How to Get a Motorcycle License (CY Endorsement) in Michigan: Step-by-Step (2026)
Michigan doesn't hand out a separate bike license, so when people ask me how to get a motorcycle license in Michigan, I tell them it comes down to getting a CY endorsement added to the driver's license they already have. You don't get a separate card. The process starts with a knowledge test at a Secretary of State office. Pass it, and you get a Temporary Instruction Permit, usually called a TIP. Then you either pass the SOS on-cycle skills test or finish an approved Michigan motorcycle safety course that waives the skills test. After that, you pay a fee, usually around $16, and the CY endorsement goes on your license. Those are the Michigan motorcycle license requirements in the order the Secretary of State expects them, and you can't skip ahead.
Step 1: Pass the SOS Knowledge Test and Get a TIP
Your first real step is going to a Secretary of State office. They'll have you do a vision test along with the Michigan motorcycle knowledge test, and the questions mix regular road rules and signs with stuff that only matters on a bike, like lane position. A lot of people fail the first time because two answers look right. Time pressure makes you misread. You think the question is about right of way, but it is actually about lane position. That is a common trap.
Passing earns you a Temporary Instruction Permit, or TIP. It is valid for 180 days. The TIP is not a full license. It lets you practice, but with strict limits. No passengers. At night, don't ride. Don't use limited-access freeways either. So if you live near I-75 or I-94, or you're used to hopping on US-131 around Grand Rapids, you'll be taking side roads for a while. The Lodge (M-10) in Detroit is off the table too, and I wouldn't want a new rider on it at rush hour anyway. Don't practice after dark in Ann Arbor or Sterling Heights.
Study the Michigan motorcycle manual before the SOS visit. Then take practice tests. Drivio has a free Michigan motorcycle practice test at /moto/michigan. I tell my students to keep at it until they've scored above 85 percent three times in a row, because one good score can be luck.
Step 2: Pass the Skills Test or an Approved Safety Course
After you have your TIP, you have two routes to the CY endorsement. The first is passing the SOS on-cycle skills test. It's a riding exam run by the state, and you show up on your own bike with proof of insurance and real gear like a helmet and gloves. The examiner watches how you handle weaving through cones, quick stops, turns and a swerve. One foot down at the wrong moment can fail you.
The second route is completing an approved Michigan motorcycle safety course. Most new riders I know go this way, since the course teaches you the riding skills and then tests you on them before you leave. You still need the knowledge test and TIP first. The Michigan motorcycle safety course waiver removes the separate SOS riding exam. There are classes around Warren and Livonia, often held at community colleges, and some private schools run them too. Confirm approved courses on Michigan.gov/SOS because not every class counts.
You must complete testing within 180 days of getting your TIP. If your TIP expires, you start over. That means another trip to the SOS office and another knowledge test. I'd book your skills test or course in the first few weeks of the 180 days so you're not stuck rushing near the end. Winter weather can delay practice.
Step 3: Add the CY Endorsement to Your License
Once you've passed the skills test or finished the safety course, you go back to a Secretary of State office one more time. You bring your TIP, your passing documentation, and your valid Michigan driver's license. The SOS adds the CY endorsement to your license. The motorcycle endorsement fee is commonly about $16, but fees change. Confirm the current amount on Michigan.gov/SOS before you go. Nobody likes being short at the counter.
You must already hold a valid Michigan driver's license. A state ID isn't enough. Get a standard driver's license first. The Michigan CY endorsement is not a standalone document. It is a letter code printed on your license. The CY code gives you legal permission to ride on public roads.
Age Rules and Under-18 Riders in Michigan
Riders under 18 have extra steps. They must complete an approved motorcycle safety course. Parent or guardian consent is required. If a teen is still in Michigan's graduated licensing stages, there are more conditions before the CY endorsement can go on, and finishing a motorcycle course won't cut short the supervised driving time they still owe for their car license.
If you're 18 or older you get the TIP and then pick between the SOS skills test and the course, whichever suits you better. No upper age limit applies. Older riders sometimes find the skills test physically demanding. The safety course works at your pace.
Confirm current age rules on Michigan.gov/SOS. Old forum posts and a friend's story from ten years ago aren't a good guide here.
How to Prepare and Ride Legally While You Practice
I'd start by reading the Michigan motorcycle manual front to back, even the boring parts. Then take repeated practice tests. Don't stop after one practice test. The knowledge test wording is exact. May vs must. In Detroit, Michigan Lefts appear on Telegraph and Gratiot. The test may not mention them by name. Still, median U-turns matter for safe riding.
Stay within your TIP limits while you practice. Daylight only. No passengers. No freeways. That rules out I-696 through Oakland County and I-196 by downtown Grand Rapids, so stick to surface streets and find an empty parking lot where you can work on slow tight turns and hard stops.
The safety course gives you training and the Michigan motorcycle safety course waiver. For most new riders I think it's worth the money, because an instructor fixes bad habits before they set in. And you meet other new riders, which helps if you live in a spread-out area like Westland or Troy.
Use Drivio's free Michigan motorcycle practice test at /moto/michigan as a final check. Pass it three times without notes before the SOS test.
Michigan Motorcycle Endorsement FAQ
How do I get a motorcycle license in Michigan? Como hago para sacar mi licencia de conducir moto? Pass the SOS knowledge test and get a TIP. Then pass the skills test or an approved safety course. You add a CY endorsement to your Michigan driver's license.
What is a CY endorsement? The Michigan motorcycle endorsement is the CY code on your license. If you ride on public roads without it, you're riding illegally, and a TIP only covers practice within its limits.
Do I need the skills test? You do, unless you finish an approved Michigan motorcycle safety course, since passing the course waives the SOS skills test. The knowledge test and the TIP are required either way.
How much does the endorsement cost? It's usually around $16 when you add it at the Secretary of State, but that number changes now and then, so look it up on Michigan.gov/SOS before you go.
How long is the TIP valid? 180 days from the date it is issued. You must complete testing within that window.
Can I ride on a TIP at night? No. TIP limits include:
- no nighttime riding
- no passengers
- no limited-access freeways
Common Questions From New Michigan Riders
Can I skip the skills test with a course? Yes. An approved Michigan motorcycle safety course waives the SOS on-cycle skills test. Most new riders choose this route.
Do I need a car license first? Yes. You must hold a valid Michigan driver's license before adding the CY endorsement. The motorcycle endorsement is added to your existing license.
What can't I do on a TIP? No passengers. No nighttime riding. No limited-access freeways. In practice that keeps you off most of I-75, I-94, I-96 and US-23 until the endorsement is on your license.
How old do I have to be? At 18 or older you just go the normal TIP-then-test route. Under 18, you have to finish an approved safety course and bring a parent or guardian's consent.
How do I add CY to my license? Go to a Secretary of State office after you've passed the skills test or the course. Bring your TIP and documentation. Pay the fee, and the CY endorsement is added.
Take it one step at a time and don't rush the permit stage, since that's where most of your real riding practice happens. Run through the free practice test at /moto/michigan a few times, and check Michigan.gov/SOS for the current fee and rules before each office visit.
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