Motorcycle Road Test in NY: Chase Car, Examiner, and Results

To take the motorcycle road test in NY, you need a valid Class M or MJ learner permit, a registered and insured motorcycle, approved helmet and eye protection, and a separate passenger car with a licensed driver to carry the DMV examiner during the traffic portion. The test itself has two phases: slow-speed maneuvers on a quiet street, then a ride through real traffic while the examiner follows in the chase car. Qualified riders who already hold another class of New York license can skip the road test entirely by completing an approved safety course.

What You Need to Bring on Test Day

Show up missing any one of these and the examiner can refuse to start.

Your valid Class M or MJ learner permit.
A motorcycle that is registered, inspected, and insured, with no mechanical defect affecting safe operation. Broken signals, worn tires, or a burned-out headlamp will cancel the test before it begins. New York’s minimum liability coverage is $10,000 property damage, $25,000 bodily injury to one person ($50,000 for death), and $50,000 for two or more people ($100,000 for death), through a company licensed in New York.¹²
A helmet meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218. The examiner will inspect it.
Goggles or a face shield approved by the DMV commissioner. This is a separate legal requirement from the helmet, and a windshield on the motorcycle does not exempt you.³
Your original pre-licensing certificate (MV-278) if you don’t already hold a New York Class D or other license. The certificate must be valid on the day you schedule the test. Photocopies are not accepted.⁴
If you’re under 18 on a Class MJ permit, a fully completed Certification of Supervised Driving (MV-262) signed by your parent or guardian showing at least 50 hours of practice, including 15 after sunset. An incomplete form gets the attempt rejected on the spot.⁵

The Chase Car Rule

The requirement that trips up the most first-time applicants: you must provide a separate passenger car with a licensed driver to transport the examiner during the traffic phase. The driver must be at least 21 and licensed to operate that vehicle, and no other passengers may be in the car.⁶ Without a suitable car and driver, the examiner will not administer any portion of the test.¹

One wrinkle: if your chase car driver does not hold a motorcycle endorsement, you can’t legally ride the motorcycle to the test site. You’ll need to trailer it or load it into a pickup.

What the Examiner Tests

The test runs in two parts.

The maneuver phase checks low-speed control on public streets: tight left and right circles, and figure-eight patterns. The examiner is watching whether you can coordinate throttle, clutch, and lean smoothly enough to hold steady circles without putting a foot down or stalling.⁷ Most failures happen here. Slow-speed turns demand steady clutch-feathering and a dragging rear brake, and riders who’ve only practiced at road speed usually haven’t drilled that.

The traffic phase puts you on public roads. The examiner rides in the chase car and gives directions by hand signal or two-way radio, routing you through intersections, lane changes, and turns. Across both phases, the examiner evaluates signaling, mirror use, blind-spot checks, lane positioning, following distance, and your response to signs and signals. Failing to yield, running a sign, or losing control of the bike can end the test immediately.

Skipping the Road Test With a Safety Course

If you already hold another New York license, you can waive the DMV road test by completing an approved motorcycle safety course. To qualify, you need all of the following:

Age 16 or older.
A valid New York State driver license in Class A, B, C, D, DJ, or E.
A valid Class M or MJ motorcycle learner permit.
A Basic Rider Course (BRC) or Basic RiderCourse 2-License Waiver (BRC2-LW) completion card from the New York State Motorcycle Safety Program, issued within the last two years.⁶

The BRC2-License Waiver is a one-day program: a four-hour online eCourse, three hours of classroom instruction, and five hours of range riding. You bring your own motorcycle and helmet. The program recommends at least 30 hours of prior practice, including 10 in moderate to heavy traffic, before you enroll.⁸

Riders who don’t already hold a non-motorcycle New York license are not eligible for the waiver and must take the standard road test.

Scheduling and Rescheduling

Appointments are booked through nyrtsscheduler.com. Have your motorcycle learner permit number ready, plus your pre-licensing certificate number if you have one. The system shows the earliest available slots near a ZIP code you enter. An automated phone system is also available.⁶

Miss your window and you lose the appointment. If you fail the test, you must wait at least 14 days before retaking it, and additional fees apply after your first two failed attempts.⁹

Getting Your Results and License

The examiner will direct you to roadtestresults.nyrtsscheduler.com. Results are posted after 6 p.m. on the day of your test.⁹

If you pass and don’t already hold another class of New York license, your new motorcycle license with photo arrives by mail in about two weeks. If you already hold another New York license, the DMV office issues a temporary paper license without a photo, and the updated card arrives in roughly two weeks.⁶ Carry whatever interim documentation you were given until the permanent card shows up. If two weeks pass with nothing in the mail, contact the DMV online, by phone, or at a local office to confirm your mailing address.¹⁰

1
Cornell Law Institute. New York Code 15 NYCRR 3.7 – Special Procedures for Motorcycle Licenses
2
New York State DMV. New York State Insurance Requirements
3
New York State Senate. New York Code VAT 381 – Motorcycle Equipment
4
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. The Driver Pre-Licensing Course
5
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Complete Pre-Licensing Requirements
6
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Motorcycle Learner Permit and License
7
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Motorcycle Manual – Motorcycle Licenses Ownership, Special Rules
8
New York State Motorcycle Safety Program. Basic RiderCourse 2 License Waiver
9
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Schedule and Take a Road Test
10
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Check Your Order Status