What Do You Need to Get a DC Motorcycle License?

A driver’s license in Washington, DC, doesn’t automatically grant you the privilege to drive any type of motor vehicle. You’ll have to add a special endorsement to your license to operate a motorcycle legally in DC.

Proper motorcycle licensing in DC plays a role in preventing accidents and protecting your rights after a crash. If you’re involved in a motorcycle accident while riding without a valid license, it could seriously impact your ability to recover compensation – even if another driver was at fault. Insurance companies may use your unlicensed status to argue that you were negligent or shouldn’t have been on the road. To understand how your licensing status might affect your motorcycle accident case, we encourage you to schedule a free consultation with our DC motorcycle accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long. Contact us today to discuss your situation.

DC Motorcycle License Requirements

To legally operate a motorcycle in DC, a motorist must add a motorcycle endorsement to their existing license. The basic eligibility requirements for adding a motorcycle endorsement to a license in DC are:

• Passing the DC Motorcycle Knowledge Test
• Completing an approved Motorcycle Demonstration Course

A motorist who has completed the Motorcycle Demonstration Course within the past six months can submit a Certificate of Completion to a DC DMV service center. Once the DMV reviews the material and confirms a motorist completed an approved course, the DMV will send the motorist an email notification accordingly. They can then pay a $20 fee through an online DMV service to add a motorcycle endorsement to their license.

Exercise caution and obey all DC motorcycle laws when riding a motorcycle in the area. That said, even if you’re cautious and responsible, you might still get hurt in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s actions or negligence.

Compensation may be available in these circumstances. Schedule a free consultation with our motorcycle accident attorneys to discuss your legal needs.

Medical Requirements for DC Motorcycle Licenses

A motorist with any condition that impairs their vision to such an extent that it can affect their ability to operate a vehicle (even temporarily) safely must provide the DC DMV with a Medical/Eye report completed by a licensed medical practitioner. They must do so before receiving a license or motorcycle endorsement. Drivers 70 years of age or older in DC must also pass a vision test and have a physician complete a certification before the DMV will issue a license or add an endorsement to an existing one.

Per the DC DMV, motorists with certain medical conditions may also need to submit Medical/Eye reports when seeking licenses or motorcycle endorsements. These conditions are:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Seizure disorders or similar disorders that can result in loss of consciousness
• Insulin-dependent diabetes

Steps to Obtain Your DC Motorcycle License

The first step in obtaining a motorcycle endorsement in DC (after obtaining a required driver’s license) involves completing and passing a DC DMV Motorcycle Knowledge Test. It’s now possible to complete both practice tests and actual exams online. If a motorist passes the test, they will receive a notification that may explain to them the timeline for bringing eligibility documentation to a DC DMV service center.

As of 2015, DC motorists must also complete a Motorcycle Demonstration Course to receive a motorcycle endorsement. The DC DMV indicates it will accept documentation showing a motorist completed an approved course within any jurisdiction in the US. A motorist must provide the DC DMV with documentation that they completed such a course within the past six months so that the DMV can add a motorcycle endorsement to their license.

Have questions about motorcycle licensing? Contact our legal team for guidance.

Costs and Fees

The application fee when adding a motorcycle endorsement to a license in DC is $20. Again, a motorist pays this after completing the Motorcycle Knowledge Test and completing a Motorcycle Demonstration Course.

The fee for taking the Motorcycle Knowledge Test can vary depending on the exact way a motorist completes the exam. For example, the fee to complete a test at a DC DMV service center is $10, whereas the fee to take the test virtually may be $49.95.

Adding a motorcycle endorsement to a license can also affect insurance costs. Although data varies depending on the source, research indicates the average cost of motorcycle insurance in DC is $130 a month.

Registration fees for motor vehicles in DC can vary depending on such factors as their weight, whether a vehicle is a commercial or passenger vehicle, etc. For example, the current registration fee for a passenger vehicle weighing less than 3499 pounds is $72.00

Were you injured in a DC motorcycle accident? How might your license status affect your claim? Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long can evaluate your case and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Insurance Requirements for DC Motorcyclists

Under DC law, all motorists must purchase the following minimum insurance coverage to register motor vehicles in the District of Columbia:

• $10,000 for property damage liability
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for third-party liability
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
• $5,000 (subject to $200 deductible) for uninsured motorist property damage coverage

The above are merely the requirements. Check with an insurance company to find out if it offers additional coverage that you might consider purchasing. For example, comprehensive coverage could help in situations when a motorcycle is damaged due to factors like vandalism, theft, etc.

Struggling to deal with insurance companies after your injury? Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long can help you understand your rights and fight for the full compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Essential Motorcycle Safety Equipment in DC

DC law (specifically District of Columbia Municipal Regulation 2215.3) requires anyone operating or riding on a motorcycle to wear a DOT-approved helmet. In addition, motorcycle riders in DC must wear approved face shields or goggles. However, this requirement may not apply when a motorcycle has a windscreen.

Although not technically a requirement, the DC DMV also recommends that motorcycle riders wear protective clothing that covers the entire body. The DMV also emphasizes the importance of sticking to a manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule.

Motorcycles in DC must also meet vehicle safety standards. Injured due to faulty safety equipment? Let our attorneys review your case.

DC Motorcycle Traffic Laws

Familiarizing yourself with DC’s motorcycle traffic laws is also essential when adding an endorsement to your license. Specific laws to keep in mind include (but certainly aren’t limited to):

• Lane splitting regulations: Lane splitting (riding a motorcycle between lanes of traffic) is an interesting topic in DC. There’s no law officially prohibiting it. However, in certain circumstances, like a motorcycle accident case, it may be considered reckless behavior.
• Parking rules: DC has special metered parking spaces specifically for motorcycles. The law also states more than one motorcycle can share a parking space if no parts of the vehicles extend beyond the bounds of the space.
• Speed limits and restrictions: The same speed limits that apply to passenger cars and other vehicles apply to motorcycles in DC. However, because you’re more vulnerable on a motorcycle than in an enclosed motor vehicle, you might want to travel below the posted speed limit in certain situations.

Maintaining Your DC Motorcycle License

Upon receiving your motorcycle endorsement, you may maintain it through:

• Satisfying renewal requirements: There are no special requirements for renewing a motorcycle endorsement in DC. The motorcycle endorsement automatically transfers when you renew your general driver’s license.
• Continuing education: DC law doesn’t require continuing education for motorcyclists. However, taking safety courses can help you avoid accidents or errors that could put your motorcycle endorsement at risk.
• Points system: Understanding the points system in DC is always important. However, when riding a motorcycle, it’s particularly critical to know that having the right license endorsement is key to minimizing points on your license should you receive a citation.
• License suspension and revocation: Numerous types of violations (such as riding while drunk) can result in suspension or revocation of your license to operate a motorcycle or drive a vehicle at all in DC. You may be at a greater risk of suspension or revocation if you don’t maintain a license endorsement properly.

Special Circumstances

Other requirements may apply depending on the specifics of your situation. Consider the following:

• Under 18 requirements: You have to be at least 18 years of age to add a motorcycle endorsement to your license in DC. Before you’re 18, you can use this time to educate yourself about motorcycle safety.
• Military personnel considerations: Due to reciprocity rules in DC, someone who is an active duty member of the armed forces and has already earned the privilege to ride a motorcycle for the military may be able to waive the motorcycle endorsement requirements in DC. This is something to investigate in greater depth if you have questions about how your military service affects your ability to get a motorcycle endorsement.
• International license holders: DC does not accept non-US licenses. You will typically need to go through the licensing process to ride a motorcycle in DC if you’re from another country.

Out-of-State License Holders

DC’s reciprocity agreements allow you to convert an out-of-state license with a motorcycle endorsement to a DC license with a motorcycle endorsement. You may do so at a DC DMV service center.

You must fulfill these requirements to complete the process:

• Complete the application
• Not have any outstanding debts to DC
• Provide requested documentation during your visit to a DC DMV service center
• Complete a vision test
• Take a new license photo
• Pay fees
• Surrender your out-of-state license

Be aware that you also have the option of getting a temporary reciprocity permit if you won’t be in DC for longer than six months..

Three-Wheeled Vehicles and Scooters

A vehicle is considered a motorcycle in DC if, among other factors, it can achieve a speed of at least 30 mph. Vehicles similar to motorcycles that can’t reach these speeds may qualify as mopeds, scooters, or other such forms of “non-traditional motor vehicles” in DC. Special requirements may apply to these vehicles, but often, it’s still necessary for a motorist to have a license to drive one.

The guidelines and laws regarding the operation of these vehicles may be different. For example, in some cases, it might be appropriate to operate such a vehicle in a bike lane when doing so with a motorcycle would be against the law.

Common Motorcycle License Violations

Motorcycle violations that are particularly common in DC include:

• Parking on sidewalks or other restricted areas
• Speeding
• Operating a motorcycle while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both
• Not using proper headlights or rear lights

Those are just examples. The penalties for a motorcycle violation can depend on the nature of said violation. For instance, you might be fined for parking on the sidewalk. For operating a motorcycle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you could face jail time.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in DC, call the experienced attorneys at Regan Zambri Long for a free case review.