Section 4. Licensing

Overview

All 50 States and the District of Columbia require motorcyclists to obtain a motorcycle operator license or endorsement before they ride on public highways. The goal of licensing is to ensure that motorcyclists have the minimum knowledge and skills needed to operate a motorcycle safely.

However, many motorcyclists are not properly licensed. In 2005, 24 percent of motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes did not have a valid motorcycle license, compared to 12 percent of drivers of passenger vehicles who were not properly licensed. Many of these motorcyclists did have a driver’s license but not a motorcycle endorsement.

State motorcycle licensing practices vary substantially. Most States have a learner’s permit requiring only vision and knowledge tests. Motorcyclists with a learner’s permit can ride only in restricted circumstances, typically some combination of no passengers, only during daylight hours, and only with the supervision of a fully licensed motorcyclist. A skills test is required for full licensure. Two-thirds of the States use one of three tests developed by the MSF and AAMVA while one-third use their own tests. See Baer, Cook, and Baldi (2005) for a summary of each State’s licensing requirements and procedures and MSF
(www.msf-usa.org) for a list of State licensing and registration requirements as of 2002. NCHRP (under review, Strategy D1) summarizes the major skills tests currently in use by licensing agencies.
 
Objective: Ensure that all motorcycle operators riding on public roads are properly licensed.

Strategy 4.1: Administration – Identify and remove barriers to obtaining a motorcycle license.

Barriers to obtaining a motorcycle license include limited and inconvenient licensing examination hours, which sometimes require appointments weeks or months in advance, and licensing systems in some States that provide no incentive to become fully licensed because learner’s permits may be renewed indefinitely.

Action steps:

• State motorcycle safety administrators and motor vehicle administrators examine the relationship between training and licensing and integrate motorcycle operator training and licensing into one-stop operations (see Strategy 5.3).
  
  
• State motor vehicle administrators offer licensing examinations during evening and weekend hours.

Promising practices:

• Minnesota offers licensing exams during evening hours (www.dps.state.mn.us/mmsc/latest/MMSCHome.asp?cid=1).
  
  
• Forty-five States waive the skills test and 21 waive the knowledge test for motorcycle operators who have successfully completed an approved training course.     

Resources and supporting activities:

• AAMVA’s Motorcycle Operator Licensing System and Integrating Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing manuals provide guidelines for State motorcycle licensing programs (www.aamva.org). AAMVA is updating these manuals in 2006 under a cooperative agreement with NHTSA.  

Strategy 4.2: Promotion – Encourage motorcycle operators to be properly licensed.

Motorcycle license promotion should inform motorcycle operators of the advantages of and incentives for proper licensure as well as providing information on licensing requirements and procedures. Promotion also should inform operators of the potential consequences of riding while not properly licensed.

Action steps:

• Promote the advantages of proper licensing through dealers, rider groups, rider media, State highway patrol and local law enforcement motorcycle officers and other appropriate methods.
  
  
• State highway safety offices, State motorcycle safety administrators, and law enforcement inform motorcycle operators of the potential consequences of operating a motorcycle without a proper license.

Promising practices:

• Many States have motorcycle operator licensing information and motorcycle operator handbooks available on their Web sites.
  
  
• Maryland’s DMV compared their motorcycle registration and motorcycle operator licensing files. They then sent a letter to each owner of a registered motorcycle who did not have a motorcycle operator’s license. This quick and inexpensive strategy caused 1,700 owners to become licensed within four months. For information, contact the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration at 410-424-3731 or akrajewski@mdot.state.md.us. In 2006, Ohio will send letters to over 10,000 to non-licensed motorcycle owners to encourage licensing. For information, contact the Ohio Motorcycle Coordinator at 614-466-4042 or bsecrest@dps.state.oh.us.

Resources and supporting activities:

• MSF provides a variety of information publicizing proper licensing (www.msf-usa.org).

Strategy 4.3: Quality – Train license examiners in motorcycle license testing techniques.

Licensing tests serve as a valid measure of motorcycle operator skills and knowledge only if license examiners are properly trained and qualified. Just as automotive license examiners need specialized training and skills beyond those needed to drive a car, motorcycle license examiners need specialized training, knowledge, and skills.

Action steps:

• Certify all motorcycle license examiners through the AAMVA Certified Motorcycle Examiner program.
  
  
• Increase the number of examiners qualified to test motorcyclists if needed.

Promising practices:

• The AAMVA Certified Motorcycle Examiner program was developed in cooperation with the MSF to recognize and certify examiners. To become certified, examiners must complete a minimum of one year as a full-time on-the-job driver examiner actively conducting motorcycle skills or road tests and must pass an examination. For information, see www.aamva.org/EducationTraining/Programs/CertifiedMotorcycleExaminerCME.htm.
  
  
• Some State motorcycle safety programs, for example in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, collaborate with their motor vehicle departments to train license examiners.

Resources and supporting activities:
The 2005 Certified Motorcycle Examiner program overview is available from AAMVA at www.aamva.org/EducationTraining/Programs/CertifiedMotorcycleExaminerCME.htm.

Strategy 4.4: Enforcement – Actively enforce penalties for operating a motorcycle without a proper license or endorsement.

Law enforcement should routinely check for a proper motorcycle operator’s license or endorsement when stopping a motorcyclist for any potential traffic violation, as they do for other vehicle operators. To do this, officers must be able to recognize a valid operator’s license or endorsement.

Action steps:

• Law enforcement patrol officers adopt a zero tolerance approach to enforcing improper motorcycle operator licensure by checking for a proper motorcycle endorsement and issuing citations for an improper license or endorsement.
  
  
• State highway safety office law enforcement liaisons meet with law enforcement agencies to encourage zero tolerance of improperly licensed motorcyclists.

Promising practices:

• Law enforcement can raise the importance of motorcycle license enforcement at roll calls, through law enforcement listservs, or through other law enforcement channels.
  
  
• Oregon presents information on this issue at State judicial conferences.

Resources and supporting activities:

• No specific resources for this strategy. 
  

References and notes for Section 4, Licensing

NAMS recommendations for States and communities on motorcycle operator licensing.
11. Merge rider education and training and licensing functions to form one-stop operations.
16. Identify and remove barriers to obtaining a motorcycle endorsement.
17. Develop and implement programs to allow all state motorcycle safety programs to issue motorcycle endorsements immediately upon successful completion of rider training courses.
18. Enforce penalties for operating a motorcycle without a proper endorsement.
19. Encourage states and jurisdiction to provide motorcycle specific training to license examiners administering testing for motorcyclists.

General references on motorcycle operator licensing.

• Baer, J.D., Cook, A.L., and Baldi, S. (2005). Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing: A Review of Programs and Practices. DOT HS 809 852. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/McycleRiderWeb/pages/index.htm. A summary of motorcycle operator education and licensing practices across the States and a listing of each State’s practices as of 2001, from 38 States.

• Baer, J.D., Baldi, S., and Cook, A.L. (2005). Promising Practices in Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing. DOT HS 809 922. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/MotorcycleRider/. Promising practices from five States (Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, and Oregon).
  
  
• The MSF Web site (www.msf-usa.org) lists State licensing and registration requirements as of 2002.
  
  
• NCHRP (under review). Guide for Addressing Collisions Involving Motorcycles, Strategy D3, Identify and remove barriers to obtaining a motorcycle endorsement. When released, the guide will be available at www.ch2m.com/nchrp/over/default.htm.
  
  
• AAMVA’s Motorcycle Operator Licensing System and Integrating Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing manuals provide guidelines for State motorcycle licensing programs (www.aamva.org). AAMVA is updating these manuals in 2006 under a cooperative agreement with NHTSA.