Motorcycle licences

To drive a motorcycle in the ACT, you need an ACT motorcycle licence.

Read about licence classes and conditions.

Getting a learner licence

To get an ACT learner motorcycle licence you must:

be at least 16 years and 9 months old
if you don’t already hold an ACT driver licence, complete a Pre-learner licence course and pass the ACT Road Rules test
pass a government approved rider training course.

A Motorcycle Riding Certificate of Competence for pre-learner rider and pre-provisional rider training issued by an approved Authority rider training contractor is valid for 1 month from the date of issue.

Do the Pre-learner course

If you don’t already have an ACT driver licence, you’ll need to do the Pre-learner course and pass the ACT Road Rules test.

Some ACT schools offer the Pre-learner licence course to Year 10 students for free as part of the curriculum.

You can also do the course through an ACT-based training provider. View an approved list of providers on the City Services website.

Do the rider training course

The ACT Learner Motorcycle Rider Training Course is provided by:

Stay Upright
- Call 02 6297 1144 or visit the Stay Upright website.

Visit at an Access Canberra Service Centre

If you don’t already have an ACT driver licence, visit an Access Canberra Service Centre to apply for a learner licence. You must have completed the course and passed the test.

On the day:

you will do an eye test to make sure you pass minimum eyesight requirements
bring the certificate showing you passed the ACT Road Rules test
bring your proof of identity and residency. If you’re under 18 and can’t prove your residency (for example, you don’t receive mail addressed to you), a parent or legal guardian can complete a statutory declaration stating that you live with them
pay the fee.

Access Canberra will mail you your licence,

Read about proof of identity

Read about proof of residency

Get your licence endorsed

If you do already hold an ACT driver licence, visit an Access Canberra Service Centre to have your driver licence endorsed with the learner rider class. You must have completed the learner motorcycle rider training course.

Bring with you:

your ACT driver licence
the passed rider training course certificate.

If you have an ACT learner licence for cars, the motorcycle learner rider class endorsement will be added to your licence for free.

If you have a provisional or full ACT driver licence, you’ll need to pay a fee for the endorsement.

If you currently hold a car licence (other than a learner), a fee is applicable. However, if you are adding the motorcycle learner licence to a car learner licence there is no charge.

Rules for learner motorcycle riders

When riding with your learner licence you must:

display 'L' plates at the rear of the motorcycle
not carry a pillion passenger (someone sitting behind you)
not ride a motorcycle with a power to weight ratio exceeding 150 kilowatts per tonne
have a blood or breath alcohol concentration of zero
not tow a trailer
not exceed posted speed limits.

Types of bikes you can ride

As a learner motorcycle rider, you can only ride bikes with a power-to-weight ratio (kW/tonne) of 150 kW/tonne or less.

Engine capacity of 660cc or less

For motorcycles with an engine capacity of 660cc or less the equation is:

Power (in kilowatts) divided by Tare weight plus 90 (in kilograms), multiplied by 1000.

For example, a Kawasaki Z250R, which has a capacity of 250cc is compliant:

(15 kW / (131 kg + 90 kg)) x 1000 = 67 kW/tonne.

Engine capacity of more than 660c

For motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 660cc the equation is:

Power (in kilowatts) divided by Tare weight plus 68 (in kilograms), multiplied by 1000.

For example, a Honda CBR650F, which has a capacity of 649cc is compliant:

(23 kW / (136 kg + 68 kg)) x 1000 = 102 kW/tonne.

View a list of learner approved motorcycles in the ACT [XLSX 1.2MB] [PDF 1.0MB]

Add a suitable learner bike

If you don’t see your bike on the list but you believe it’s learner suitable:

complete an Application for a motorbike to be recognised as learner and novice approved [PDF 161KB]
submit it by:
- email to rego.act.help@act.gov.au
- post to PO Box 582 Dickson ACT 2602.

Renew your motorcycle learner licence

Motorcycle learner licences are only valid for one year. To renew your learner rider licence:

complete the Road Rules Knowledge Test (unless you hold a provisional or full driver licence or your previous test is still valid (within 2 years))
complete the learner motorcycle rider training course.

Bring the certificates for both to an Access Canberra Service Centre and pay the fee.

Getting a motorcycle provisional licence

To get a motorcycle provisional licence you must:

be at least 17 years old
have held a motorcycle learner licence for at least 3 months
complete a Pre-provisional rider course and pass the assessment.

Do the course and pass the assessment

If you’re at least 17 and you’ve held your motorcycle learner licence for at least 3 months. You can do the pre-provisional course.

The Pre-provisional motorcycle rider training course is provided by:

Stay Upright
- Call 02 6297 1144 or visit the Stay Upright website.

Automatic motorcycles

If you completed the assessment on an automatic motorcycle, your licence will have an automatic condition.

This means you can only ride automatic motorcycles.

The condition is automatically removed after 12 months from the ACT registration system. You can remove it sooner if you do another rider assessment on a manual motorcycle.

Visit an Access Canberra Service Centre

To get your provisional motorcycle licence, visit an Access Canberra Service Centre.

Bring with you:

your learner motorcycle licence
the pre-provisional assessment certificate
a debit or credit card to pay the fee.

Access Canberra will mail you your licence. You’ll be issued a temporary licence which you can use until your physical card arrives, which can take up to 21 business days

Rules for provisional motorcycle licence holders

When riding with your provisional licence, for the first 12 months you can’t:

ride motor bikes or motor trikes with a power-to-weight ratio greater than 150kW/tonne
carry a pillion passenger (someone sitting behind you)
tow any vehicle (including a trailer).

Provisional licence holders must use the red 'P' plates only.

A provisional licence is valid for 3 years if it's your primary licence.

If your primary licence is a car licence, your provisional motorbike licence is valid for one year.

If you need to renew your provisional licence, renewal is valid for 1 year.

Read about renewing your licence.

Renew your provisional motorcycle licence

Off-road motorcycle riding

You can only ride unlicensed or on unregistered dirt/trail bikes on private land and with the permission of the property owner.

Most dirt/trail bikes aren’t registered and it’s illegal to use them on public roads and fire trails in the ACT.

If your dirt/trail bike is registered and you have a motorcycle licence you can ride on the fire trails in the Uriarra Forest and Pierces Creek Forest only. You must follow all road rules.

Report unregistered bikes or dangerous riding

You can report unregistered or dangerous motorcycles to ACT Police. Call 13 14 44.