How to Get a Motorcycle License in Colorado
A plain-English guide to the Colorado motorcycle endorsement (“M”): the two paths, what the waiver card is, and what to bring to the Colorado DMV.
Educational guide, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the Colorado DMV.
1. What endorsement do you need?
Colorado adds motorcycle privileges to your regular driver license as an endorsement:
- M: two- and three-wheel motorcycles
- 3: three-wheel motorcycles only
Source: Colorado DMV, “I’m a Motorcycle Driver.” Low-power scooters and autocycles have separate rules.
2. Two ways to get your endorsement
Path A: Take a state-approved course (most common)
Complete a state-approved Motorcycle Operator Safety Training course, like the Basic Rider Course. Pass the course knowledge and skills tests and you get a license waiver card. Take the original card to the Colorado DMV within 180 days and the endorsement is added. No separate written or riding test.
Path B: Permit + third-party testing
The Colorado DMV no longer does driving or riding tests, so for this path you must find a third-party test location. Pass the Colorado DMV motorcycle written exam → get a motorcycle instruction permit → practice under supervision → pass the riding skills test at a third-party test location, on a registered, insured motorcycle you provide → add the endorsement at the Colorado DMV.
3. The waiver card
- Earned by passing a state-approved course (written knowledge test + on-cycle skills test)
- Good for 180 days from the date it’s issued — add your endorsement at the Colorado DMV before it expires
- Bring the original card to the Colorado DMV. Copies aren’t accepted.
4. At the Colorado DMV
- Appointment required. You can’t add a motorcycle endorsement online, by mail, or by phone.
- Bring your original waiver card (Path A) or your third-party riding skills test results (Path B)
- Expect a vision screening and to pay the license and endorsement fees
- You’ll get a new license with the endorsement added
5. Riders under 18
Minors must hold a motorcycle instruction permit for 12 months before adding the endorsement. Riders under 16 must complete a Colorado State Patrol–approved training program before getting a permit, and a parent or guardian must sign the DR 2460M Affidavit of Liability. (Source: Colorado DMV.) At Colorado Motorcycle Academy, students under 18 need a parent or guardian present on day one.
6. Military riders
The Colorado DMV generally does not accept out-of-state Motorcycle Safety Foundation cards, except cards earned on a military base (with valid military identification). Stationed at Fort Carson? We teach the same Basic Rider Course taught on base, with the same curriculum. If you ride on post, check with your leadership about on-base riding requirements.
7. What if you ride without it?
Riding a two-wheel motorcycle on public roads without an M endorsement is a traffic infraction in Colorado, and it can cause insurance problems after a crash. See our full breakdown: Riding Without an M Endorsement in Colorado →
Ready for Path A?
Colorado Motorcycle Academy is a state-certified provider in Pueblo. The Basic Rider Course is $395 with a training bike and both state tests included. No permit needed to enroll, classes run year-round, and they run even with one student.
View Class Dates » Experienced rider? Basic Rider Course II →
Live in Colorado Springs? See our motorcycle class for Colorado Springs riders.
