Colorado motorcycle laws require an “M” endorsement on your driver’s license, minimum liability insurance, protective eyewear, a helmet if you’re under 18, and a street-legal bike with a compliant muffler, lights, mirrors, and handlebars. Since August 2024, riders can also filter between stopped vehicles under narrow conditions. The dollar fines for most violations are modest; the license points behind them are not.
The M Endorsement
You cannot legally ride on Colorado roads without an “M” endorsement on your driver’s license. Under CRS 42-2-103, the Division of Motor Vehicles requires every applicant to demonstrate the ability to safely control a motorcycle before issuing that endorsement.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-103 – Motorcycles – Autocycles – Low-Power Scooters – Driver’s License Required You must be at least 16, pass a vision screening, and have your driving record reviewed.
Two routes get you there. You can pass the state’s written motorcycle knowledge exam, buy an instruction permit, and later pass a skills test at a DMV office. Or you can complete a Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) course and bring the original waiver card to your DMV appointment, which skips both state-administered tests. Either way you end up at a DMV counter paying the fees.2Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. I’m a Motorcycle Driver The endorsement itself adds $2.00 to the standard license fee.3Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
Riding without the endorsement is a Class A traffic infraction under CRS 42-2-101. A second offense while still unendorsed puts six points on your record.4FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-2-101 – Drivers and Minor Drivers Licenses Required
Helmets and Eye Protection
Colorado does not require adult riders to wear helmets. The mandate applies only to riders and passengers under 18, who must wear a DOT-approved helmet secured with a chin strap whenever the motorcycle is moving.5Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1502 – Motorcycles and Autocycles – Protective Helmet The helmet must meet the federal DOT standard (FMVSS No. 218).
A violation of the under-18 helmet rule carries a $100 fine plus a $15 surcharge and a $20 assessment for the Colorado Brain Injury Trust Fund, totaling $135.6FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-4-1701 – Traffic Offenses and Infractions Classified – Penalties – Surcharges
Eye protection is required for every rider regardless of age. Goggles, glasses, or a transparent face shield that won’t shatter on impact all qualify. A windscreen alone does not, unless it fully shields your eyes.7Colorado State Patrol. Motorcycle Laws
Equipment Your Bike Must Have
The motorcycle itself has to meet several mechanical standards before it’s street-legal.
Muffler and Exhaust
Every motorcycle must have a functioning muffler that prevents excessive or unusual noise. You cannot modify the exhaust to be louder than the factory muffler, and bypass or cutout devices are prohibited.8Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-225 – Mufflers – Prevention of Noise A violation is a Class B traffic infraction. That statute makes many popular aftermarket exhaust swaps illegal.
Lights and Mirrors
Motorcycles must have a working headlamp and tail lamp. The tail lamp or a separate light must illuminate the rear license plate so it’s legible from 50 feet away.9FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-4-206 – Tail Lamps and Reflectors – Penalty At least one rearview mirror is required. Motorcycles built after January 1, 1973, must have turn signals meeting federal lighting standards.
Handlebars and Riding Position
Handlebars cannot place the grips above the rider’s shoulder height when seated. Ape-hangers taller than that are illegal. You also have to sit astride the seat facing forward, one leg on each side, and cannot carry anything that keeps you from having both hands on the bars.5Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1502 – Motorcycles and Autocycles – Protective Helmet
Carrying a Passenger
You can carry a passenger only if your motorcycle is built for two. The passenger has to sit on a permanent seat attached at the rear or side of the operator, and the bike must have footrests the passenger actually uses.7Colorado State Patrol. Motorcycle Laws A passenger cannot ride in front of the operator or in any position that blocks the operator’s view or control.5Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1502 – Motorcycles and Autocycles – Protective Helmet
Lane Filtering and Lane Use
SB 24-079 took effect in August 2024 and legalized lane filtering under specific conditions.10Colorado General Assembly. SB24-079 Motorcycle Lane Filtering and Passing Codified in CRS 42-4-1503, the law now lets a two-wheeled motorcycle pass between vehicles in the same lane only when all of these are true:
- The vehicles being passed are completely stopped.
- Vehicles in the adjacent same-direction lanes are also stopped.
- The lanes are wide enough to pass safely.
- The motorcycle does not exceed 15 miles per hour.
- Conditions allow prudent operation.
Once stopped vehicles start moving, the rider has to stop filtering.11Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1503 – Operating Motorcycles on Roadways Laned for Traffic Filtering is prohibited on the right shoulder, to the right of the farthest right-hand lane on a non-limited-access highway, and in opposing traffic lanes.12Colorado Department of Transportation. New Lane Filtering Law Protects Motorcyclists
Traditional lane splitting through moving traffic is still illegal. Outside the filtering exception, motorcycles cannot pass in the same lane as another vehicle or ride between lanes or rows of vehicles.11Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1503 – Operating Motorcycles on Roadways Laned for Traffic
Two motorcycles may ride side by side in a single lane, but no more than two abreast. Every motorcycle is entitled to full use of a lane, and no car or truck can crowd one out of that space.
Insurance You Have To Carry
Every motorcycle owner must carry liability insurance before riding on public roads. The state minimums are:
- $25,000 for bodily injury to one person in a single accident.
- $50,000 total bodily injury when multiple people are hurt in one accident.
- $15,000 for property damage per accident.
You must carry proof of insurance at all times and present it at registration and if stopped by law enforcement. A first offense for riding uninsured carries a $500 fine and four points on your license, with possible suspension. A second offense doubles the fine to $1,000 and brings a mandatory suspension. A third adds an eight-month suspension plus community service on top of at least $1,000 in fines.
Those minimums cover what you owe other people. They do nothing for your own medical bills or bike repairs. Health insurance sometimes limits coverage for motorcycle injuries through high deductibles or exclusions, so adding medical payments coverage to your motorcycle policy gives you a backup that pays regardless of fault for you and your passenger.
Registration
Every motorcycle operated on Colorado roads must be registered and display a valid rear license plate that’s visible and illuminated at night. Registration renews annually, and late renewal costs $25 for each month you’re overdue.13Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Taxes and Fees
The annual cost is more than one flat fee. It includes a FASTER Road Safety Surcharge of $12.30 through August 31, 2027 (rising to $16.00 after that date), a FASTER Bridge Safety Surcharge of $13.00, and a specific ownership tax based on the motorcycle’s year of manufacture and original taxable value (85% of MSRP). The specific ownership tax starts at 2.10% in year one and drops each year, eventually settling at a flat $3.00 per year from the tenth year on.13Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Taxes and Fees A new motorcycle with a high MSRP costs noticeably more to register in its first few years than an older used bike.
What Violations Actually Cost
CRS 42-4-1701 sets the fine schedule for motorcycle infractions. The dollar amounts are lower than most riders expect:
- Seating, riding position, carrying items, or passenger violations under CRS 42-4-1502(1)–(4): $30 fine plus a $6 surcharge.
- Under-18 helmet violation under CRS 42-4-1502(4.5): $100 fine, $15 surcharge, and $20 to the Colorado Brain Injury Trust Fund. Total $135.
- Lane use violations under CRS 42-4-1503: $30 fine plus a $6 surcharge.
The fines look small. The license points that accumulate from repeated infractions are what actually threaten your ability to ride.6FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-4-1701 – Traffic Offenses and Infractions Classified – Penalties – Surcharges
Moving to Colorado With an Out-of-State Endorsement
If you move to Colorado with a valid motorcycle endorsement from another state, visit a DMV office to transfer it. Colorado generally honors out-of-state endorsements, but the transfer isn’t automatic. Bring your out-of-state license showing the endorsement and specifically mention it at the counter. Some riders have had their endorsement dropped during conversion because they didn’t flag it. If there’s any question about your qualifications, the state may ask you to pass the written knowledge exam before adding the endorsement to your new Colorado license.