license requirements, you need a motorcycle classification added to your Illinois driver’s license: a Class L for motor-driven cycles under 150cc, or a Class M for any motorcycle 150cc and above. Getting either one means passing a written knowledge test and a riding skills test at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility, or completing an IDOT-approved safety course that waives those exams. Your age controls which path applies.
Class L or Class M
Illinois issues two motorcycle classifications. Class L covers motor-driven cycles with engines under 150cc, which includes most smaller scooters. Class M covers any motorcycle or motor-driven cycle regardless of engine size. A Class M holder can also legally operate the smaller cycles that would otherwise need only a Class L, so most riders test for Class M.1Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual
The classifications are set by the Secretary of State under 625 ILCS 5/6-104.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-104 – Classification of Driver – Special Restrictions To receive either one, you either pass a separate motorcycle examination or qualify for a waiver through an approved training course.
Age Determines Your Path
What you have to do before the Secretary of State will issue a motorcycle classification depends on how old you are.
If you are 16 or 17, you must complete an approved driver education course and an IDOT-approved Motorcycle Rider Education Course before a motorcycle classification can be issued. Only after finishing both courses can you be issued a 24-month instruction permit for a Class M license. Parental consent is required.1Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual
If you are 18 or older, no driver education course is required. You can study the Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual and go straight to the written and riding exams, or you can take the IDOT safety course and waive both exams entirely.3Illinois Department of Transportation. Motorcycle Training
The Instruction Permit
Most new riders start with a motorcycle instruction permit, which lets you practice on public roads under set restrictions. Permit length depends on age. Riders under 18 receive a 24-month permit after completing both required courses. Riders 18 and older can get a 12-month permit after passing the written knowledge test at a Driver Services facility.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-105
The riding restrictions are the same at any age. You can only ride during daylight hours. You must be under the direct supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator who is at least 21 years old and has at least one year of riding experience. Carrying passengers on a permit is not allowed.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-105
The Safety Course and Exam Waiver
The Illinois Department of Transportation runs the Cycle Rider Safety Training Program, the only program the Secretary of State authorizes to offer an exam waiver.3Illinois Department of Transportation. Motorcycle Training The Basic Rider Course (BRC) is the standard entry-level program. IDOT also offers a BRC2 for experienced riders returning to motorcycling.
Course graduates receive a completion card by mail, valid for one year from the date of issuance. If the card expires before you use it, you’ll have to retake the course or pass both exams at the Driver Services facility.1Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual
The waiver works differently by age. Adults 18 and older who complete the BRC skip both the written and riding tests at the Driver Services facility. Riders aged 16–17 who complete the course must still present their completion card and take both tests at the facility.5Illinois Department of Transportation. Rider Courses For that age group, the course is mandatory but does not eliminate the exams.
The Written and Riding Exams
If you don’t qualify for or choose not to use a waiver, you’ll take two exams at a Driver Services facility.1Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual
The written knowledge test draws from the Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual and covers traffic laws, safe riding techniques, lane positioning, and hazard identification. The manual is available as a free PDF on the Secretary of State’s website. The riding skills test evaluates braking, shifting, turning, and balance through controlled maneuvers on a designated course. You provide your own motorcycle for the riding portion.
At the Driver Services Facility
The final step is a visit to a Secretary of State Driver Services facility. Bring your identification documents, your BRC completion card if you are using the waiver, and be prepared for a basic vision screening. The motorcycle endorsement fee is approximately $10. If you hold an out-of-state license, you surrender it at this time.
The Secretary of State requires documents from four groups for a first-time license or added classification: one document proving your written signature (Group A), one proving your date of birth (Group B), one proving your Social Security number (Group C), and two proving Illinois residency (Group D).6Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Drivers License/State ID Card Common examples include a U.S. passport or state ID for Groups A and B, a Social Security card or W-2 for Group C, and utility bills or bank statements dated within 90 days for Group D. For a REAL ID-compliant license, the same four-group structure applies, but the documents in Groups A and B must also establish lawful status.
You’ll leave with a temporary paper document valid while your permanent card is produced and mailed. Illinois driver’s licenses are generally valid for four years, and the motorcycle classification renews with the license.
Helmet and Eye Protection Rules
Illinois is one of a handful of states with no motorcycle helmet requirement for any age group.7IIHS. Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws The state does require every operator and passenger to wear eye protection — glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield — unless the motorcycle has a windscreen that rises above the rider’s eyes in a normal seated position. Eye protection must be made of shatter-resistant material, and contact lenses do not satisfy the statute.8FindLaw. Illinois Statutes Chapter 625 Vehicles 5/11-1404
Insurance and Registration
Illinois requires all motor vehicle operators, motorcyclists included, to carry liability insurance. The state minimum is 25/50/20: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $20,000 property damage per accident. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is also mandatory. You must carry proof of insurance whenever you ride.
The motorcycle classification on your license covers your authority to ride, but the bike itself needs to be registered with the Secretary of State before you take it on public roads. Annual motorcycle registration renewal is $41 under the current Secretary of State fee schedule. You’ll receive a registration sticker and license plate, and the registration must stay current for as long as the motorcycle is operated on Illinois roads.