What to do, what to bring, and what to expect at the DMV office — start to finish.
A Colorado motorcycle instruction permit lets you practice riding under supervision while you prepare to add a motorcycle endorsement to your driver's license. Colorado no longer issues a separate 'Motorcycle Only' license — the 'M' (two- and three-wheel) or '3' (three-wheel only) endorsement is added to a regular or CDL license.
The steps below follow the Colorado Motorcycle Operator's Handbook and the Colorado DMV. Always confirm current fees and accepted documents on dmv.colorado.gov before you go.
You must be at least 16 years old to add a motorcycle endorsement. If you are between 15 and 16, you must first complete a Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) program and show proof of completion before you can receive an instruction permit.
If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must sign an Affidavit of Liability and Guardianship before your instruction permit is issued. The DR 2324 Drive Time Log Sheet required for a regular license is not needed for the 'M' or '3' endorsement.
Study the Colorado Motorcycle Operator's Handbook (DR 2336). The knowledge test has 25 questions and you must answer 20 correctly (80%) to pass. You also pass a driving-record review, a physical-aptitude review, and a vision test.
Once you pass the written test, you receive a motorcycle instruction permit. You may ride only under the immediate, proximate supervision of an adult who is at least 21 years old and holds a valid Colorado license endorsed for motorcycles.
If you are under 18, you must hold the instruction permit for 12 months and be at least 16 before you can add the endorsement. Practice your low-speed control, braking, turning and hazard skills before you take the skills test.
Take the motorcycle operator's skills test at a State Driver's License Office or with a certified third-party tester — six riding exercises on a registered, insured motorcycle with an engine over 50cc. Completing an approved Basic Rider Course waives the skills test. Pay the required fees and the endorsement is added to your license; pass on a three-wheeler and you receive the '3' endorsement.
Check the official DMV page for current fees and accepted forms of payment.
Source: Sources differ on this state's test details; the most credible consensus is shown. Confirm with the state agency. The motorcycle knowledge test consists of 25 questions; you must answer 20 correctly (80%) to pass. The question count is third-party consensus — the official DMV page does not publish it. An approved Basic Rider Course can waive the on-cycle skills test, but every applicant must still pass the written knowledge test.