Jason the Lawyer

Keeping It Legal: Get Your Motorcycle Endorsement!

Jus t T w o L e t t e rs Can Sa v e Y o u T im e , Mo ne y and He adac he s

To ride a motorcycle legally in the state of Michigan one must have a valid operators or driver’s license with a motorcycle “CY” endorsement. Obtaining your motorcycle endorsement is pretty simple: 1. Make an appointment at your local Secretary of State office. 2. Pass the vision test and written motorcycle exam. 3. Pass an on-cycle rider skills exam given by an approved third-party testing organization OR show a certificate of completion from an approved motorcycle safety course.

Why Do You Need It?

If you are pulled over and do not have a valid motorcycle endorsement, a law enforcement officer may arrest you and impound your motorcycle. You can be charged with a misdemeanor, with penalties of up to $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail for your first offense. That's not the worst of it - I have personally worked with several clients who were in crashes and did not have a valid motorcycle endorsement. In those cases, the defense attorney tried to paint my client as inexperienced and flouting the law.

Obviously, not having an endorsement does not necessarily mean you are inexperienced. To combat the defense’s argument, I show how long my client has been riding, all the training and experience they have, and how it was actually the conduct of the car/truck driver that caused the crash.

It is also important to note that, if you are in a crash, not having a motorcycle endorsement does not limit your eligibility to receive no-fault benefits if they are otherwise payable. As long as a “motor vehicle” (car, truck, tractor trailer, etc.) was involved in the crash, and you own and insure the bike you are riding when the crash occurs, you can still be eligible for no-fault benefits, even without a motorcycle endorsement.

All that being said, if you ride, I do recommend obtaining a motorcycle endorsement. It’s the law! Why subject yourself to unnecessary points on your license and a hefty fine? Further, in a crash scenario, why even give the negligent driver’s lawyer the chance to claim that you were acting illegally and are inexperienced? For less than $20 and a little bit of your time, they won’t have the chance.

Resources:

There are many other details that can be found at the Michigan Secretary of State website, regarding topics such as drivers/operators ages 16 to 18, members of the military that passed the requirements to ride legally on base, renewing a motorcycle endorsement, special information regarding three-wheel motorcycles, and more. Here’s a short link to get you there: https://tinyurl.com/Mich-SOS-MC. For more great information about motorcycle law, be sure to visit our website: www.motorcyclelawyermichigan.com.

Attorney Jason A. Waechter is a Michigan attorney specializing in the areas of motorcycle and motor vehicle injury litigation, as well as Michigan’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law. Mr. Waechter has collected millions of dollars in settlements, awards and verdicts for his motorcycle clients over the past 25 years. A portion of each case settled goes to education resources for bikers, funds to help bikers while their cases are being litigated and our motorcycle accident prevention campaign. Call Attorney Jason Waechter tollfree at 1-877-BIKER LAW or visit www.motorcyclelawyermichigan.com.