How to Get Your Motorcycle Licence in Nova Scotia (Class 6)

The Nova Scotia path at a glance

Knowledge and Balance tests → Learner (Class LM, at least 6 months, or 3 with a course) → road test → Newly licensed (Class 6N, at least 2 years) → Restricted (Class 6R, 2 years) → full Class 6. The steps below walk through what each stage requires.

Step by step

1. Hold a driver's licence or Class 7 learner's licence. Nova Scotia requires you to already have a driver's licence or a Class 7 learner's licence, and be at least 16, before the motorcycle knowledge test.
2. Review the Driver's Handbook. Pair it with free practice tests on the same topics so nothing on test day feels new.
3. Pass the knowledge test online or at a Registry of Motor Vehicles / Access Nova Scotia office. The knowledge test has 20 questions and you need 16 of 20 correct (80%) to pass. Our Canadian road signs guide illustrates common Canadian signs with pictures.
4. Pass the Balance Test. Required after the knowledge test — pass it and you have 12 months to get your learner licence. An approved training course includes the Balance Test.
5. Ride through Class LM, then Class 6N. Class LM learner: at least 6 months (3 with an approved course), no passengers, daylight only, zero blood alcohol. After the road test, Class 6N newly licensed: at least 2 years, zero alcohol, no riding midnight to 5 a.m. (work exemption), and you complete a recognized training program or a 6-hour Defensive Driving course.
6. Finish Class 6R restricted (2 years, zero alcohol) — then every GDL condition ends and you hold a full Class 6.

Learner restrictions

• Class LM learner: no passengers, daylight only, zero blood alcohol
• Class 6N newly licensed: zero alcohol, no riding midnight to 5 a.m. (work exemption)
• Class 6R restricted: zero alcohol

Fees, learner conditions, and test formats change over time. This guide describes the process as of 2026 — always confirm current requirements with Service Nova Scotia. Expect a modest fee for the knowledge test and separate fees for road tests.

How to pass the knowledge test on the first try

Practice by topic until every chapter sits consistently above the pass mark, then run full-length mock exams. The free Nova Scotia practice test covers road signs, rules of the road and riding skills, chapter by chapter — 20 questions, 16 of 20 correct (80%) to pass, illustrated road signs — and tracks which chapters still need work.

Frequently asked questions

Guides for other provinces

Sources

• Knowledge test
• Graduated licensing
• Motorcycle levels

Checked against these official sources in September 2026.

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