Missouri motorcycle testing: permit, written and skills tests

When can you start Missouri motorcycle testing?

The rules depend on your age:

• At 15 and a half (15 years and 182 days): complete an approved motorcycle rider training course, pass the Class F and Class M written, vision and road sign tests, and have your parent or guardian's written consent. You may ride only in daylight, within 50 miles of home, on a motorcycle of 250 cc or less, with no passengers.
• At 16 or older: no course is required. If you don't have a driver license, pass the Class F and Class M written tests.

A motorcycle permit costs $12.75 at 15 and a half or $10 from 16, as of October 2026. It's valid for six months and can be renewed only once.

The Missouri motorcycle written test

Like the car test, it's 25 questions and you need 80%. It comes from the Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual, which the Department of Revenue posts on its website. The motorcycle test is offered in English and Spanish, and its oral version in English only.

The motorcycle skills test

You take it on a motorcycle at a Highway Patrol station, and you can schedule it online through MyDMV. Many stations run motorcycle tests only at set times and when the pavement is dry, so check the station list first.

Instead of the Patrol's skills test, you can pass an approved Motorcycle Safety Foundation course with a private instructor. Out-of-state course cards aren't accepted, except an approved military safety course from another state.

License or endorsement

If you already drive a car, the motorcycle qualification goes on your license as an M endorsement and renews with it. Without a car license, you can get a Class M motorcycle-only license, $16.50 for up to three years or $33 for up to six. Riders 16 to 18 follow the same graduated license rules as car drivers. A moped needs only a regular license, not the endorsement.