In the Driver's Licenses guide
How to get a California motorcycle license (M1 / M2)
Reviewed by the DMVCA editorial team · updated June 29, 2026
Getting licensed to ride in California comes down to one fork: your age decides whether the training is required or just recommended. Riders under 21 must complete the California Motorcyclist Safety Program before they can get a permit; riders 21 and over can choose the course (which waives the skills test) or test directly at the DMV. This guide walks that path — the permit, the training, the tests, and the fee.
One line on what you’re getting, since the full definition lives elsewhere: M1 licenses any motorcycle, M2 covers mopeds and motor-driven cycles only, and M1 already includes everything M2 does — the Class M type guide has the rest. And a boundary worth setting up front: this is the license. Registering the motorcycle itself is the vehicle side.
M1
Any motorcycle
freeway-legal
M2
Mopeds only
no freeway
Under 21
Training required
CMSP + 6-mo permit
21 and over
Training optional
waives the skills test
Skills test
DMV or waived
via CMSP (DL 389)
Fee
$46
standalone or add-on
Your path depends on your age
The under-21 and 21-and-over routes differ on one thing above all: whether the training is required or optional.
You are…CMSP trainingPermit holdThe skills test
Under 21 Required — you must finish a CHP-approved CMSP course before you get the instruction permitHold the permit 6 months before the licenseWaived by your CMSP completion certificate (DL 389)
21 and over Optional but recommended — and it waives the skills testNo required holding periodTake the DMV skills test, or skip it with a CMSP certificate (DL 389)
Decision guide
Which route is yours?
If you… → you need…
You're under 21 CMSP first, then the permit ›
You're 21+ and would rather not take the DMV skills test Take the CMSP course ›
You're 21+ and confident on a bike Go straight to the DMV skills test ›
You only ride a moped or motor-driven cycle That's an M2 — see the type guide ›
You need to register the motorcycle itself That's the vehicle side ›
M1 covers any motorcycle and is what most riders want; M2 is mopeds and motor-driven cycles only. The full M1-vs-M2 definition lives in the Class M type guide.
The permit, the training, and the tests
What an M license takes — and where the motorcycle-as-vehicle side lives instead.
M1 or M2 — pick the right one
- M1 lets you ride any motorcycle, freeway included; M2 covers mopeds and motor-driven cycles only and isn't freeway-legal. M1 already covers everything M2 does, so most riders want M1
- That's the short version — the full definition and how Class M sits beside your car (Class C) license is in the Class M type guide
The motorcycle instruction permit
- You start with a motorcycle instruction permit, earned by passing the motorcycle knowledge test (from the California Motorcycle Handbook) and filing a DL 44 application
- The permit is limited: no passengers, no freeway riding, and no riding in darkness
- If you're under 21, you must hold the permit for 6 months before the license — this holding period applies to under-21 riders only
CMSP — the training that waives the skills test
- The California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) is the state's official training, taught by CHP-approved providers. Finishing it earns a completion certificate (DL 389) that waives the DMV motorcycle skills test when submitted within 12 months
- It is mandatory for riders under 21 and optional (but recommended) for riders 21 and over — a 21-or-older rider can instead take the DMV skills test directly
Under-18 riders, and the vehicle side
- A rider under 18 also has to meet California's regular minor-license rules — driver education and the provisional-license requirements — on top of the motorcycle steps; the getting-your-first-license guide covers those
- This guide is about being licensed to ride. Registering the motorcycle itself — plates, fees, and why motorcycles are smog-exempt — is the vehicle side, in registration by vehicle type
What it costs
Cluster-level summary.
Motorcycle license (M1/M2) $46
Add a motorcycle endorsement (M1/M2) to a license $46
How to
How to get your motorcycle license
The order is the same; your age decides whether the training step is required.
1
Choose M1 or M2
M1 for any motorcycle, M2 for a moped or motor-driven cycle. Unsure? Most riders want M1 — it's the same fee and covers full-size bikes.
2
Take the CMSP course
Finish a California Motorcyclist Safety Program course with a CHP-approved provider. It's required if you're under 21 and recommended otherwise — and the completion certificate (DL 389) waives the DMV skills test.
3
Get the instruction permit
Pass the motorcycle knowledge test and file a DL 44 for your permit. Ride within its limits — no passengers, freeway, or night riding — and if you're under 21, hold it 6 months.
4
Pass the skills test (or submit your DL 389)
Take the DMV motorcycle skills test, or skip it with your CMSP certificate. Not every office gives the skills test — check the motorcycle skills-test locations before you book.
5
Pay the fee and get your M
Pay the $46 fee and the DMV adds the M1 or M2 to your license — standalone if you don't drive a car, or alongside your Class C if you do.
Related sub-topics
Other clusters in the driver's licenses pillar.
The bigger picture
How these connect to the rest of the DMV system
Riding legally in California is two separate jobs, and this cluster owns one: getting you licensed — the M1 or M2, the permit, the CMSP course, the skills test. The other job, registering the motorcycle (plates, fees, and the reason motorcycles skip smog), is the vehicle side and lives in registration by vehicle type. For what an M license actually authorizes, the Class M type guide has the definition; for where the skills test is given, the motorcycle skills-test map shows which offices offer it.
Frequently asked questions
Comparison and definitional — to help you pick the right type.
Do I have to take a motorcycle safety course?
It depends on your age. If you're under 21, a California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) course is mandatory — you complete it before you get the instruction permit. If you're 21 or over, it's optional but recommended, and finishing it waives the DMV skills test. A 21-or-older rider can instead take the DMV skills test directly.
What's the difference between M1 and M2?
M1 lets you ride any motorcycle, including on the freeway; M2 covers mopeds and motor-driven cycles only and isn't freeway-legal. Because M1 already covers everything M2 does, most riders get M1. The full definition is in the Class M type guide.
Can I skip the DMV motorcycle skills test?
Yes — finish a CMSP course and submit the completion certificate (DL 389) within 12 months, and the DMV waives the skills test. Otherwise you take the skills test at an office that offers it. Either way you still pass the motorcycle knowledge test for your permit.
How old do I have to be?
You can get a motorcycle instruction permit at 15½ and the license at 16. Riders under 18 also have to meet California's regular minor-license requirements — driver education and the provisional rules — covered in the getting-your-first-license guide.
How much does a motorcycle license cost?
It's $46, the same standalone or added to an existing license. See the fee schedule for related test and permit details.
Where do I take the motorcycle skills test?
Not every DMV office administers it. Check which offices near you do on the motorcycle skills-test map — or finish a CMSP course to skip the DMV skills test entirely.
Do I also have to register the motorcycle?
Yes, but that's a separate, vehicle-side task — and motorcycles are smog-exempt. Registering the bike (plates and fees) is covered in registration by vehicle type; this guide is only about being licensed to ride.
Sources. California DMV — Motorcyclists Guide · California Highway Patrol — California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) · California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665) · California Vehicle Code §12804.9 (license classes)
Last verified June 29, 2026 · reviewed quarterly and after any policy change.