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Nova Scotia · Learner’s test

Getting a motorcycle licence in Nova Scotia

New riders in Nova Scotia go through Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL), whatever their age. For a motorcycle licence in Nova Scotia, you first need a Learner’s Licence (Class 7) or another driver’s licence. Then you pass a motorcycle Knowledge Test and a balance test for a Learner Motorcycle Licence (Class LM), and later an advanced road test.

  • 16Right answers out of 20 to pass
  • 30Minutes for the balance test
  • $52.54Fee for each motorcycle road test
Read the motorcycle test page

Updated November 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you get a motorcycle licence in Nova Scotia?

StageLicenceTo move on
Learner motorcycleClass LM3 months with an approved course, or 6 without, then an advanced road test
Newly licensedClass 6NAt least 2 years, plus a recognized motorcycle course or a 6-hour defensive driving course
Restricted individualClass 6R, condition 472 years, then the GDL restrictions end

The motorcycle Knowledge Test

It covers the rules for safe motorcycle driving, from the Driver’s Handbook. You get 20 multiple-choice questions and 30 minutes, and you need 16 right to pass. It costs $15.03 a try.

You can take it online in English or French, or in person at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) or Access Nova Scotia. You need to be 16 or older and hold a driver’s licence or a Learner’s Licence (Class 7). Passing alone doesn’t let you ride.

How online testing works →

The balance test

Within 12 months of passing the Knowledge Test, you show your driver’s licence and pass a balance test to get Class LM. If you don’t, you take the Knowledge Test again. The balance test covers basic balancing and braking, after a pre-trip inspection of the motorcycle.

Bring a motorcycle with a valid plate and vehicle permit, plus proof of inspection and insurance. You can’t ride it there yourself, so bring it on a trailer or have someone with a motorcycle licence ride it. Book it online through Book a Road Test, or contact the RMV. Balance tests aren’t offered from late fall to early spring, and an approved motorcycle training course includes the test.

Learner Motorcycle Licence (Class LM) rules

With Class LM:

  • Your blood alcohol level must be zero
  • No passengers
  • Ride only from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset

After 3 months with an approved course, or 6 without, take the advanced motorcycle road test for Class 6N. Motorcycle road tests are typically available from April to November, depending on weather and road conditions.

Newly licensed (Class 6N) and after

As a newly licensed rider:

  • Your blood alcohol level must be zero
  • No riding from midnight to 5 a.m., unless you have an exemption for work
  • No upgrade beyond a Class 5A licence

To leave Class 6N, finish a recognized motorcycle training program or a 6-hour defensive driving course and give the RMV the certificate. Then you spend 2 years as a restricted individual, with condition 47: zero alcohol, and you can’t be a supervising driver for anyone else.

Already have a Class 1 to 5 licence?

You add a motorcycle endorsement instead of starting GDL again. Pass the motorcycle rules test and the balance test for a paper learner motorcycle licence, which you carry with your photo licence and ride under the same learner rules. After 3 months, or 1 month with an approved course, pass the advanced skills test to have the endorsement added.

Book a balance or road test ↗All licence classes →Find a testing location →
Sources: Government of Nova Scotia and 4 more. Checked November 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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