Motorcycle training, permits & endorsements, answered.

It happens in two stages: first earn your permit, then earn your endorsement, and finally add it to your license at the DOL. In total that is four tests, the permit knowledge test (50 questions), the permit skills test, the endorsement knowledge test (25 questions), and the endorsement skills test. WMST is a DOL-approved examiner and gives all four, built into our courses. See the full step-by-step endorsement guide.

The permit comes first and lets you practice riding under restrictions. The endorsement is what actually goes on your Washington driver license and lets you ride on your own. You must hold a valid permit (or current valid permit scores) before you can take the endorsement skills test.

It depends on where you are starting. Never ridden? Start with KickStart or the Beginner Permit Qualifying course. Ridden a little but no permit? The Intermediate Permit Qualifying course. Already have your permit? The 2-Wheel Endorsement Qualifying course. Ride a trike or Spyder? The 3-Wheel Endorsement course. The how to get your endorsement page maps the whole path, or try the course guide.

WMST gives them. We are a DOL-approved examiner, so you train and test on the same range with the instructors who coached you. There is no separate trip to a state licensing office to take the tests.

Passing your skills test is not the final step. The admin team enters your scores to the DOL within 3 business days from the end of your course. You then add the endorsement online through DOL License Express (choose to replace your license, or renew if it is within a year of expiring, and add the endorsement at the payment screen), or at a DOL appointment. Your scores are good for one year. See the full guide to adding your endorsement.

KickStart is $159. The subsidized course rates are Beginner Permit Qualifying $369, Intermediate Permit Qualifying $269, 2-Wheel Endorsement $269, and 3-Wheel Endorsement $579. Subsidized prices require a Washington driver-license (WDL) number; unsubsidized pricing adds $90. See motorcycle pricing.

Yes. WMST passes through the Washington DOL motorcycle training subsidy for residents with a WDL number, plus active-duty military and their spouses and dependents. Unsubsidized pricing is $90 higher.

They are separate endorsements. Two-wheel motorcycles use the 2-Wheel Endorsement; trikes, Spyders, and side-cars use the 3-Wheel Endorsement, which is its own course with its own skills test. Not sure which you need? Read 2-wheel vs 3-wheel.

You can retake any failed test. Permit retakes and endorsement retakes are scheduled separately, with structured remediation between attempts. If you completed a WMST safety course in the past 90 days, you qualify for a Warm-Up Skills retest ($79) at any location, and you can use one of our training motorcycles. See retakes.

180 days, renewable once.

You must be at least 16 to take a motorcycle permit course. Riders under 18 require a signed parental consent form and ride under additional permit restrictions (no passengers, daylight only, no freeways).

Yes, we provide the training motorcycle for our training courses. We do not provide a helmet or gloves, so plan to bring your own.

Yes, in many of our courses. Some restrictions apply by location: at Silverdale, your personal bike must have a stock exhaust due to noise rules. See our policies for details.

A DOT-approved helmet, full-finger gloves, eye protection, long pants (denim or heavier), a long-sleeve jacket (denim, leather, or textile), and over-the-ankle boots.

You must attend all scheduled classroom and range sessions. Missing any session may require rescheduling into a future course. See policies.

$75 reschedule fee with 10 or more days notice. No refunds with less than 10 days notice. Emergencies are reviewed case-by-case.

We train across Western Washington, with ranges in Everett, Monroe, Auburn, Tacoma, and Silverdale, plus our Mukilteo classroom. See motorcycle locations for addresses and maps.