Getting a motorcycle license in Alaska

Classes, permit and tests

A regular class D license already lets you ride a scooter or motorcycle under 50cc. For anything bigger you need a motorcycle license.

You can get a motorcycle instruction permit at 14. Under 18, both parents or guardians must sign the consent (Form 433M), and you must hold the permit for six months before the license. While on the permit you ride only in daylight, carry no passengers, wear a helmet, and stay in sight of a supervising rider aged 21 or older with a motorcycle endorsement on a separate bike.

You’ll take the motorcycle knowledge test (free at a DMV office or online for a fee) and a vision test. M1 and M3 also need a road skills test. A Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, or another approved course, replaces the DMV road test if your completion certificate is from this year or last year. DMV motorcycle road tests only run when the course is clear of snow and ice, which in most offices means roughly May to September or October.

As of October 2026, a motorcycle license costs $20 ($40 for a REAL ID), and the DMV road test is $15.

Studying for the motorcycle knowledge test

There are two written tests. The first is the basic rules of the road test, the same one car drivers take. It’s waived if you already hold a valid license or instruction permit. The second is the motorcycle test, based on the Alaska Motorcycle Driver License Manual.

So study the motorcycle manual for the riding questions. If you don’t have a license or permit yet, read the Alaska Driver Manual too, and use our free 20-question practice test for the rules of the road part.