Can I carry a passenger with an M1 licence?

No. M1 riders cannot carry passengers, must not ride between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise, must keep a zero blood-alcohol level, and must not drive on roads with speed limits of more than 80 km/h, except highways 11, 17, 61, 69, 71, 101, 102, 144 and 655.

How many questions are on the Ontario M1 knowledge test?

DriveTest doesn't publish the number of questions on the M1 knowledge test. It has sections covering road signs, rules of the road, and motorcycle-specific knowledge, and you need a total score of at least 80% to pass.

What happens if I fail the M1 knowledge test?

Your result is valid for one year. If you retry within that year, you only have to rewrite the sections that did not meet MTO's standard, not the whole test — so it pays to know exactly which section (signs, rules of the road, or motorcycle knowledge) let you down.

How to Get Your M1 Licence in Ontario

Q: How long is an M1 licence valid?

An Ontario M1 licence is valid for 90 days. You must hold it for at least 60 days before moving to M2, so plan your next step early — if it expires before you upgrade, you have to start over.

The M1 is the first step of Ontario's graduated motorcycle licensing — and the only thing between you and it is a vision check and a written knowledge test. Here's the whole process, start to finish, without the bureaucratic fog.

Practice the M1 test free →

Minimum age: 16
Test: ~30 min, 80% overall to pass
M1 valid: 90 days
Path: M1 → M2 → M

What the M1 actually is

Ontario licenses motorcyclists in three stages: M1 (learner), M2 (intermediate), and M (full). The M1 is earned with a written knowledge test — no riding required — and it lets you start riding on the road immediately, under restrictions designed to keep new riders out of the highest-risk situations. It's valid for 90 days, and you must hold it at least 60 days before you can move up to M2 — let it expire before then and you'll have to start over.

Step by step

Study the Official MTO Motorcycle Handbook. The knowledge test is drawn from it — road signs, rules of the road, and motorcycle-specific skills like lane position, braking, and carrying loads. Pair it with free practice tests on the same topics so nothing on test day feels new.
Go to a DriveTest centre. The knowledge test doesn't require the kind of long-lead booking a road test does — check your local centre's hours and whether it takes walk-ins or online booking. Bring accepted identification (passport, PR card, or Ontario photo card) and glasses or contacts if you wear them.
Pass the vision test and the written test. The M1 knowledge test has sections covering road signs, rules of the road, and motorcycle knowledge. DriveTest doesn't publish how many questions that adds up to, but you need a total score of at least 80% to pass. Our road signs guide illustrates common Canadian signs with pictures.
Ride under M1 restrictions. Congratulations — you're a licensed rider, with conditions (next section). Use the 60-day minimum period to build real skills, ideally in quiet traffic and good weather.
Move up to M2. Two routes: pass the M1 exit road test at DriveTest, or take your Level One road test as part of a government-approved motorcycle safety course. Either way you need at least 60 days at Level One before you can move up. The course certificate is valid for only six months: take it to a DriveTest centre after your 60 days are up but before six months have passed, and you move to M2 without a separate road test at DriveTest — wait too long and the certificate lapses, and you'll have to take the road test after all.
Earn your full M. At Level Two (M2) you can ride at night and carry a passenger (except on a moped) — your blood-alcohol level must still stay at zero. You need at least 22 months at Level Two, or 18 months if you completed an approved safety course, and you must pass the M2 exit road test — which includes a freeway portion — within five years of passing your Level One road test. Pass it and the licence is yours for good.

M1 restrictions — the four rules

Straight from the MTO Motorcycle Handbook's graduated licensing chapter:

Zero alcohol. Your blood-alcohol level must be 0.00 while riding.
Daylight only. No riding from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise.
80 km/h speed limit. You must not drive on roads with speed limits of more than 80 km/h, except highways 11, 17, 61, 69, 71, 101, 102, 144 and 655.
No passengers. You ride alone until M2.

What it costs

MTO sets the fees for the knowledge test, the M1 licence, and each road test — see DriveTest's current fee schedule for exact amounts. Budget separately for course fees if you take the safety-course route to M2 — check with the school for current pricing.

Details like fees, booking rules, and test formats change over time. This guide describes the process as of 2026 — always confirm current requirements with MTO / DriveTest.

How to pass the written test on the first try

You need a total score of at least 80% to pass, but the test is still built from sections on road signs, rules of the road, and motorcycle knowledge — and if you have to retry within a year, you only rewrite the sections that didn't meet MTO's standard the first time. So don't just cram generally: practice each section on its own until it's solid, and the overall 80% takes care of itself. The free Ontario practice test covers all three areas chapter by chapter, and its mock exam uses the same 80% overall pass mark.

Start practicing free →

Frequently asked questions

How long is an M1 licence valid?

90 days. You must hold it at least 60 days before moving to M2 — so book your course or exit test early. If the M1 expires before you upgrade, you have to start over.

Can I carry a passenger with an M1?

No — riding solo is one of the four M1 restrictions, along with zero alcohol, daylight-only riding, and the 80 km/h speed-limit rule (no roads posted above 80 km/h, aside from nine highways the handbook lists by number).

How many questions are on the M1 knowledge test?

DriveTest doesn't publish that number. The test has sections on road signs, rules of the road, and motorcycle knowledge, and you need a total score of at least 80% to pass.

Should I take a motorcycle safety course?

It's worth considering. With an approved course you take the Level One road test as part of the course, your minimum time at M2 drops from 22 months to 18, and you may qualify for lower insurance premiums.

What if I fail the knowledge test?

Your result is valid for a year. If you retry within that year, you only rewrite the sections you didn't meet MTO's standard on — so find your weak section (signs, rules of the road, or motorcycle knowledge) and drill it before rebooking.

Sources

Checked against these official sources in September 2026.

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