Motorcycle license without driving license at California - SOCALSPORTBIKES.ORG

kfount · 10:09 PM

Hi!

I am a visitor at the Bay Area (also new at the forum

) and I will stay here for 1-2 years. I recently passed the class C and M writing tests. Tomorrow I will start the CSMP course and hopefully finish that successfully too. However, I do not have a car driving license yet because I never signed up for the behind-the-wheel test. This means that I do not have a California class C license; I do have a permit though.

Do you know if having class C and M permits and the CSMP course done allows you to apply directly for an M1 motorcycle license without having a class C driving license?

I asked this several times at the DMV both on the phone and also in person. The technician on the phone told me that I can do this. The assistants at the DMV told me that I cannot. I also checked this https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl_info#two505 and there is no reference to class C license. In the same link the only relevant reference that I found was this: "If you are only applying for an original Class M1 or M2 and hold no other driver license, you may be required to perform an observation test."
I have no idea what the observation test is!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

thtanner · 08-02-2017, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfount

Hi!

I am a visitor at the Bay Area (also new at the forum

) and I will stay here for 1-2 years. I recently passed the class C and M writing tests. Tomorrow I will start the CSMP course and hopefully finish that successfully too. However, I do not have a car driving license yet because I never signed up for the behind-the-wheel test. This means that I do not have a California class C license; I do have a permit though.

Do you know if having class C and M permits and the CSMP course done allows you to apply directly for an M1 motorcycle license without having a class C driving license?

I asked this several times at the DMV both on the phone and also in person. The technician on the phone told me that I can do this. The assistants at the DMV told me that I cannot. I also checked this https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl_info#two505 and there is no reference to class C license. In the same link the only relevant reference that I found was this: "If you are only applying for an original Class M1 or M2 and hold no other driver license, you may be required to perform an observation test."
I have no idea what the observation test is!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The observation test is the DMV test where you have to ride around the circle.

I don't believe you need the Class C.

kfount · 08-02-2017, 10:22 PM

Thanks! This is what I believed too, but I heard some weird stories at the DMV :-D.
I will call them tomorrow again and also ask the guys at the course. Let's see!

Sembalap · 08-03-2017, 05:10 AM

DMV is weird and even the staff often don't know what they're doing
But if you passed both written test you may experience what I had.
I passed both written test but I didn't take M practice test because I had no bike. For months and months I did not receive my DL card and I didn't know why. I called DMV, they couldn't give correct answer beside telling me to wait. I kept on driving and renewing temporary DL. Finally I gave them a visit and it took forever for them to check and find out the real reason was because I still had to do M class practice test.
Soon after I passed M class practice test I received my DL card.

kfount · 08-03-2017, 11:06 AM

I think I figured this out so I will write here what I know in case that someone else has the same question.

I called the DMV today again, this time the assistant was very helpful.
He told me (his manager verified that too) that if I have a class C and M permits but I do not have a full class C license (in my case I never actually did the behind-the-wheel driving test) I can still get a full motorcycle M license as long as I pass the motorcycle driving test at the DMV. Because I do not have a full class C license the exemption from the CSMP course does not hold.

To sum up. If you do not have a class C driving license and you want to have a motorcycle M license then you need

1) class C permit
2) class M permit
3) pass the DMV motorcycle test, the CSMP safety course does not count as a replacement.

08-02-2017, 10:04 PM	#1
kfount Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 7	Motorcycle license without driving license at California Hi! I am a visitor at the Bay Area (also new at the forum ) and I will stay here for 1-2 years. I recently passed the class C and M writing tests. Tomorrow I will start the CSMP course and hopefully finish that successfully too. However, I do not have a car driving license yet because I never signed up for the behind-the-wheel test. This means that I do not have a California class C license; I do have a permit though. Do you know if having class C and M permits and the CSMP course done allows you to apply directly for an M1 motorcycle license without having a class C driving license? I asked this several times at the DMV both on the phone and also in person. The technician on the phone told me that I can do this. The assistants at the DMV told me that I cannot. I also checked this https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl_info#two505 and there is no reference to class C license. In the same link the only relevant reference that I found was this: "If you are only applying for an original Class M1 or M2 and hold no other driver license, you may be required to perform an observation test." I have no idea what the observation test is! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
	Last edited by kfount; 08-02-2017 at 10:09 PM.

08-02-2017, 10:22 PM	#3
kfount Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 7	Thanks! This is what I believed too, but I heard some weird stories at the DMV :-D. I will call them tomorrow again and also ask the guys at the course. Let's see!

08-03-2017, 05:10 AM	#4
Sembalap Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 370	DMV is weird and even the staff often don't know what they're doing But if you passed both written test you may experience what I had. I passed both written test but I didn't take M practice test because I had no bike. For months and months I did not receive my DL card and I didn't know why. I called DMV, they couldn't give correct answer beside telling me to wait. I kept on driving and renewing temporary DL. Finally I gave them a visit and it took forever for them to check and find out the real reason was because I still had to do M class practice test. Soon after I passed M class practice test I received my DL card.

08-03-2017, 11:06 AM	#5
kfount Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 7	I think I figured this out so I will write here what I know in case that someone else has the same question. I called the DMV today again, this time the assistant was very helpful. He told me (his manager verified that too) that if I have a class C and M permits but I do not have a full class C license (in my case I never actually did the behind-the-wheel driving test) I can still get a full motorcycle M license as long as I pass the motorcycle driving test at the DMV. Because I do not have a full class C license the exemption from the CSMP course does not hold. To sum up. If you do not have a class C driving license and you want to have a motorcycle M license then you need 1) class C permit 2) class M permit 3) pass the DMV motorcycle test, the CSMP safety course does not count as a replacement.