How to Get Your Motorcycle Licence in BC (Class 6)

Q: Do new drivers follow a different path than licensed drivers?

Yes. If you already hold a full BC driver's licence (Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5), you ride as a Class 6 learner, pass the motorcycle skills test, then take the Class 6 road test — there's no novice stage. If you don't have a driver's licence, or you hold a Class 7 licence, you go through the Graduated Licensing Program instead: a Class 8 learner's licence, a Class 8 road test after at least 12 months, at least 24 months as a Class 8 novice, then the Class 6 road test.

Q: Does rider training let me skip the ICBC motorcycle skills test?

It can. ICBC says: 'If you qualify, you may not have to take a motorcycle skills test with an ICBC driver examiner.' With an approved rider training course, you complete the skills assessment as part of the course, then bring a signed Driver Certification form to ICBC instead of booking the skills test separately.

British Columbia licenses riders in stages: a written knowledge test, a learner period, a closed-course skills test, and a road test. Here's the whole path through ICBC's process — what each stage involves and how to pass it.

Practice the knowledge test free →

Authority: ICBC
Knowledge test: 40 questions, 80%
Stages: Learner → MST → Road test(s)
Licence: Class 6 (Class 8 in the GLP)

The BC path at a glance

BC has two different paths, and which one you're on depends on the licence you already hold.

If you already hold a full BC driver's licence (Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5): knowledge test and vision screening → Class 6 learner's licence → motorcycle skills test (after 14 days) → Class 6 road test (after 30 days, and only once you've passed the skills test) → full Class 6 licence. No novice stage.
If you don't have a driver's licence, or you hold a Class 7 licence: the Graduated Licensing Program. Knowledge test and vision screening → Class 8 learner's licence → motorcycle skills test (after 30 days) → Class 8 road test (after at least 12 months holding the learner's licence, and only once you've passed the skills test) → at least 24 months in the novice stage → Class 6 road test → full Class 6 licence. That second road test is a required step, not a fallback.

If you've never held any driver's licence, you'll also need to pass the 50-question passenger vehicle knowledge test, based on Learn to Drive Smart — the $15 fee covers both tests.

Step by step

Study Learn to Ride Smart. ICBC's motorcycle knowledge test checks how well you know Learn to Ride Smart — signs, rules, and rider-specific skills like lane position and hazard scanning. Reinforce it with free practice tests in the ICBC format. You must be at least 16.
Pass the knowledge test. 40 multiple-choice questions on a touch screen at a driver licensing office — 80% to pass (32 correct), up to 45 minutes. It often ends sooner than that: the test stops as soon as you reach the required correct answers, or once you've gone past the number of wrong answers allowed. Since June 9, 2026, you can also take it online in one 45-minute sitting, if you meet ICBC's requirements for the online test. Bring two pieces of ID — there's a vision and medical screening too, plus glasses or contacts if you wear them. If you've never held a driver's licence, you'll also need to pass the 50-question passenger vehicle knowledge test based on Learn to Drive Smart; the $15 fee covers both. Our road signs guide illustrates common Canadian signs with pictures.
Ride as a learner. The conditions are stricter than most people expect: ride only during daylight hours, don't exceed 60 km/h, and carry no passengers. Until you pass the skills test you must also stay within sight of a supervisor who holds a valid full-privilege Class 6 licence — at least 19 if you're a Class 6 learner, at least 25 if you're a Class 8 learner. Class 8 learners must display an L sign and may not use hand-held or hands-free communication devices while riding; Class 8 learners and novices can't have any alcohol or certain drugs, including cannabis, in their system.
Pass the Motorcycle Skills Test (MST). A free assessment, about 15 minutes, in a parking lot or other off-street site. You identify the motorcycle's controls and show your hand signals, then run through low-speed manoeuvres: a slow ride, U-turns, a slalom, tight turns, accelerating and decelerating, and a sudden stop. Passing it removes the supervisor requirement and the 60 km/h limit.
Pass your road test(s). The examiner speaks to you through a radio headset while you ride a route covering a pre-trip safety check, on-road manoeuvres through city streets, commercial areas and highways, and hazard perception, followed by a feedback session. Full-licence holders take the Class 6 road test (about an hour) and are done. GLP riders take the Class 8 road test first (about 45 minutes), hold Class 8N for at least 24 months, then take the Class 6 road test.

Rider training can replace the ICBC skills test. ICBC says: "If you qualify, you may not have to take a motorcycle skills test with an ICBC driver examiner." With an approved rider training course, you complete the skills assessment as part of the course, then bring a signed Driver Certification form to ICBC instead of booking the skills test separately.

The bike you test on matters

Qualify on a motorcycle of 200 cc or less (other than a scooter) and your licence carries a restriction that stops you carrying passengers. Qualify on a motor scooter and you're restricted to riding scooters and limited-speed motorcycles only. Either restriction is removed once you pass the tests on the other kind of motorcycle — make sure the bike you book with matches the licence you actually want, and that it's insured and registered.

What it costs

Knowledge test: $15 (this covers the passenger vehicle knowledge test too, if you need it). Skills test: free. Class 8 road test: $35, plus $75 for the Class 8 novice photo licence. Class 6 road test: $50, then the licence itself costs $17 (or $75 if it expires in six months or less). Cancelling a road test with less than 48 hours' notice costs $25. Fees as of March 2026; check ICBC before you book.

Learner conditions and wait periods differ by GLP status, and BC's Graduated Licensing Program is changing on October 19, 2026 for drivers with a Class 7 novice or Class 7, 8 novice licence. BC has also announced regulatory changes to the Motorcyclist Licensing Program that take effect in 2027. Check ICBC for how these affect your path. This guide describes the process as of 2026; always confirm current requirements with ICBC.

How to pass the knowledge test on the first try

The written test rewards familiarity with the question format as much as the material. Practice by topic until every chapter sits above 80%, then run full-length mock exams. The free BC practice test mirrors the ICBC format — 40 questions, 80% to pass, illustrated signs — and tracks which chapters still need work.

Start practicing free →

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the ICBC motorcycle knowledge test?

40 multiple-choice questions, taken on a touch screen at a driver licensing office. You need 80% — 32 correct — to pass, with up to 45 minutes allowed (the test actually ends as soon as you reach the required correct answers, or once you've gone past the number of wrong answers allowed). Since June 9, 2026, you can also take it online in one 45-minute sitting, if you meet ICBC's requirements for the online test. It checks how well you know ICBC's Learn to Ride Smart guide.

What is the Motorcycle Skills Test?

A free assessment, about 15 minutes, in a parking lot or other off-street site. You identify the motorcycle's controls and show your hand signals, then run through low-speed manoeuvres: a slow ride, U-turns, a slalom, tight turns, accelerating and decelerating, and a sudden stop. Passing it removes the supervisor requirement and the 60 km/h limit.

Can I ride at night as a learner?

No. BC motorcycle learners may ride only during daylight hours and can't carry passengers. Until you pass the skills test you must also stay within sight of a supervisor who holds a valid full-privilege Class 6 licence — at least 19 if you're a Class 6 learner, at least 25 if you're a Class 8 learner — and keep under 60 km/h. Passing the skills test removes the supervisor and speed restrictions.

I already have a BC driver's licence — is my path shorter?

Yes. Full-licence holders (Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) ride as a Class 6 learner, pass the skills test, then take the Class 6 road test — no novice stage. If you don't have a driver's licence, or you hold a Class 7 licence, you go through the Graduated Licensing Program instead: a Class 8 learner's licence, a Class 8 road test after at least 12 months, at least 24 months as a Class 8 novice, then the Class 6 road test.

Does rider training let me skip the ICBC skills test?

It can. ICBC says: "If you qualify, you may not have to take a motorcycle skills test with an ICBC driver examiner." With an approved rider training course, you complete the skills assessment as part of the course, then bring a signed Driver Certification form to ICBC instead of booking the skills test separately.

Sources

Checked against these official sources in September 2026.

Unofficial guide — not affiliated with ICBC or any licensing authority. Rules, fees, and formats change; always verify current requirements with ICBC.