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Ohio Motorcycle License & Endorsement

On this page
  1. Endorsement vs. motorcycle-only license
  2. The path to your endorsement
  3. Step 1, Get your motorcycle temps (TIPIC)
  4. Step 2, Pass the skills test, or take an approved course
  5. Step 3, Get your endorsement issued at a BMV office
  6. Fees
  7. Hours & location
  8. What causes return trips
  9. Common questions
  10. Helpful next pages
  11. before you visit
  12. Where this information comes from

Adding a motorcycle endorsement in Ohio is a straightforward sequence: get motorcycle temps, pass the skills test or an approved course, then visit a BMV office to have the endorsement issued.

Here’s the split to know up front: the motorcycle skills test is administered on an off-street course (through the state’s exam/testing system or by completing an approved Motorcycle Ohio course), not at a BMV office. The BMV office puts the endorsement on your card once you’ve met the requirement. DMVQ is an independent informational resource and does not process transactions, but we’ll walk you through every step.

Endorsement vs. motorcycle-only license

Two ways to be legal on two wheels in Ohio:

  • Motorcycle endorsement, added to your existing Ohio driver license. This is what most riders who already drive a car want.
  • Motorcycle-only license, for someone who doesn’t hold a car license but wants to ride. It functions as your license, valid only for motorcycles.

Either way, the requirements are the same: a motorcycle knowledge test for the permit, then either a skills test or an approved rider course.

The path to your endorsement

StepWhereWhat you get
Motorcycle knowledge test → motorcycle TIPIC (temps)Test through the state path, then permit issuance at a BMV officeMotorcycle temporary permit
Skills test or Motorcycle Ohio Basic CourseOff-street test course / approved rider coursePass result or course completion card
Endorsement / license issuanceBMV office (deputy registrar)Endorsement on your license, or motorcycle license

Step 1, Get your motorcycle temps (TIPIC)

To get a Motorcycle or Motor Scooter TIPIC, you’ll need to be at least 15 years, 6 months old and pass a motorcycle/motor scooter knowledge test. To prepare, study the Ohio Motorcycle Operator’s Manual and Section 4 of the Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws.

What to bring (originals or certified copies):

  • Proof of full legal name, date of birth, and legal presence (passport or certified birth certificate)
  • Proof of Social Security number
  • Two proofs of Ohio residency from different sources
  • Your current Ohio driver license, if adding an endorsement
  • If under 18, a parent/guardian present to sign with their own ID
  • Payment

Use the state’s online or testing-location path for the motorcycle knowledge test. A BMV office issues the motorcycle TIPIC after you pass and bring the right documents.

A motorcycle TIPIC carries riding restrictions: no nighttime riding, no freeway riding, no passengers, and a helmet is required. These apply until you complete the skills requirement and earn the endorsement.

Step 2, Pass the skills test, or take an approved course

There are two ways to satisfy the skills requirement:

Option A, The skills test

Schedule a skills test on an off-street course. Bring a current TIPIC and wear a helmet and protective eyewear, and your motorcycle or motor scooter needs to be street-legal and in safe working condition. The test happens at a testing course, not at a BMV office.

Complete an approved Motorcycle Ohio rider course (such as Basic Riding Skills). A Motorcycle Ohio Basic Course completion card waives the motorcycle skills test for 60 days from the date of issuance, so bring it to a BMV office within that window. Beyond the waiver, the course is the single best way for new riders to build real safety skills.

Riders under 18: before testing for a motorcycle license or endorsement, you’ll need to complete the probationary driver license requirements and driver education, 24 hours of classroom/online instruction plus 8 hours of driving time at an approved driving school.

Step 3, Get your endorsement issued at a BMV office

With a passing skills-test result or a valid Motorcycle Ohio completion card, visit a BMV office to have the motorcycle endorsement added to your license (or a motorcycle-only license issued).

What to bring:

  • Your skills-test pass result or Motorcycle Ohio completion card (within 60 days)
  • Your valid motorcycle TIPIC
  • Your current Ohio license (for an endorsement)
  • A parent/guardian to sign if under 18
  • Payment

The clerk verifies everything, takes a new photo if needed, collects the fee, and issues the updated credential. You leave with interim documentation; the card arrives by mail.

Fees

From the Ohio BMV fee schedule (last updated 9/30/2025), including the service fee. Confirm current fees on bmv.ohio.gov.

Transaction4-year8-year
Motorcycle-only license$27.50$54.00
Motorcycle or moped TIPIC (temps)$25.50N/A
Moped license$24.00$47.00

Fees and figures change. Verify current amounts on bmv.ohio.gov before your visit.

If you add an endorsement to an existing license, the final amount depends on whether the BMV issues a new, renewal, or duplicate credential as part of the transaction. Confirm the exact total before you pay.

Motorcycle Ohio course fees are separate and set by the course provider; see motorcycle.ohio.gov.

Hours & location

  • Phone: your local BMV office
  • Verify weekday hours with the BMV office
  • Saturday: 8 AM-1 PM

For directions, parking, and a map, see hours, location & directions.

What causes return trips

  • Going to a BMV office for the skills test. The skills test is on an off-street course; a BMV office issues the endorsement afterward.
  • Letting the Motorcycle Ohio waiver lapse. The completion card waives the skills test for only 60 days, so bring it in within that window.
  • Riding outside TIPIC restrictions. No night, no freeway, no passengers, helmet required until you earn the endorsement.
  • Showing up to test with an unsafe or non-street-legal bike, or without a helmet and eye protection. You’ll be turned away.
  • Skipping driver-ed (under 18). Younger riders must complete probationary license requirements and driver education first.

Common questions

Do I need a separate license to ride a motorcycle in Ohio? You need either a motorcycle endorsement on your existing driver license or a motorcycle-only license. Both require a motorcycle knowledge test and a skills test (or an approved Motorcycle Ohio course).

Where do I take the motorcycle skills test? On an off-street testing course, not at a BMV office. Bring a current TIPIC, a helmet, and eye protection on a street-legal bike. Or take a Motorcycle Ohio course to waive the test.

How does the Motorcycle Ohio course waiver work? A Motorcycle Ohio Basic Course completion card waives the skills test for 60 days from issuance. Bring it to a BMV office within 60 days to get your endorsement.

How old do I have to be? You can get a motorcycle/motor scooter TIPIC at 15 years, 6 months. Riders under 18 must also complete probationary license requirements and driver education before testing.

Can a BMV office add the endorsement the same day? Yes. Once you bring a passing skills result or a valid course completion card, the office issues the endorsement and you leave with interim documentation. The card arrives by mail.

What are the restrictions while I’m on temps? A motorcycle TIPIC prohibits nighttime riding, freeway riding, and carrying passengers. A helmet is required until you earn the full endorsement.

Helpful next pages

before you visit

Earned your skills result or course card? Bring it to a BMV office to get your endorsement. Check queueing options or walk in with the right documents in hand.

Where this information comes from