Motorcycle Laws & Licensing for Connecticut, United States

To be permitted to operate a motorcycle through Connecticut or “the Nutmeg State,” you must complete the process of acquiring a motorcycle license and learning about the rules of the road listed for the state.

Knowing the list of qualifications to become a motorcyclist will ensure that you put in the necessary research and practice. It is necessary to have the appropriate documentation, protective clothing, and motorcycle equipment ready to promote better safety when you ride. You also have to know proper roadside etiquette by offering a seat for your passenger and avoiding lane splitting. 

When on the road, there is always the risk of an accident, whether due to bad weather, road conditions, or a distracted driver. If you are careful, you will avoid getting into collisions for most of your life. But in the rare event that you do, it helps to have insurance that will provide financial aid if anyone is hurt or property is damaged.

Here are the minimum costs that your motorcycle insurance plan must include for you to be allowed onto the road:

• $25,000 for bodily injury to a person per accident

• $50,000 for bodily injuries to multiple people per accident

• $25,000 for property damages sustained per accident

Aside from the coverage you will need to pay for medical expenses and property damages, you must also acquire uninsured and underinsured motorist protection:

• $25,000 for bodily injury to a person per accident

• $50,000 for bodily injuries to multiple people per accident

You may also want to consider acquiring optional insurance coverage that is useful if your motorcycle suffers damage due to distinct conditions:

• Collision coverage

• Comprehensive coverage

In Connecticut, riders under 18 years of age must wear a motorcycle helmet. If you are above the age restriction, you can choose to go without having protective headgear on.

However, while the age requirement for wearing motorcycle helmets gives adult riders the option of wearing a helmet only when they choose to, this, in turn, has caused an increase in motorcycle fatalities in recent years:

• As stated by the NHTSA, riders are 28 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries compared to passenger car occupants

• In Connecticut, an average of 50 riders are killed in collisions each year 

• In 2015, motorcycle helmets were estimated to have saved at least 12 and could have saved an additional 12 if more riders wore protective headgear

• In 2020, there were estimated to be 56 motorcycle fatalities in Connecticut

You should pick out a motorcycle helmet made by the Snell Memorial Foundation and meets or exceeds the standards set by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The two types of motorcycle helmets that provide the best protection and visibility are the three-quarter and full-face helmets. 

Application for a Connecticut motorcycle learner’s permit begins once you turn 16 years old.

You must pay a fee of $16 to be issued a Connecticut motorcycle learner’s permit plus an additional $40 testing fee for the required exams.

To be given the permit, you must fulfill all of the listed criteria:

• If you are under the age of 18:

  • Have signature and consent from a parent or legal guardian

• Present current Connecticut driver’s license

• Provide proof of Connecticut residency

• Provide proof of U.S. citizenship

• Provide forms of identification

• Take a photo

• Pass the knowledge exam

• Pass the vision exam

• Pay the required fees

When operating with a Connecticut motorcycle learner’s permit, you are limited in how and where you can operate a motorcycle:

• You can only operate during daylight hours

• You cannot carry any passengers

• You cannot operate on limited-access highways

• You cannot operate outside Connecticut

• You must be wearing protective clothing

You are eligible to receive a Connecticut motorcycle endorsement if you are at least 16 years old or above.

You must pay a fee of $30 to have the motorcycle endorsement added to your Connecticut driver’s license plus an additional $40 testing fee for the required exams.

Listed below are the requirements you will need to fulfill to obtain a Connecticut motorcycle endorsement. Depending on your age when you approach the final step, the list of criteria may differ between motorcyclists:

*Submitting a Certificate of Completion for a motorcycle safety course approved by the DMV in Connecticut will allow you to waive the roads skills test. 

• Complete 16 multiple-choice questions

• Questions will be based on content from Connecticut Motorcycle Operator Manual & Connecticut Driver’s Manual

• Will be tested on an understanding of road rules and safe riding practices

• Requires a passing grade of 75% or higher

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

• Your motorcycle will be subjected to a pre-ride inspection to ensure it 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, and demonstrate riding maneuvers

In Connecticut, passengers do not have to fall under a certain age range. Passengers under 18 years old are only permitted to ride with you if they are wearing a three-quarter or a full-face helmet.

The equipment required to transport someone includes a passenger seat, handholds, and footrests.

The passenger can only sit along the sides or at the rear of your motorcycle. The passenger seat can only be fixed to these positions aboard the motorcycle:

• Rear of a large driver’s seat

• Towards the rear as a separate saddle

• Fixed to the side as a sidecar

While there is no age restriction, you should refrain from transporting young children or the elderly. Characteristics to look for in a motorcycle passenger include the following

• Your passenger must be able to reach the footrests

• Your passenger must wear an approved motorcycle helmet

• Your passenger cannot be carrying any packages

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

Motorcyclists cannot try lane splitting while in Connecticut. The following examples listed below are considered part of lane splitting:

• Riding on top of the dividing lines between lanes

• Riding in between adjacent rows of stopped vehicles 

• Overtaking a larger vehicle ahead in the same lane 

However, because motorcycles occupy little space on the road compared to four-wheelers, riders are allowed to try the following in Connecticut:

• You are allowed to make full use of the space within a single lane 

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

  • Both parties stay apart at least two abreast

  • Both parties consent beforehand

Because you never know when a part of your motorcycle will come loose or fail to function properly, you are expected to bring your motorcycle to an inspection station once in a while throughout the year.

Rather than focus on the exterior, get your hands dirty and shift the parts so you can see into the deeper inner workings of your motorcycle. The motorcycle parts you should check are still functioning include:

• Horn

• Wheels

• Tires

• Handlebars 

•  Front & Rear Brakes 

• Controls

• Headlight 

•  Taillight 

•  Brake Light 

• Turn Signals

• Exhaust System

•  Muffler 

•  Rearview Mirrors

• Motorcycle Operator Manual - Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles
• State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles - Connecticut Vehicle Insurance Requirements
• State of Connecticut Insurance Department - Automobile and Motorcycle Insurance Identification Cards
• Connecticut Department of Transportation Revs Up Motorcycle Safety Awareness, Reminds Motorists to Share the Road
• Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws
• State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles - Motorcycle License
• State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles - Obtaining a Motorcycle Learner’s Permit
• State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles - Obtaining a Motorcycle Endorsement