Reviewed and updated October 14, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read that day from the Texas agency that publishes it, the Department of Public Safety for driver licenses and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for titles and registration, and the official page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
The Texas Class M motorcycle license from DPS: the requirements for every applicant, the extra rules for riders 15 to 17, the skills test and who skips it, the J and I restrictions, the mail option for Texans living out of state, and the fees. Registering the motorcycle itself is on the registration guide.
In this guide: What every applicant does, Riders 15 to 17, The skills test and the waivers, The J and I restrictions, Adding Class M by mail from outside Texas, Motorcycle license fees, Questions about the motorcycle license
What every applicant does
DPS's motorcycle license page puts the motorcycle license on the same footing as any license: REAL ID requirements, biometrics (photograph and fingerprints), and the application at a scheduled appointment. Two things are specific to motorcycles. Every applicant completes a motorcycle safety course approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (DPS links the TDLR school finder), whose certificate, an MSB-8 or MSB-R, is valid for 24 months and lets DPS waive the motorcycle knowledge test. And the applicant submits the DL-14A application with the fee during the appointment booked on the scheduler. The citizenship, residency, identity and Social Security proofs are the ones on the driver license page.
Riders 15 to 17
A minor comes with a parent or legal guardian and adds four things: proof of completing the 32-hour classroom portion of a driver education course (form DE-964 or DEE-964); evidence of school enrollment, a high school diploma or equivalent or a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance form showing 90 percent attendance in the prior semester or 45 days in a GED preparation program, with the final report card accepted in summer; a mandatory skills test given by DPS; and, under 16, the engine size restriction, removed by a skills test at 16. DPS requires the Texas driver education even of a minor who holds a valid motorcycle license from another state. The Graduated Driver License program, with its passenger and curfew limits, does not apply to motorcycle licenses.
The skills test and the waivers
The skills test is required of every minor and of any adult who does not currently hold a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license. The applicant provides a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle with a licensed driver to follow during the test, and an applicant without a current Texas license presents a valid Impact Texas Drivers certificate (the driver education guide covers the ITD video). At 18 and older the test may be waived for a rider who holds a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license and completed the safety course, or who transfers a valid, unrestricted motorcycle license from another U.S. state or a province of Canada.
The J and I restrictions
Two restriction codes from DPS's endorsements and restrictions page belong to Class M. J, the motorcycle learner license, allows practice only under the supervision of a licensed motorcycle operator 21 or older who stays in sight; a minor removes it by passing the skills test. I, for 15 year olds, limits riding to motorcycles of 250cc or less and is removed at 16 after a DPS skills test. A separate code, P35, restricts a license to three-wheeled motorcycles.
Adding Class M by mail from outside Texas
A Texas licensee 18 or older living outside the state may add Class M by mail: complete the TDLR motorcycle safety course, then send DPS the out-of-state driver license application (DL-16P), the MSB-8 or MSB-8R course certificate, proof of Texas residency (active duty military are exempt but send a military ID), and the fee by check, money order or cashier's check. The new license usually arrives by mail within two to three weeks, with its status on the DPS card status page.
Motorcycle license fees
| Transaction | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a motorcycle class to an existing license | $16 | License expiration unchanged |
| New Texas license with motorcycle (Class AM, BM or CM) | $48 | As the license, by age |
| Renewing a license with motorcycle | $44 | As the license |
| Motorcycle license only (Class M), new | $33 | By age |
| Motorcycle license only (Class M), renewal | $44 | By age |
| Motorcycle learner license, under 18 | $16 | Expires on the 18th birthday |
| Motorcycle added to a new CDL / to a CDL renewal / to an existing CDL | $15 / $8 / $16 | As the CDL |
Source: the DPS driver license fees page, read on October 14, 2026. The TxDMV's base registration fee for a motorcycle or moped is $30 plus the $1 insurance verification fee, on the fees page.
Questions about the motorcycle license
Is the motorcycle safety course required?
Yes, for every applicant: a course approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with a completion certificate (MSB-8 or MSB-R) valid for 24 months. Completing it lets DPS waive the motorcycle knowledge test.
Who has to take the motorcycle skills test?
All minors, and any adult who does not hold a valid, unrestricted Texas Class A, B or C license. DPS waives it for an adult with such a license who completed the safety course, and for an adult transferring a valid, unrestricted motorcycle license from another U.S. state or a Canadian province.
What do I bring to the skills test?
A motorcycle, and a passenger vehicle with a licensed driver to follow you during the test. An applicant without a current Texas license also presents a valid Impact Texas Drivers certificate.
Can a 15 year old ride a motorcycle?
With a Class M license carrying the I restriction, which limits a 15 year old to motorcycles of 250cc or less; the restriction is removed at 16 after a skills test given by DPS. Minors need a parent or guardian at the appointment, the 32-hour classroom portion of driver education, proof of school enrollment and a skills test.
What does it cost?
$16 to add a motorcycle class to an existing license without changing its expiration, $48 for a new license with a motorcycle class, $44 to renew a license with a motorcycle class, $33 for a new Class M only ($44 to renew), and $16 for a motorcycle learner license under 18.
Can I add Class M while living out of state?
Yes, at 18 or older, by mail: complete the TDLR safety course, then send the out-of-state application (DL-16P), the course certificate, proof of Texas residency (active duty military send a military ID instead) and the fee by check, money order or cashier's check. The card arrives in two to three weeks.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the Texas DPS motorcycle license, endorsements and restrictions, road test FAQ and fee pages, read on October 14, 2026.