Alaska motorcycle permit test numbers to know

Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 17 Alaska numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.

Numbers quiz

8 questions a round from the 8 number questions in our Alaska bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.

Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.

Numbers flashcards

8 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.

TopicShuffle

Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.

See 3 of the cards

Alcohol & drugs
According to the manual, experienced riders seldom try to ride more than about how many hours a day?
About six hours
Riding a motorcycle is much more tiring than driving a car, and fatigue affects control. Experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day, take frequent breaks and dress for the weather.
State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 42
Distances & following gaps
The Alaska Motorcycle Manual divides each lane into three "mini-lanes." About how wide is each one?
About four feet
Each marked lane gives a rider three paths of travel, each mini-lane about four feet wide.
State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 17
Ages, permits & the test
Who must supervise you when you ride on an Alaska motorcycle instruction permit?
A rider at least 21 with a motorcycle endorsement, on a separate motorcycle
An Alaska permit holder must ride under the supervision and visual observation of a rider on a separate motorcycle who is at least 21 and holds a valid motorcycle endorsement.
State of Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles website

Every Alaska motorcycle number, by topic

Official Alaska laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.

Alcohol & drugs

5 numbers

Number	What it’s about	Source
0.08%	Legal BAC limit for adult drivers	dmv.alaska.gov Quote Your breath alcohol test result is .08 or greater Your breath alcohol test result is .04 or greater while operating a commercial vehicle You refuse to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test
0.04%	BAC limit in a commercial vehicle	dmv.alaska.gov Quote Your breath alcohol test result is .08 or greater Your breath alcohol test result is .04 or greater while operating a commercial vehicle You refuse to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test
under 21	Drunk driving (DUI)Drivers under 21 may not drive after drinking any alcohol	dmv.alaska.gov Quote If you are under 21 you cannot drive or operate a motor vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft after consuming ANY alcohol.
90-day	Drunk driving (DUI)Refusing a breath test is a separate crime and brings the same 90-day DMV revocation as a failed test	dmv.alaska.gov Quote The revocation periods are: 90 days for a first offense 1 year if you have one prior conviction of DUI or refusal
six hours	According to the manual, experienced riders seldom try to ride more than about how many hours a day?Answer: About six hours	State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 42 Quote Limit your distance. Experienced riders seldom try to ride more than about six hours a day.

Distances & following gaps

3 numbers

Number	What it’s about	Source
four feet	The Alaska Motorcycle Manual divides each lane into three "mini-lanes." About how wide is each one?Answer: About four feet	State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 17 Quote Each '”mini-lane" is approximately four feet wide.
two feet	Why is the center portion of the lane usually safe to ride in, even with a grease strip?Answer: The grease strip is usually no more than two feet wide, so you can ride beside it	State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 17 Quote Grease strips are usually no more than two feet wide. Since the center portion of the lane is four feet wide, you can operate to the left or right of the grease strip
4 seconds	What following distance does the Alaska Motorcycle Manual say you should normally keep behind the vehicle ahead?Answer: 4 seconds	State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 24 Quote Normally, you will need 4 seconds' distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead.

Ages, permits & the test

7 numbers

Number	What it’s about	Source
$15	Fee	dmv.alaska.gov Quote Instruction Permit (Commercial and Non-Commercial) No Real ID compliant version $15 Class: IA, IB, IC, IE, IM, IP
2 years	Motorcycle permit2 years from issue	dmv.alaska.gov Quote The permit is valid for two years from the date of issue. A permit may be renewed one time only.
at least 21	Motorcycle permitMust be accompanied by, and under the visual supervision of, a rider at least 21 with a valid motorcycle endorsement on a separate motorcycle	dmv.alaska.gov Quote To practice with you permit you must be accompanied by, and under the supervision and visual observation of, a rider on a separate motorcycle who is at least 21 years of age and who has a valid motorcycle endorsement; operate only during daylight hours; and carry no passengers.
under 18, 6 months	Motorcycle permitRiders under 18 must hold the permit at least 6 months before licensing	dmv.alaska.gov Quote You can apply for a permit with parental consent at 14. If you are under 18 years old, you must have an instruction permit for 6 months before you can apply for your license.
at least 21	Who must supervise you when you ride on an Alaska motorcycle instruction permit?Answer: A rider at least 21 with a motorcycle endorsement, on a separate motorcycle	State of Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles website Quote accompanied by, and under the supervision and visual observation of, a rider on a separate motorcycle who is at least 21 years of age and who has a valid motorcycle endorsement
Two years	How long is an Alaska motorcycle instruction permit valid?Answer: Two years, and it may be renewed one time	State of Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles website Quote The permit is valid for two years from the date of issue. A permit may be renewed one time only.
6 months	If you are under 18 and getting your first Alaska M1 or M3 license, how long must you have held a permit?Answer: 6 months	State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, page 3 Quote If you are under 18 years of age and obtaining your first driver or M1 or M3 license, you must have held a permit for 6 months

Seat belts, lights & equipment

2 numbers

Number	What it’s about	Source
under 18	HelmetsRequired for: operators under 18, all passengers, all instruction-permit holders, and road-test takers	dmv.alaska.gov Quote Who has to wear a helmet? Anyone under 18 operating a motorcycle All motorcycle passengers Anyone with a motorcycle instruction permit Anyone taking a motorcycle road test
under age 18	Under Alaska rules, which of these riders must wear a helmet?Answer: A licensed rider under age 18	State of Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles website Quote Who has to wear a helmet? Anyone under 18 operating a motorcycle All motorcycle passengers Anyone with a motorcycle instruction permit

Memory tips

How to study them (our advice, not official rules):

Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.

Questions about the numbers

What numbers do I need to know for the Alaska motorcycle permit test?

Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 17 of them for Alaska, each with its source.

Why focus on numbers?

A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.

Where do these numbers come from?

Each one is quoted from the State of Alaska Motorcycle Manual, Alaska statutes or DMV pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.

Is the numbers drill free?

Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.