Motorcycle Safety Frequently Asked Questions

Registration may be completed by web, fax, mail, or in-person, when allowed. Students should review WDCE Registration Information, Options and Policies for more information.

Students will be required to upload proof of COVID-19 vaccination or receive an exception after registering and before class in order to participate. Students will be dropped from in-person classes if forms are not submitted.

The Montgomery College student vaccination requirement took effect January 7, 2022. This means students must submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or receive an exception to attend any class. Students will be dropped from in-person classes if forms are not submitted.

For more information about vaccination requirements, go to: https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/return-to-campus/vaccines.htmlnew window. 

Need help? Watch How to Submit Your Vaccination Proofnew window.

Payment for the course is due at the time of registration. Students who register without payment would be removed from the class without notice. 

No.

To be eligible you must be a resident of Maryland and qualify for in-state tuition according to the College guidelines. Students should review WDCE Registration Information, Options and Policies for more information.

WDCE courses do not hold wait lists for students. Sections are available on a first come, first serve basis with payment due at the time of registration. Students can register for classes with current availability. Students should continue to monitor availability as number of available seats changes frequently.

The Basic Rider Course (BRC) is designed for individuals with little or no motorcycle experience. 

The Basic Rider Course 2 – License Waiver (BRC2-LW) is an advanced licensing course for advanced riders with years of experience. Students who do not meet the minimum riding standard for the BRC2-LW would be removed from the class and would not receive a refund. Students removed from the BRC2-LW should enroll in an upcoming BRC course.

When in doubt about which class to take to earn your M endorsement, we suggest taking the BRC. 

Yes, the MVA requires students to complete an eCourse when enrolling in a licensing course. The eCourse will take approximately 5 hours to complete. The online eCourse will provide the necessary content to prepare for the knowledge test and classroom activities

Students are provided access to the eCourse 1 week prior to the course start date as long as they are registered at that time. Class materials, eCourse instructions and correspondence will be sent to your MyMC email account and any secondary email you have on your MyMC account. 

Proof of completion will be verified prior the start of the first class session of your course.

A course informational email is sent one week prior to the online meeting date. This email will include information on how to access the online eCourse. This information is sent to the email listed on your Montgomery College student account. 

It is the students responsibility to update contact information at the time of registration or through the MyMC student portal.

If you register late for the course, within 1 week of the online meeting date, the student is recommended to contact the Training Center Manager so that they can send the necessary information. Contact information is in the purple box to the right on web, at the bottom on mobile. 

• Classroom Location: Online video-conference
• Range Location: Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus Parking Lot #2.
  • Review the Rockville Campus Mapnew window to find the locations of the Mannakee Building (MK) and Parking Lot 2.

Location of classes is subject to change.

Students must provide their own riding gear  - students are expected to arrive and ride motorcycles in proper and approved attire. The course Instructor shall be responsible for inspecting a student’s riding gear. If any item of the student’s gear does not meet the required standards the student will not be allowed to participate in the course.

Approved attire is as follows:

•  Jacket or sturdy long-sleeved shirt
• Sturdy long pants (NO tears or holes)
• Over-the-ankle NON-canvas footwear with a low heel
• Full fingered gloves
• DOT-compliant full-faced helmet (equipped with a face shield) or;
• ¾ helmet (with eye protection such as eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles)

Your helmet should meet the following standards:

• ​A Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218 compliant helmet:

  • Any style of compliant helmet may be worn, but the Program recommends the full-face, or modular, a.k.a. flip-up and open-face, a.k.a. ¾ style helmets because they provide the most protection for a novice rider. Any student with a helmet less than full-face with a face shield should also provide eye protection such as eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles.
  • All labeling, exterior and interior, must be intact;
  • Be in good condition with no damage to the outer shell or have an excessively worn interior lining; and
  • Must fit properly.
  • If the helmet appears old, the interior liner will be checked for the sticker indicating the month and year of manufacture. If it is more than 5-years old, the helmet should not be used.

Students without proper riding gear for the riding sessions will not be allowed to participate in the course and will not be eligible for a refund nor will they be rescheduled for a different course. Montgomery College will not have gear available to borrow.

Completing all course requirements and objectives within the BRC or BRC2-LW, including passing both a knowledge and skill tests, would make a Maryland Resident eligible for the M endorsement. Completing the class does not make a person a legal rider.

Students must go to the MVA to add the new endorsement to become a legal rider. Students are responsible for any fees associated with a new endorsement. The Completion Certificate is valid for six months from the date the individual completes the course, pass or fail.  If the Certificate expires it will NOT be renewed for any reason.

There is no guarantee that an individual enrolling in a course will pass or become eligible for a motorcycle license or endorsement

Participants in Basic Rider Course and Basic Rider Course 2 – License Waiver option should NOT ride their personal motorcycle to class unless the motorcycle is street legal and the operator is properly licensed.  

Individuals operating a motorcycle with a valid learner's permit must report to the course Instructor with their accompanying licensed rider upon their arrival to any scheduled class session.  The accompanying rider must also return at the end of the class. The accompanying rider must be a licensed motorcyclist who is over 21 years of age and has been a licensed rider for at least three years.  This individual can be following the permitted rider on another motorcycle, or in a car within a reasonable sight distance.

Individuals in violation of this policy will not be permitted to participate in the motorcycle safety course and will not be eligible for a refund nor will they be rescheduled.

You must be on time. Per MVA guidelines, you will not be permitted to enter the class once it has started. This includes all sessions (both classroom and riding days). 

There is no opportunity in the course to review missed material. The class starts at the time specified according to the Instructor or Training Center Manager. Students that are late will not qualify for a refund.

Montgomery College is not responsible for traffic, weather, or any other condition or circumstance that might cause a participant to be late. It is the student’s responsibility to be on time for each class session. We recommend that you plan to be at the proper location at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the class.

Instructors who are certified by the Maryland Motorcycle Safety Program (MCSP) and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) teach all classes.

Completing and passing the class does not make a person a legal rider.

Completing all course requirements and objectives within the BRC or BRC2-LW, including passing both a knowledge and skill tests, would make a Maryland Resident eligible for the M endorsement. Passing students will receive a Safety Course Completion Card at the end of the course.

Students must go to the MVA to add the new endorsement to become a legal rider. Students are responsible for any fees associated with a new endorsement. The Completion Certificate is valid for six months from the date the individual completes the course, pass or fail.  If the Certificate expires it will NOT be renewed for any reason.

There is no guarantee that an individual enrolling in a course will pass or become eligible for a motorcycle license or endorsement.

After you complete all course requirements and pass a licensing course, you will need to wait a minimum of 3 business days (72 hours) after the course ends to go to the MVA to add their M endorsement to your license. The Completion Certificate is valid for six months from the date the individual completes the course, pass or fail.  If the Certificate expires it will NOT be renewed for any reason.

College closures or holidays may impact when student completion is applied to a student’s myMVA account.

Students without a Maryland driver’s license will only receive a Safety Course Completion card upon passing the course. Students cannot be added to the MVA portal unless they have a Maryland soundex number (Driver’s License number).

You will need to contact the DMV associated with your current non-Maryland license to determine what additional processes you would need to complete.

In order to ride on military installations, you must show proof of having successfully completed the BRC. The Maryland Completion Card is considered proof. Individuals who pass both the written and riding portion will get a Maryland Completion Card (the business card sized document) to present to your state agency for approval. You will not receive a Completion Certificate (the letter sized document) unless you are licensed in Maryland.

Students must complete the course in its entirety and meet all objectives, to become eligible for the M endorsement as well as pass both a knowledge and skill test within the course. The knowledge test is presented in multiple choice format. Tests are only administered in English; no other language is available. The skill test will access the techniques that were taught throughout the course.

There is no guarantee that an individual enrolling in a course will pass or become eligible for a motorcycle license or endorsement.

Students who fail the knowledge and/or skill test should contact the Training Center Manager for next steps. Students have one retest opportunity per test (if applicable). All scheduling is through the Training Center Manager. 

A failure on a retest results in the student being required to take another full BRC or BRC2-LW course to earn the M endorsement.

There is no guarantee that an individual enrolling in a course will pass or become eligible for a motorcycle license or endorsement.

If you need support services due to a disability, please follow these steps:   

Register for a class.   
Call 240-567-5266 or e-mail  natalie.martinez@montgomerycollege.edu  at least four weeks prior to the start of class to arrange for accommodations and/or assistive technology.   
If this procedure is not followed, services may be delayed and you may not be able to participate in the program.

Classes are sometimes affected by the weather. In the case of extreme weather conditions, please check Montgomery College or the College’s main phone number at 240-567-5000, which will indicate if the College (and all of its classes) is closed. 

Unless the College is closed or you are contacted by Montgomery College, you can expect the course to proceed. On rare occasions heavy rain or strong winds will force a class to be postponed. If that is the case you will be notified, and your class will be rescheduled. Should you have any questions about the course you may contact the Training Center Manager.

No, you may take the course without a driver’s license as long as you are 16 years and 7 months. However, you will not be able to obtain the "M" endorsement on your license until you have met certain requirements as outlined in the Maryland Graduated License Program. Students under the age of 18, or those applying for their first driver's license, must complete the Maryland Graduated License Program, before they can apply for a secondary license (such as motorcycle).

If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the MVA/MCSP Release form which will be given out at the first class. You will not be allowed to attend the first range session unless your parent or guardian has signed the release form.

Non-Maryland residents will have to pay an additional non-resident fee when they register for the class. Upon the successful completion of the class Non-Maryland resident students will receive a completion card, not a certificate. Maryland completion cards may or may not be acceptable to other states.

The circumstances that qualify a student for a refund are expressed in our  refund policy. If you have further questions, please contact one of our staff.