New Jersey Motorcycle Knowledge Test — FAQ

New Jersey's motorcycle knowledge test is widely reported to have 50 questions — unusually long compared with most states. The MVC does not publish the exact count, and every question is drawn from the New Jersey Motorcycle Manual (Chapter 10 of the Driver Manual).

You need 80% to pass — 40 of 50 questions correct. Confirm the current requirement with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

You need a motorcycle endorsement on your driver license, or a motorcycle-only license. You earn it through a motorcycle examination permit and the MVC road test, or by completing an approved Basic Rider Course.

A basic auto license holder may operate a low-speed motorcycle without any motorcycle endorsement or separate license. A low-speed motorcycle is under 50cc (or rated at no more than 1.5 brake horsepower) with a top speed of no more than 35 mph; its operator is also not required to wear a helmet.

Apply at a local motor vehicle agency, pass the MVC knowledge and vision tests, and pay the fee. You must be at least 17 years old, and applicants under 18 need parent or guardian consent.

You must practice with your motorcycle examination permit for at least 20 days before you are eligible to take the road test. A permit holder is no longer required to have an accompanying rider, but must observe the permit riding restrictions.

You must bring your own motorcycle — registered and insured — plus a helmet and eye protection. Pass the road test at an MVC test site to get a probationary motorcycle license (Class E).

Yes. If you take the road test on a motorcycle of 231cc or less, your license is restricted to that smaller class. Take the test on a motorcycle over 231cc for an unrestricted motorcycle endorsement or license.

Yes. Applicants who already hold a valid New Jersey basic or commercial driver license may qualify for knowledge-test and road-test waivers by completing an approved NJ Motorcycle Safety Education Program (MSEP) Basic Rider Course. Anyone who completes an MSEP course is exempt from the motorcycle road (skills) test.

Yes. New Jersey has a universal helmet law — every motorcycle operator and passenger must wear an approved helmet, regardless of age. (Only the operator of a low-speed motorcycle is exempt.) Look for a label inside the helmet with the manufacturer's name and the approval standard.

You must bring eye protection to the road test, and the manual urges all riders to wear it. Good eye or face protection is free of scratches, gives a clear view to either side, fastens securely, and lets air pass so it won't fog.

New Jersey teaches the SIPDE system — Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute — a process for making judgments and taking action in traffic. (This is New Jersey's strategy; many other states teach 'SEE'.)

Under ordinary conditions, stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead, and increase that distance in poor conditions, at night, or behind larger vehicles.

The best way to help others see you is to keep your headlight on at all times. During the day, a motorcycle with its light off is twice as likely to go unnoticed; many later-model motorcycles turn the headlight on automatically.

No. New Jersey does not permit lane splitting, and the manual warns against riding directly alongside another motorcycle — there is no room to escape. Talk to another rider only when you are both stopped.

Under New Jersey law the limit is 0.08% blood alcohol concentration for an adult. The manual stresses that alcohol, drugs, and fatigue all keep riders from being in shape to ride safely, so the safe choice is not to drink and ride.

New Jersey's annual motorcycle registration fee is $65. Bring a valid insurance card and the title to a motor vehicle agency; one license plate must be displayed on the rear of the motorcycle at all times.

The New Jersey Motorcycle Manual is Chapter 10 of the New Jersey Driver Manual, free to read or download from the MVC website (njmvc.gov). The knowledge-test questions come from it.