What to do, what to bring, and what to expect at the MVD office — start to finish.
In Montana you must carry a motorcycle endorsement on a valid Montana driver license to ride on public roads. The path runs through a motorcycle learner license: you pass the written test first, ride supervised on the learner license, then pass the road test to earn the endorsement.
The steps below follow what the Montana Motorcycle Supplement documents. The exact accepted-document list and current fees are set by the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) — confirm them at your exam station or at dojmt.gov before you go. You can schedule your test online at mvdmt.gov.
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 hold or obtain a valid Montana driver license.
The written test is geared specifically toward motorcycle drivers, and the material needed to pass is in the Montana Motorcycle Supplement. Use the free practice test, study guide and cheat sheet on this site to prepare from it.
After you pass the written test, the MVD issues a motorcycle learner license valid one year from the date you pass the knowledge test. About 25 questions and an 80% passing score is the consensus; the MVD does not publish the exact count, so confirm it at the exam station.
On the learner license you may operate a motor-driven cycle only under the immediate supervision of a responsible driver who is licensed for motor-driven cycles. If the learner license expires before you pass the road test, you forfeit the fee and must repay it and pass the full examination again.
The full 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 for the road test.
Pass the on-cycle road test to earn your motorcycle endorsement. Completing the Montana Motorcycle Basic Rider Course waives the skills test if you obtain the endorsement within one year of finishing the course.
Check the official MVD page for current fees and accepted forms of payment.
Source: Test details reflect the consensus of major rider-education sources — confirm with the state agency before your visit. The Montana written test is based on the Montana Motorcycle Supplement (Revised 12/15) — the MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual plus a Montana licensing/equipment section. The MVD does not publish a question count or passing score; about 25 questions with an 80% passing score (20 correct) is the multi-site consensus — confirm with the Montana MVD. Helmet age is set by statute (MCA 61-9-417), not the manual.