Montana Motorcycle Knowledge Test — FAQ

The Montana Motor Vehicle Division does not publish the exact question count or passing score for the motorcycle written test. Major rider-education sources commonly report about 25 multiple-choice questions with an 80% passing score — about 20 correct. The written test is drawn from the Montana Motorcycle Supplement, and the questions are similar to those outlined throughout that book. Confirm the current format with the Montana MVD before you test.

The widely reported passing score is 80%, which is about 20 correct on a 25-question test. The Montana MVD does not post an official figure, so treat 25 questions and 80% as a study target and confirm at your exam station.

The written test is geared specifically toward motorcycle drivers, and the material needed to pass is covered in the Montana Motorcycle Supplement. It covers protective gear, motorcycle controls, shifting, braking, turning, lane positioning, the SEE strategy, hazards and intersections, dangerous surfaces, mechanical problems, carrying passengers and cargo, group riding, and alcohol and drugs.

Yes. The Montana driver examination has five parts: a driving-record review, a physical-aptitude review, a vision test, the written test, and a road test. You must provide a properly registered motorcycle to use for the road test.

You need a motorcycle endorsement on a valid Montana driver license. It is illegal to operate a motor scooter, motorcycle or any other motor-driven cycle on a public street or highway in Montana without that endorsement.

You must be at least 16, or 15 if you have passed a driver-education course approved by the Montana Department of Justice and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (online courses are not approved). You must also hold or obtain a valid Montana driver license.

After you pass the written test you are issued a motorcycle learner license. It lets you operate a motor-driven cycle only under the immediate supervision of a responsible driver who is licensed for motor-driven cycles, and it is valid for one year from the date you pass the knowledge test. If it expires before you pass the road test, you forfeit the fee and must repay it and pass the full examination again.

The Montana Motorcycle Supplement lists an additional motorcycle endorsement fee of $0.50 per year of license validity. Exact, current fees are set by the MVD — confirm them at your exam station or at dojmt.gov.

Montana requires a helmet for any operator or passenger under 18 (Montana Code Annotated 61-9-417). A rider 18 or older may legally ride without one. Even where a helmet is optional, the manual notes that a securely fastened, quality helmet is the single most important thing you can do to improve your chances of surviving a crash.

Montana's required-equipment list in the supplement does not include eye protection, but the manual strongly recommends a plastic shatter-resistant face shield or goggles to protect your face and eyes. A windshield is not a substitute, and tinted eye protection should not be worn when little light is available.

Yes. Successfully completing the Montana Motorcycle Basic Rider Course earns you a skills-test waiver from the Motor Vehicle Division, provided you obtain the motorcycle endorsement within one year of completing the course. The course is offered through Montana State University (Motorcycle.msun.edu or 1-800-922-2453).

Your motorcycle must have at least one headlamp (no more than two) that lights at least 500 feet and is on at all times; a taillight and reflector visible at least 500 feet; a stoplight visible 100 feet in normal sunlight; a rearview mirror giving a clear view at least 200 feet to the rear; at least one brake operable by foot or hand; operable directional signals if it is equipped with them; and a muffler with no modifications that increase the sound. It should also have footrests for passengers, a horn audible at least 200 feet, and a license-plate light.

If you intend to ride in a national park, your muffler must have a spark arrestor. Montana also prohibits muffler modifications that increase the sound of your cycle.

Montana law (MCA 61-8-346) requires drivers to yield to an emergency vehicle using its lights and siren. On a highway posted 50 mph or more, a vehicle in the lane next to a stopped emergency or police vehicle displaying signals must slow to at least 20 mph below the posted limit and, when possible, move to a farther lane.

Study the Montana Motorcycle Supplement (Revised December 2015), published by the Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division. It is the MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual plus a Montana licensing and equipment section, and the written test is based on it.

The knowledge test is given at a Montana driver exam station. You can schedule your test online at mvdmt.gov.

Yes. The Montana Motorcycle Supplement includes a three-wheel supplement. A conventional three-wheel motorcycle cannot lean and so cannot countersteer — instead you point the front wheel in the direction you want to go.