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United Kingdom · Theory test

UK motorcycle theory test

You need 43 out of 50 in the multiple-choice questions and 44 out of 75 in hazard perception, both in one sitting at a theory test centre. The motorcycle theory test is run by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in England, Scotland and Wales, costs £23, and you can take it from 16 for a moped or 17 for a motorcycle, before or after compulsory basic training (CBT). Pass it and you have 2 years to pass both riding tests, module 1 and module 2.

  • 50Multiple-choice questions in 57 minutes
  • 43Right answers you need out of 50
  • 14Hazard perception video clips
  • 44Points you need out of 75
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated October 2026 · Written from the Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs and Riding: the essential skills

Key facts

At a glance

Fee
£23, booked on GOV.UK
Minimum age
16 for a moped, 17 for a motorcycle
A pass lasts
2 years, to pass module 1 and module 2
Languages
English or Welsh voiceover, or British Sign Language (BSL)

How it works

How the motorcycle theory test works

Multiple-choice questions · 43 to pass
Hazard perception points · 44 to pass
To pass you need 43 of 50 on the multiple-choice questions, and 44 of 75 on the hazard perception points.
  1. The test has two parts, multiple-choice questions and hazard perception. You book and take them as one test, on a computer at a theory test centre, and you must pass both.
  2. Before the questions start you get instructions and a practice question to get used to the screens.
  3. From 5 November 2026, three questions are about a short silent video of normal riding, which you can replay as often as you like, in place of the written case study.
  4. You can flag questions to come back to and change any answer until you finish. You don’t have to use all 57 minutes.
  5. You can take a break of up to 3 minutes, then watch a short video on how hazard perception works before the 14 clips start.
  6. In each clip you click when you see a hazard starting to develop, something that would make you change speed or direction. You get one go at each clip.
  7. You get your result at the test centre. If you pass, the letter gives your pass certificate number.

Topics

What’s on the test

01

Road traffic rules, signs and speed limits

Section A of the theory test matters in the driving licence regulations: road signs, road markings, signals, rights of way and speed limits, as set out in the Highway Code and Know Your Traffic Signs.

Key points (4)
  • Circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform. A red ring tells you what you must not do.
  • Motorcycles share the car speed limits: 30 mph in built-up areas (20 mph in Wales), 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
  • Holders of a provisional motorcycle licence must not ride on a motorway, and neither may riders of motorcycles under 50cc.
  • The Highway Code’s rules don’t give you the right of way in any circumstance. Always give way if it helps avoid an incident.
02

Alertness, attitude and fitness to ride

Section B covers the rider: alertness, attitude to other road users, and how alcohol, drugs, medicines, state of mind and tiredness change reaction time and judgement.

Key points (4)
  • Check behind and to the sides before you manoeuvre: look round and use mirrors if fitted.
  • Use the observation, signal, manoeuvre routine.
  • When filtering in slow traffic, watch for pedestrians crossing between vehicles and vehicles coming out of junctions or changing lanes.
  • Position yourself so drivers ahead can see you in their mirrors.
03

Safe distances, weather and road surfaces

Section C covers following distances, braking and grip in different weather, slippery surfaces such as drain covers, road markings and tram rails, and riding in tunnels.

Key points (4)
  • Leave at least a two-second gap on high-speed roads and in tunnels, at least double it in the wet and up to ten times more on ice.
  • Large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop.
  • You must use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally under 100 metres.
  • Strong crosswinds can blow a motorcyclist off course, especially on open roads and when passing bridges or gaps in hedges.
04

Other road users and being seen

Section D covers inexperienced and vulnerable road users, the blind spots of other vehicles and, for riders only, how visible motorcyclists are to everyone else.

Key points (4)
  • Make yourself visible from the side as well as the front and rear: a light or brightly coloured helmet and fluorescent clothing or strips help by day.
  • Dipped headlights, even in good daylight, may make you more conspicuous.
  • In the dark, wear reflective clothing or strips so other drivers’ headlights pick you up from further away.
  • Drivers often find motorcyclists hard to see at junctions and when filtering, so don’t assume you’ve been seen.
05

Licences, documents and incidents

Section E covers the documents a vehicle needs, the learner rules for riders and what to do at an incident, including first aid for an injured motorcyclist.

Key points (4)
  • With a provisional licence you must complete CBT, display L plates (L or D plates in Wales) and not carry a pillion passenger or pull a trailer.
  • Motorcycles normally need an MOT three years after first registration and every year after that.
  • You must have insurance that at least covers injury or damage to a third party.
  • Don’t remove an injured motorcyclist’s helmet unless it’s essential and you’re trained to do it.
06

Your bike, its checks and protective clothing

Section F covers the mechanical faults riders should spot, from brakes and steering to tyres and lights, plus protective gloves, boots and helmets, and getting off the bike safely.

Key points (4)
  • A motorcycle tyre must have at least 1 mm of tread across three-quarters of its breadth, in a continuous band all the way round.
  • Rider and pillion must wear a fastened helmet that meets the regulations, unless they’re a Sikh wearing a turban.
  • Any eye protectors you wear must meet the regulations.
  • You may carry only one pillion passenger, sitting astride on a proper seat, and only if the bike is designed for one.
07

The environment and considerate riding

Section G covers riding with the environment in mind: using the horn properly, saving fuel and limiting emissions.

Key points (3)
  • Spilt diesel is dangerous to other road users, particularly motorcyclists, because it cuts grip a lot. Report any spill on a forecourt straight away.
  • Don’t throw anything out of a vehicle: it can endanger other road users, particularly motorcyclists and cyclists.
  • Allow cyclists and motorcyclists room to pass through traffic-calming features such as chicanes.

Test day

What to take to the theory test centre

  • Your UK photocard driving licence with provisional moped or motorcycle entitlement. Without it the test is cancelled and you don’t get your money back.
  • A Northern Ireland licence: the photocard and the paper counterpart.
  • An old paper licence: bring a valid passport with it.
  • If you changed your name after booking, proof such as a marriage certificate or deed poll.

Before you go

  1. Get a provisional licence from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that covers mopeds or motorcycles.
  2. Study the Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs and Riding: the essential skills.
  3. Try DVSA’s free mock tests for motorcyclists and the 3 free hazard clips linked from GOV.UK.
  4. Book on GOV.UK, and say if you need a voiceover, BSL, extra time or other support.
  5. Arrive 15 minutes before your test. If you’re late it’s cancelled and you lose the fee.
  6. Turn off phones, smart watches and fitness trackers before you go in. Bags, coats, watches and anything in your pockets go in a locker.
  7. Expect an ID check of your face against your licence photo, and a security check with a handheld metal detector.
GOV.UK: Book your theory testCar and motorcycle theory tests both cost £23. You need your UK driving licence number, an email address and a debit or credit card.

Study options

Where to study

The questions are based on three books: the Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs and DVSA’s Riding: the essential skills. GOV.UK publishes the first two online and links two free DVSA mock tests for motorcyclists and 3 free hazard clips. Paid kits and apps add DVSA’s full set of revision questions and more clips.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
Official and free
DVSA mock tests for motorcyclistsOfficial · webLinked from GOV.UK and run on Safe Driving for Life, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) site with its publisher, The Stationery Office (TSO). The questions aren’t used in the real test but cover the same topics. Turn on the test view for screens like the real ones.
Free, per GOV.UKTwo 50-question mock tests and 3 hazard perception clips
GOV.UK practice page ↗Mock test 1 ↗
The Highway CodeOfficial · webOne of the three books the questions are based on. Rules 83 to 88 are for motorcyclists, and annex 2 sets out the motorcycle licence rules.
Read online on GOV.UK (print copy £4.99)The whole Code to read online
Read on GOV.UK ↗
Know Your Traffic SignsOfficial · PDF and webThe Department for Transport’s guide to signs and road markings, updated in November 2023. Best used to look things up.
Read online on GOV.UK (print copy £5.99)The 172-page guide as a PDF or web pages
GOV.UK page ↗
Official and paid
Riding: the essential skillsOfficial bookThe third source book for the questions, covering riding technique, attitude, bends and bad weather. Sold by DVSA’s publisher and in book shops.
£19.99, or £4.99 inside the DVSA Theory Test Kit app on iPhoneNot free
Safe Driving for Life ↗
Official DVSA Theory Test Kit appOfficial app · iPhone and AndroidMade by TSO and linked from GOV.UK. It has the car and motorcycle revision questions, so choose motorcycle, plus mock tests and hazard clips. 4.5 stars from about 15,700 ratings on the UK App Store and 4.7 from about 9,950 reviews on Google Play.
£5.49, with in-app purchasesA copy of the Highway Code in the app
App Store ↗Google Play ↗
Theory Test and Hazard Perception Kit for Motorcyclists (online)Official · web subscriptionDVSA’s online kit for PC or Mac. It has the latest revision questions and over 130 interactive hazard clips, including the Official DVSA Guide to Hazard Perception.
£15 for 30 days, £20 for 90 days, £30 for a yearNot free
Safe Driving for Life ↗
The Official DVSA Theory Test for MotorcyclistsOfficial bookDVSA’s revision book. Its publisher says it has all the official motorcycle revision questions. Skip it if you already have the kit app or online kit, which carry the same questions.
£19.99Not free
Safe Driving for Life ↗
DVSA Hazard Perception appOfficial app · iPhoneDVSA’s hazard clip app for car drivers, motorcyclists and other learners. 3.4 stars from about 200 ratings on the UK App Store. On Android, GOV.UK links the Theory Test Kit app instead.
£2.99Not free
App Store ↗
Apps and websites
UK Motorcycle Theory Test Kit (RAC)App · iPhoneLicensed DVSA revision questions and hazard clips, mock tests, the Highway Code, road signs and an English voiceover. 4.8 stars from about 7,600 ratings on the UK App Store.
Free download, upgrades from £1.99 to £4.99The download. The listing doesn’t say how much is free
App Store ↗
Motorcycle Theory Test UK Kit (Deep River)App · iPhoneSays it has all 700+ DVSA revision questions and 80 hazard videos, with a voiceover. Made with Camrider motorcycle training. 4.7 stars from about 6,400 ratings on the UK App Store.
Free download, in-app purchases from £1.99, or £5.99 a month for PlatinumThe download, with some free hazard videos
App Store ↗
In person
Motorcycle training schoolsLocal · approved training bodiesApproved training bodies run compulsory basic training (CBT) and the direct access scheme (DAS) training for bigger bikes. GOV.UK’s finder lists schools by postcode, and each sets its own prices.
Not listed on GOV.UKNot listed
Find a school ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

Where to learnCost

More pages

BookingPass markHazard perceptionLicenceCBTRiding test

Licence categories

Moped (AM)A1A2Full A

Modules and training

Module 1Module 2Training

Theory test help

BooksCar vs bikeChanges

Where to take it

Test centresNorthern Ireland

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need a motorcycle theory test if I already have a car licence?

Yes. GOV.UK says you have to pass a motorcycle theory test before the motorcycle test, even with a full car licence. The one exception is if you passed a moped test after 1 July 1996 and you’re now taking an A1 test or moving up a category under progressive access. The two theory tests have the same format but different questions.

Can I take the motorcycle theory test before CBT?

Yes. GOV.UK says you can take it before or after compulsory basic training (CBT). You need a provisional licence that covers mopeds or motorcycles to book it. You do need a theory test pass before module 1 and module 2, unless you’re moving up a category under progressive access.

Can you take the motorcycle theory test online?

No. You book it online on GOV.UK, but you sit it on a computer at a theory test centre, with ID and security checks first. The online part is practice: DVSA has two free mock tests for motorcyclists and 3 free hazard perception clips.

Is the motorcycle theory test run by the DVLA or the DVSA?

DVSA, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, runs the theory test and the riding tests. DVLA, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, issues your provisional and full licence. In Northern Ireland both jobs fall to the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), with its own booking service on nidirect.

Can I take the motorcycle theory test in Welsh or another language?

You can hear the test through headphones in English or Welsh, and you can take it in British Sign Language (BSL), with a BSL video next to each question. GOV.UK’s motorcycle guide lists no other languages, and its car guide says theory tests can only be taken in English, Welsh or BSL. You can bring a BSL interpreter or a lip speaker at no extra cost if you ask when you book.

What help can I get with dyslexia or another reading difficulty?

Say so when you book. You can ask for the voiceover straight away. With proof, such as a letter from a teacher, doctor or occupational therapist, or an online dyslexia screening report, you can also get extra time for the multiple-choice part, someone to read the screen and record your answers, or someone to reword the questions without changing the technical terms. DVSA picks the support that fits.

What are the 2026 changes to the motorcycle theory test?

From 5 November 2026, three of the 50 questions are about a short video clip, in place of the written case study. The number of questions, the time and the pass marks are the same. DVSA has also consulted on wider changes to CBT and licences, but it hasn’t published a decision yet.

Sources: GOV.UK · DVSA on GOV.UK · legislation.gov.uk and 7 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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