New York Motorcycle Endorsement Guide

What a motorcycle endorsement is, who needs one, and how to add it to your New York driver license.

What Is a Motorcycle Endorsement?

New York does not add a separate motorcycle "endorsement" code the way some states do. Instead the motorcycle privilege is its own license class — Class M (operator) or Class MJ (junior operator) — combined with the class you already hold. A driver with a Class D license who adds motorcycles carries one license document showing "Class DM" (MV-21MC p.1).

If you hold no New York driver license, you can earn a stand-alone Class M license. If you already drive a car, you add the motorcycle class to your existing license. Either way, you must first hold a Class M or MJ motorcycle learner permit.

Endorsement vs. Motorcycle-Only License

	Endorsement	Motorcycle-Only License
Who it's for	Drivers who already hold a New York license	Riders without a regular driver license
Added to	Your existing license	Issued as its own license
Knowledge test	Motorcycle knowledge test	Motorcycle knowledge test
Lets you drive a car	Yes — keeps your car privileges	No — motorcycle only

How to Add the Endorsement — Steps

Get a Class M or MJ motorcycle learner permit, and study the MV-21MC manual and the Driver's Manual.
Pass the 20-question written knowledge test — 14 correct, including 2 of the 4 road-sign questions.
Pass the on-cycle road test — left and right circles and figure-eights on public streets — or have it waived by an approved Basic RiderCourse.
If you already hold another NY license, wait at least 7 days after the road test, then apply at a DMV office with form MV-44 marked "Change" and "Add Class M" (or MJ), your temporary motorcycle license, and your current photo license.
Pay the $12.50 amendment fee. You receive a temporary license at the office and the new photo license by mail in about two weeks; it expires on the same date as your previous license.

MSF Course Waiver

The DMV will waive your motorcycle road test if you already hold another class of New York driver license and a motorcycle learner permit, and you complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic RiderCourse (MV-21MC p.1).

The course must be given by an approved training provider in New York State — out-of-state courses do not qualify — and you bring the Basic RiderCourse (BRC or BRC2-LW) completion card, issued within the past two years, instead of taking the road test. The waiver covers the road test only; you still must pass the written knowledge test.

Cost & Renewal

Adding Class M or MJ to a license you already hold costs a $12.50 amendment fee. Applying for a Class M or MJ license on its own costs between $21 and $120, depending on your age and license type; the DMV calculates the exact amount when you apply.

The motorcycle class renews together with the rest of your license — there is no separate renewal cycle. Note that motorcycle registrations, unlike the license, last one year and all expire on April 30 (MV-21MC p.2).

Start With the Knowledge Test

Start the New York Practice Test →

Get Your Permit Study Guide Test Tips FAQ

Source: Test details are confirmed on the official agency page. Confirmed on the official page. Special rule: you must answer at least 2 of the 4 road-sign questions correctly to pass.