Motorcycle Laws & Licensing for New Jersey, United States

If you find yourself making your way through New Jersey, you may not be fully at ease taking your motorcycle into this state if you are not fully aware of New Jersey’s motorcycle laws. The learning procedure for getting a motorcycle license recognized in New Jersey helps you to get acquainted with how to handle a two-wheeler and tests your current skill level. Later on, you get an overview of what protective gear you need and the correct manner you should have on the road. So that you are fully qualified to ride a motorcycle in the “Garden State,” this article will help educate you on motorcycle laws and licensing in New Jersey.

Motorcyclists traveling through New Jersey have to acquire many forms of motorcycle insurance before they can begin operating in this state. All motorcyclists must have proof of owning the following New Jersey motorcycle insurance:

• Liability insurance coverage

• Personal injury protection

• Uninsured motorist coverage 

The results of most accidents involving motorcycles lead to you or other people getting severely injured. Depending on how severe the impact was, this could also have broken or damaged parts of the vehicles. Therefore, a motorcycle insurance plan utilized in New Jersey has to at least include these aspects:

• $15,000 for bodily injury to a person per accident

• $30,000 for bodily injuries to multiple people per accident

• $5,000 for property damages sustained per accident

Because some collisions are more severe than others, it helps to have specific coverage that deals with these situations should they occur. Your motorcycle can also suffer from damage due to theft, weather conditions, etc. Other insurance that could be useful to have ready include:

• Collisions coverage

• Comprehensive coverage

Whenever you are riding your motorcycle, you must carry physical documents either on your person or on your motorcycle. You must be able to produce the relevant documents during the following situations:

• Before a vehicle inspection

• Following an accident

• Pulled over for a traffic violation

• Stopped in a spot check by a police officer

Should you be found guilty of providing false information when making a claim or applying for New Jersey motorcycle insurance or fail to produce proof of ownership when asked by local law enforcement, you may face the following penalties:

• Incarceration

• Community service

• Suspension or loss of driver’s license

• Fines up to $15,000 which increase with additional violations

Riders and passengers in New Jersey have to be wearing a form-fitting and durable motorcycle helmet no matter how old they are.

Recent studies have shown that it is overall beneficial to have a motorcycle helmet handy as it has been instrumental as a safety precaution during collisions and accidents:

• Between 2013 to 2017, getting into a motorcycle accident in New Jersey had an 82% chance of resulting in severe or fatal injuries

• In 2016, there were a total of 2,200 motorcycle accidents which resulted in 69 fatalities

• More than two-thirds of motorcycle accidents occur due to excessive speed

• At least 40% of motorcycle fatalities occur when turning or going around corners

The kinds of motorcycle helmets accepted in New Jersey are half, three-quarter, and full-face helmets, the following listed from least protection to most protection. Each of them must follow the U.S. Department of Transportation’s safety requirements, satisfy New Jersey’s state standards, and must have been labeled by the American National Standards Institute.

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

Once you have reached the age of 17, you are allowed to carry a New Jersey motorcycle permit. You are allowed to operate a motorcycle for 90 days before you need to renew and require you to pay $5.

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

• If under the age of 18:

  • Have the signature and consent from a parent or legal guardian

• Complete a motorcycle permit application from an MVC agency

• Pass the 6 Points of I.D. Verification

• Pay the required fees

• Pass the knowledge exam

• Pass the vision exam

Because the likelihood of injuring yourself while practicing on your motorcycle is much higher than learning how to steer a car, novices have to be more careful with where and how they operate. To dissuade them from doing anything reckless, novices must comply with these limitations:

• You cannot operate between one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise

• You cannot carry passengers

• You cannot ride on any state toll road or limited-access highway

Once you have reached the age of 18, you are considered a legal adult and allowed to carry a New Jersey motorcycle endorsement or license. You are allowed to operate a motorcycle for four years before you need to renew and require you to pay $24.

Listed below are the requirements you will need to fulfill to obtain a New Jersey motorcycle endorsement or license:

*When applying for either a New Jersey motorcycle endorsement or license, it is possible to acquire either one without having to complete an NJ Motorcycle Safety Education Program Basic Rider Course.

*Though only mandatory for minors, completing the NJ Motorcycle Safety Education Program Basic Rider Course means you do not need to apply for a New Jersey motorcycle permit.

*When you are applying for a New Jersey motorcycle license, you will first have to acquire a Probationary Motorcycle License and comply with all Graduate Driver’s License Restrictions

*Submitting a Certificate of Completion for the NJ Motorcycle Safety Education Program Basic Rider Course will give you the option of waiving the roads skills test. 

• Complete 50 multiple-choice questions

• Questions will be based on content from the New Jersey Motorcycle Manual

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

• Requires a passing grade of 80% or higher

• Will be conducted at an MVC controlled, off-street test site

• 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, adjust speed and position, maintain visibility, operate under stress, accelerate, brake, turn, stop, and swerve

• The examiner will grade you based on how well you ride at safe speeds, stay within the lanes, and demonstrate riding maneuvers

In New Jersey, there is no minimum age requirement for motorcycle passengers wishing to be seated on a motorcycle.

Because you want your passenger to be comfortable, you need to equip your motorcycle with a passenger seat far enough to the back that it provides the passenger his/her own space. The extra space also makes it possible to fit other equipment around the passenger seat such as handholds and footpegs. To make it easier to fit passenger-specific gear, you should place the seat in one of these places:

• At the back of a large driver’s seat

• Towards the rear as a separate saddle

• Fixed to the side as a sidecar

Teenagers or young children are technically not forbidden from riding by law. However, common sense dictates that they would not be able to stay secure in the passenger seat due to their short stature. Criteria that you should keep in mind when looking for qualities in a passenger include:

• 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

New Jersey does not possess any laws that give a firm stance on lane splitting being either legal or illegal. As lane splitting means riding atop the dotted lines between lanes or slipping between lines of traffic, you should try to do without when making your way around. Remember to take care when trying these maneuvers as they are labeled as 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 

Unlike lane splitting, New Jersey is a bit clearer about its stance on lane sharing. Lane sharing is possible for motorcyclists because they are vehicles that are lean enough to use the same space. Remember to take care when trying these maneuvers as they are labeled as lane sharing:

• 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

While you do not need to bring your motorcycle to periodic vehicle and safety inspections in Jersey, you should take every chance you get to look over the shape of your motorcycle. It is unwise to put off making repairs as you are tempting the likelihood of mechanical failure while riding. The motorcycle components that you should prioritize your attention should relate to visibility, maneuverability, and control.

• Horn

• Wheels

• Tires

• Handlebars 

•  Front & Rear Brakes 

• Controls

• Headlight 

•  Taillight 

•  Brake Light 

• Exhaust System

•  Muffler 

•  Rearview Mirror 

• New Jersey Motorcycle Manual
• New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commision - Insurance Requirements
• New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety - Motorcycle Safety Resources
• New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commision - Motorcycle
• New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission - License and Permit Fees