To get a motorcycle endorsement (Class M licence) in Ontario Canada, you must be at least 16 years old and complete a three-step graduated licensing system: pass an M1 written test, upgrade to an M2 licence via a road test or approved safety course, and eventually pass a final road test for a full M licence.
Step 1: Get your M1 Licence (Knowledge Test)
- Visit a
Drive test Center with original identification to pass a vision test and a written multiple-choice knowledge test.
- M1 Restrictions: Zero blood alcohol level, daylight riding only (half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset), no passengers, and no 400-series highways or roads with speed limits over 80 km/h.
- The M1 permit is valid for 90 days
- Step 2: Get your M2 Licence (Practical Skill)
- Wait a minimum of 60 days on your M1 licence.
- Option A: Take an MTO-approved motorcycle safety course (the M1 Exit course). Passing the course tests your skills on training bikes and automatically upgrades you to an M2 when you register the certificate at a DriveTest centre.
- Option B: Book and pass the M2 road test at a DriveTest centre using your own motorcycle.
- M2 Privileges: You can now ride at night, carry passengers, and ride on any road, but you must still maintain a zero blood alcohol level. Your M2 licence is valid for 5 years
Step 3: Get your Full M Licence
- Hold your M2 licence for at least 22 months, or 18 months if you completed an approved safety course during your M1 phase.
- Book and pass the full M road test, which tests advanced riding skills on high-speed roads and highways.
Back in 1972 when I got my licence, we wrote the M1 and could literally drive the final M driving test on the same day and we were done. Now it's a graduated system.
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