Motorcycle Laws & Licensing for Georgia, United States

If you have a love of motorcycles, you probably live for the moments where you can pull back on the throttle and cruise at high speed on the long highways. Riding a motorcycle can make for a gratifying experience, but can only be enjoyed if you have an intimate understanding of the rules of the road. Not having a concrete idea of what is proper riding behavior, how to operate your motorcycle, or how to apply vehicle maintenance could lead to trouble. In Georgia, the regulations covering all of these factors will affect how you handle your motorcycle. 

Before you can begin riding a motorcycle, you must first obtain Georgia motorcycle insurance. It is necessary to have since you must be prepared to show you can be financially responsible in case of an accident. No matter how skilled you are at operating a motorcycle, there are going to be collisions you cannot avoid. If you are found at fault for an accident, your insurance must be able to provide compensation to any affected parties. Whenever you take your motorcycle out for a ride, have proof of ownership stored somewhere on your person or vehicle. You must be able to prove you have Georgia motorcycle insurance at traffic stops, accident scenes, and vehicle inspections.

The major concerns that you have to consider when a motorcycle accident occurs are the injuries and loss of property you may unintentionally inflict on another driver and his/her passengers. Thus, a motorcycle insurance plan allowed in Georgia has to be able to cover these minimum values:

• $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

Other factors could have an impact on the overall costs you need to pay besides bodily injuries and property damages. Depending on the situation, having coverage for the following could help make the process of paying for the accident fees easier to manage:

• Uninsured coverage

• Underinsured coverage

• Collision coverage

• Comprehensive coverage

Both riders and passengers within Georgia’s state boundaries are obliged to put on a motorcycle helmet according to Georgia’s road laws. There are three types of motorcycle helmets to choose from that vary in head coverage and durability: three-quarter, full-face, and half helmets. Any one of them satisfies the guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Thanks in part to the universal motorcycle helmet policy, most motorcyclists have protective headgear which has helped save lives and reduce the frequency of fatal accidents. These statistics in recent years have shown the importance of wearing a motorcycle helmet:

• In July 2021, motorcycle helmets have saved the lives of 91 riders operating in Georgia

• In 2019, 15% of riders suffered serious injuries and 7% of riders with fatal injuries were not wearing motorcycle helmets

• In 2019, 149 or 88% of riders involved with fatal accidents were wearing motorcycle helmets

Listed in this table below are the features that your motorcycle helmet is required to have if you wish to operate a motorcycle in Georgia:

You can begin applying for a Georgia motorcycle learner’s permit if you are at least 16 years old or above and pay $10 to be issued a Georgia motorcycle learner’s permit that is valid for six months.

To be given the permit, you must complete the following tasks and fulfill all of the listed criteria:

• If you are under the age of 18, you are required to complete Joshua’s Law Requirements: 

  • Complete 30 hours of online or classroom instruction 

  • Complete six hours of behind-the-wheel training at a certified school

  • Or complete 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian

• Additional requirements to fulfill if you are under the age of 18 include:

  • Provide Certificate of School Enrollment

  • Have consent and signature from a parent or guardian

• Present identification documents

• Provide proof of Georgia residency

• Provide proof of U.S. citizenship

• Provide your Social Security Number

• Take a photo

• Pass the knowledge exam

• Pass the vision exam

• Pay the required fees

As you likely only have started to get familiar with the controls and how to operate a motorcycle, it is not safe to ride freely on Georgia’s roads. Though you must ride with certain restrictions, it is in the interest of safety for novice motorcyclists:

• You cannot carry passengers

• You can only operate during daylight hours

• You cannot operate on limited access roadways

• You must be wearing safety equipment compliant with the law

• You must be wearing a DOT-compliant motorcycle helmet

You are eligible to receive a Georgia motorcycle license if you are at least 17 years old or above and pay $32 to be issued a Georgia motorcycle license that is valid for eight years.

Listed below are the requirements you will need to fulfill to obtain a Georgia motorcycle license:

*You have two options for how you can acquire a Georgia motorcycle license: either complete a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Course or apply to take the tests at a DDS Customer Service Center (CSC).

*If you complete a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Course, you have the option of waiving both the knowledge and skill portions of the Georgia motorcycle license test so long as you apply within the 90 days it is valid.

Knowledge Portion:

• Consists of the Road Rules Test and the Road Signs Test

• The Road Rules Test focuses on driver responsibility, knowledge of laws, and safe driving practices 

• The Road Signs Test focuses on identifying and knowing the meaning of standard highway signs, signals, and markers

• Each test will consist of 20 questions

• You must pass with at least 15 correct answers

• Questions will be based on content from the Georgia Motorcycle Operator Manual 

Road Skills Portion:

• Will be conducted in a controlled, off-street area

• You must provide proof of insurance and vehicle registration

• You must submit your motorcycle for a safety inspection

• You will complete four riding evaluations to measure your control of the motorcycle and hazard-response skills

• The final two exercises will involve riding at speeds of 15 to 20 miles per hour

• You will fail the exam if you accumulate too many violation points, commit an unsafe act, or fail to follow the instructions of the examiner

• Requires a passing grade of 75% or higher

If you fail either the knowledge or riding skills portions, you are only allowed to retake the Georgia motorcycle license test only under the following circumstances:

• Upon your first failure, you must wait at least one day until you can retry

• If you fail two or more times, you must wait at least a week to retry

• You will be subject to a 30 day waiting period until you can retry if:

  • You fail the road skills portion due to a traffic accident

  • You received a traffic violation during the road skills portion

There is no minimum age requirement for motorcycle passengers in Georgia.

To ensure that your passenger has a secure place to sit down while the vehicle is swerving or accelerating, you need to have a passenger seat included with footholds and handholds. Besides being comfortable and appropriately sized, the passenger seat must be located at one of these places on the motorcycle:

• At the back of a large driver’s seat

• Towards the rear as a separate saddle

• Fixed to the side as a sidecar

Since you cannot determine a motorcycle passenger by age, you have to take into account other factors or characteristics:

• 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

It is illegal for motorcyclists to attempt lane splitting in Georgia. Despite being an easy way to bypass traffic, it is discouraged because it involves traveling in the blind spots of cars, trucks, etc. Most accidents involving motorcycles happen because riders attempt maneuvers that other drivers fail to see or avoid until it is too late. Motorcyclists are forbidden from doing the following behavior in Georgia:

• 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 

Because motorcycles have better maneuverability and do not take up too much space like larger vehicles, riders can take advantage of rules of the road specific to two-wheeled motor vehicles. Motorcyclists are entitled to the following rights:

• You are allowed to make 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

Even though it is not required to conduct motorcycle safety and equipment inspections in Georgia, it is recommended you look over the condition of your vehicle whenever possible. Especially if you rely on it as a primary mode of transportation or have been operating it for a considerable number of years. If you manage to locate any damage to your motorcycle’s primary components while still in the garage, it is preferable to apply repairs there rather than when you are stranded on the side of the road.

• Horn

• Wheels

• Tires

• Handlebars 

•  Brake System 

• Controls

• Headlight 

•  Taillight 

•  Brake Light 

• Exhaust System

•  Muffler 

•  Rearview Mirrors 

• Georgia Department of Driver Services - Manuals
• Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire - Auto Insurance
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - Latest Motorcycle Traffic Safety Fact Sheet Shows
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - Motorcycle License
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - How Do I Get a Motorcycle License (Class M)
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - How Do I Get a Motorcycle Permit (Class MP)
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - Tests and Exams Information
• Georgia Department of Driver Services - Non-Commercial License Fees