In order to renew motorcycle license information in New York, several factors determine fees, renewal locations and eligibility. Motorcycle license renewal cost varies according to the type of license you possess, your age and the county in which you reside. In order to legally operate a motorcycle on public roadways in New York, you must be in possession of a Class M or Class MJ license. The Class M renewal follows much the same renewal process as any other standard license. The Class MJ, or junior operator’s license, has restrictions for when and how it can be renewed.

The New York DMV offers motorcycle license renewal in a variety of formats, including online and by mail. Some types of renewals may require the applicant to appear in person at a local DMV office. Mandated documents for renewal may include a recent vision test or pre-licensing course.

When to Renew a Motorcycle License in New York

Motorcycle renewal requirements in New York follow the same basic guidelines as those set forth for renewing driver’s licenses. You should begin the motorcycle license renewal process several weeks before the expiration date listed on your license.

Failure to renew in time can result in costly fines and even license suspensions. If you renew anytime one year prior to your expiration date or two years after, your fees and new expiration date will be unaffected.

Eligibility for Motorcycle License Renewal in New York

Renewal requirements for motorcycle licenses in New York follow the same protocol as any standard driver’s license renewal. You are eligible to renew so long as you are within the required time frame of your expiration date. You will be deemed ineligible for renewal if your motorcycle license has been suspended or revoked.

Required Documents

Documents required to renew a motorcycle license in New York include:

  1. Your current license
  2. A completed MV-619 (vision test) or vision test results submitted online by an outside provider
  3. The last four digits of your Social Security Number
  4. Credit card, debit card, money order or check for payment

Instances When You Cannot Renew Your Motorcycle License in New York

Bike license renewal in New York cannot be completed for licenses that have expired for two years or more. Applicants with two-year or greater expired licenses must pass the road, vision, and written tests required for original licenses all over again.

Such applicants must also complete a required pre-licensing course. Riding during motorcycle license expiration can also lead to traffic tickets and fines that can cause your license to become suspended and thus ineligible for renewal.

How to Renew a New York Motorcycle License Online

“Can I renew my motorcycle license online in New York?” This common question will vary in answer depending on several factors. To renew m1 license types online, you must have a valid driver’s license. You also need an eye exam saved to the DMV Vision Registry within the last twelve months. Your address must already be correctly listed by the DMV. You have the option to renew online if:

  1. You are already in possession of an Enhanced or REAL ID
  2. You simply want to keep your standard document

The online renewal process takes less than five minutes to complete, on average. Early screens will ask questions about your voter registration and party designation. Whether you update these aspects or not, you must pass these screens before entering license information. If you need to update your photo while completing motorbike license renewal, you cannot renew online and must appear in person at your local DMV office. You will need your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and tag number in most instances.

When you reach the final screen of your online motorcycle license renewal, you will have the opportunity to print a PDF form of your new license. This printed version will serve as your official license until your new license arrives by mail. New licenses typically arrive within 10 days.

How to Renew a New York Motorcycle License by Mail

You can complete New York bike license renewal by mail if you already hold an Enhanced license or REAL ID. Payment via check or money order should accompany the completed renewal notice that will be sent to you by mail. Return your completed renewal to:

NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
207 Genesee Street, Suite 6
Utica, NY  13501-2874

How to Renew a New York Motorcycle License in Person

If you are wondering where to renew motorcycle license documentation in person, any local New York DMV office can assist you. Renewal applicants can fill out the required application in the office and pay fees directly to the DMV at the same time. Appointments are available but not mandatory. If your motorcycle license renewal needs include hearing impaired, low vision or translation services, the DMV office should be notified in advance to ensure speedy processing.

How to Renew a Motorcycle Permit in New York

To renew motorcycle permit documentation in New York is possible in certain cases and not in others. How many permits you currently carry will decide. If your motorcycle permit is your first permit, it is good for five years and cannot be renewed. If you hold two permits at once and your motorcycle permit is the second permit that you acquired, it will be valid for one year.

One-year permits are able to be renewed for one additional year provided that you can produce the necessary documentation. If your motorcycle permit expired prior to renewal, this creates additional requirements. In order to renew a one-year permit, you will need to bring your expired permit in to your local New York DMV office. If you do not have the permit itself, you will be required to produce New York’s standard “six points of ID” in order to renew your permit.

All acceptable forms of documentation for motorcycle permit renewal can be found, along with accompanying point values, on the DMV website.  Renewing a motorcycle permit requires you to visit a local New York DMV office and cannot be done online. New York assigns numerical point values to different types of identification. Some forms of documentation, while acceptable as proof of name or date of birth, may hold zero or insufficient value on their own. These forms of identification will need to be combined with other forms of point-attached identification in order to meet the six-point requirement for renewal.

New York Motorcycle License Renewal Costs

The fee to renew a bike license in New York appears on the paper application or will be displayed on the computer screen prior to paying during online renewal. The common question, “How much does it cost to renew a motorcycle license in New York?” is answerable in different sums depending on the type of regular driver’s license an applicant holds. If you live in an area where the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) fee is applicable, expect higher rates.

New York has recently transitioned to enhanced driver’s licenses for the purposes of boarding domestic flights. If your motorcycle license was issued before October 30, 2017 you must pay an additional thirty dollars to upgrade from the old standard license to the new enhanced license. While renewing your motorcycle license, you can opt to keep your standard document type. However, remember that this standard piece of identification remains insufficient for getting on a plane as of October of 2020. New or newly renewed motorcycle licenses that have not been enhanced will show “not for federal purposes” on the face of the license.

An applicant seeking to renew motorcycle endorsement information on a standard Class M or MJ license will owe seventy-two dollars and fifty cents at the time of renewal. If the MCTD fee is required for your area, the total cost will be eighty-eight dollars and fifty cents to renew. For renewing motorcycle license information on any license other than Classes A-C, CDL, D, DJ, E, M or MJ, such as perhaps a Class DM license, you will be charged an additional eight dollars.

Payments made by mail or in person at the DMV office can be processed by debit or credit card, check or money order made out to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. For online payments, the New York DMV accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

MCTD fees are one dollar per every six months that the permit or license will be valid. For a four-year motorcycle license, this will add up to eight dollars and for an eight-year license it will be sixteen dollars. New York motorcycle license renewal cost is subject to the MCTD fee in the following counties:

  • Brooklyn
  • Bronx
  • Richmond (Staten Island)
  • Dutchess
  • New York (Manhattan)
  • Nassau
  • Suffolk
  • Putnam
  • Orange
  • Westchester
  • Queens
Last updated on Wednesday, March 6 2019.