Motorcycle Laws & Licensing for Minnesota, United States

Earning the credentials and learning how to work a motorcycle may seem like a daunting task at first. You have to memorize the fundamentals from a manual, take exams at the DVS, and practice riding your motorcycle. However, you may find this ordeal less difficult if you know what to expect.

Since being familiar with Minnesota’s motorcycle laws and licensing process is integral to ensuring safe and smooth rides in this state, this infographic will be useful for novice motorcyclists, out-of-state tourists, or experienced drivers who are interested in taking their motorcycles to Minnesota.

Even if your motorcycle is built bulky and has plenty of safety features installed, that sometimes is still not enough to keep you from colliding with another vehicle. Whether due to carelessness or bad luck, a motorcycle can get wrecked and an operator injured. Because paying compensation for accidents can be costly, it is mandatory for riders to own motorcycle insurance utilized in Minnesota:

• $30,000 for bodily injury to a person per accident

• $60,000 for bodily injuries to multiple people per accident

• $10,000 for property damages sustained per accident

Though the only mandatory coverage that needs to be included in your Minnesota motorcycle insurance include bodily injuries and property damages, you can also get additional insurance added to your plan for a price:

• Collision

• Comprehensive 

• Uninsured

• Underinsured

If you are a rider or a passenger under the age of 18, the law states that you must wear a motorcycle helmet as you move across Minnesota.

In recent times, most fatalities in Minnesota motorcycle accidents have been the result of motorcyclists refusing to wear proper motorcycle helmets:

• In 2014, 63% of motorcycle fatalities had not been wearing motorcycle helmets. If they had, 37 for every 100 fatalities could have possibly survived their accidents. 

• In 2016, 52 motorcycle fatalities were reported and a total of 5,251 people were killed in motorcycle accidents.

• In 2017, 53 motorcycle fatalities were reported and a total of 4,798 people were killed in motorcycle accidents.

You will want protective headgear made with the strongest structure and able to fit comfortably around your head. Built and approved by the Snell Memorial Foundation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the three-quarter and full-face helmets are the best equipped for the task.

This chart has all the features and requirements that the motorcycle helmet must have if you are a minor planning to make a trip through Minnesota:

If you are under 18, you are required to hold onto a Minnesota motorcycle instruction permit first before you can be issued the full endorsement. You can begin applying for one if you are at or over 16.

You will have to provide $29 to be issued a Minnesota motorcycle instruction permit. The permit is valid for one year, but you are only required to hold onto it for six months.

During the application process, make sure that you have met or can complete the following requirements:

• Complete the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center Basic Rider Course 

• Provide proof of I.D.

• Provide proof of Minnesota residency

• Provide proof of Minnesota motorcycle insurance

• Pay required fees

• Pass the vision exam

• Pass the knowledge test

Following the application, you then have to spend the next few months getting a better idea of how to handle a motorcycle. Though you are getting hands-on practice, you cannot practice where you want, wherever you want. Being a beginner means that there are limits to what you can do when in possession of a permit:

• You are not allowed to carry passengers 

• You can only practice during daylight hours

• You must wear head and eye protection at all times

• You are not allowed to travel on state highways or interstates

After holding a motorcycle instruction permit for the required six months or upon turning 18, you are allowed to secure a Minnesota motorcycle endorsement.

You will have to pay $29 as part of your application for a Minnesota motorcycle endorsement. As this does not share any of the restrictions from the motorcycle instruction permit, you have greater freedom when riding on Minnesota’s roads and highways.

Listed below are the requirements you need to have a New Mexico motorcycle endorsement added to your driver’s license.

*While optional if you are 18 or older, you can have the riding portion of the Minnesota motorcycle license test waived if you possess a Minnesota instruction permit and manage to complete a Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center Basic Rider Course.

• Complete 25 multiple-choice questions

• Questions will be based on content from Minnesota Motorcycle & Motorized Bicycle Manual

• Requires a passing grade of 80% or higher

• Will be conducted in an actual traffic environment or a controlled, off-street area

• Examiner will conduct a pre-ride inspection to ensure your motorcycle meets safety standards

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of motorcycle operation

• You will be tested on your ability to stay within the speed limit, adjusting speed and position, maintaining visibility, operating under stress, accelerating, braking, turning, stopping, and swerving

• The examiner will grade you based on how well you ride at safe speeds, stay within the lanes, follow the correct path, and demonstrate riding maneuvers

In Minnesota, passengers do not have to meet a minimum age limit. There are criteria to keep in mind when determining who can or cannot be a passenger on your motorcycle:

• Passenger below the age of 18 must wear an approved motorcycle helmet similar to yours at all times

• Your passenger must be able to reach the footrests

• Your passenger must be able to understand and follow your directions

• Your motorcycle should only be able to transport one other person

To be able to take someone with you, your motorcycle must be fitted with both a passenger seat and adjustable footrests. When deciding where you would like the passenger seat to be on your motorcycle, you can position it either:

• At the back of a large driver’s seat

• Near the rear with a separate saddle

• Fixed to the side as a sidecar

It is illegal to do lane splitting in Minnesota. Whenever you are traveling on laned roads or highways, you cannot engage in any of the following:

• You cannot ride on top of the dividing lines between lanes

• You cannot ride in between adjacent rows of vehicles that are stopped

• You cannot overtake another vehicle sharing the same lane

Motorcyclists cannot overtake other vehicles even if there is narrow space available on the road. However, they are permitted to lane share. Keep the following rules of the road in mind while you are traveling through Minnesota:

• You are entitled to full use of the space within your current lane 

• You can only share a lane with another motorcycle if:

  • Both parties stay apart at least two abreast

  • Both parties consent beforehand

A motorcycle can last a long time if it suffers no damage from accidents or is properly stored away when not in use. However, if it is not given periodic maintenance every few weeks, the machinery will start to fail. It can sometimes be difficult to tell if something is wrong with your motorcycle at a first glance. That is why you should closely examine the state of your motorcycle for any punctures or dents. Fixing those will restore your motorcycle’s functionality and ensure it performs at peak capacity.

Make sure that your motorcycle has the required equipment installed and that each of the different features function correctly while your vehicle is still parked:

• Horn

• Wheels

• Tires

• Handlebars 

•  Brake system 

• Controls

• Headlight

•  Taillight (Red or Yellow) 

•  Stop lamp (Red or Yellow) 

•  Reflector 

• Exhaust system

•  Muffler 

•  Rearview mirror 

•  Turn signals 

• Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual
• Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety - 2020 Motorcycle Laws and Regulations
• Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety - Motorcycles
• Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety - Laws and Regulations: Motorcycle Riders
• Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety - Motorcycle License: Motorcycle License Endorsement
• Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services - Driver’s License - Motorcycle - Apply for Permit
• Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services - Driver’s License - Motorcycle - Apply for Endorsement
• Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services - Driver’s License Fees