How to get your motorcycle licence in Canada

Manitoba

Manitoba’s graduated licensing program starts with a written test. Completion of this gets you an M class licence, valid only for the province’s official one-day Motorcycle Training Course, where you’ll learn basic motorcycle handling skills . You must also be 16 years old, and possess a valid driver’s licence of another class before starting this process.

Once you’ve completed your motorcycle training course, you can get your Class 6 (L) licence. You will have this licence for a minimum of nine months, and you will not be allowed to carry passengers during this time, and you must have 0% blood alcohol content. You also cannot ride at night, and you are not allowed to tow a vehicle, although it’s doubtful you’d do that with a bike anyway.

If you pass a road test after nine months, you qualify for the Class 6I (Intermediate) licence. You can carry a passenger now, but you still must maintain a 0% blood alcohol content while riding. Fifteen months after gaining your Class 6I licence, you can graduate to a full licence. However, you must still have 0% blood alcohol while riding, for 36 months after gaining a full Class 6.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Someone once told me that here in BC, when he got his licence back in the 70s, the clerk walked out into the parking lot and told him, “Ride out that gate there, and ride back in that gate over there.”

    Exiting through the one gate put you on a one-way street, and the only way to get back was to take a long loop around the block that went through a couple of intersections and over some railroad tracks. If you made it back in one piece you got your endorsement.

  2. Maybe check your info on the ON licence – you state in the article “You must hold your M1 licence for at least 60 days before taking a road test to advance to an M2 licence”….incorrect, you can take a recognized course anywhere in that time period, do the test within the course & be M2 qualified – the Ministry just waits until the 60 days to recognize it. Also you write “After 22 months you may then take a second road test to get your unrestricted M licence.” It is only 18 months if you take a recognized course.

    • Nope wife and I did the Ontario M licencing and the ministry states you have your M1 for ONLY 90 days after passing the written test, but after 60 days can you take your M1 exiting test and after the 90 days are up you either have your M2/ML or you have to start the process all over again.

  3. My dad took his car test back in the 50s and the examiner said, “Oh, do you want this to be good for a motorcycle too?” When my dad said “Sure!” The examiner ticked a second box and there you go – licensed for a bike for life.

  4. I had always assumed that to get your motorcycle licence in Alberta that you just went through the same process as a regular drivers’ licence there – fill out the form on the back of the cereal box, cut it out and mail it in with your proof of purchase.
    Learn something new every day.

  5. Times have changed…my dad took his test in Windsor Ontario in the late 60’s and it was basically ride around the block from the mto office and if you made it back in 1 piece you passed

Join the conversation!