Missouri 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 19 Missouri numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
10 questions a round from the 10 number questions in our Missouri 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
10 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
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
On a long ride, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?
At least every two hours
Riding a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car. Take frequent rest breaks, stopping and getting off the motorcycle at least every two hours.
Speed limits
About how fast will you be riding in the final two exercises of the Missouri motorcycle skills test?
About 15 mph
The final two exercises of Missouri's skills test, the quick stop and the obstacle swerve, are ridden at about 15 miles per hour.
Distances & following gaps
The road is wet and you are following a van you cannot see through. What following distance should you leave?
Three seconds or more
Normally keep at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. Open it to three seconds or more when the pavement is slippery, when you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or when heavy traffic may squeeze in front of you.
Every Missouri motorcycle number, by topic
Official Missouri 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
4 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years | Drunk driving (DUI)No suspended imposition of sentence unless on probation at least 2 years | revisor.mo.govQuoteA vehicle while having eight-hundredths of one percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood; or (2) A commercial motor vehicle while having four one-hundredths of one percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood. |
| 30-day, 60-day | Drunk driving (DUI)Administrative action: 30-day suspension followed by a 60-day restricted driving privilege that requires an ignition interlock | revisor.mo.govQuotethe period of suspension shall be thirty days after the effective date of suspension, followed by a sixty-day period of restricted driving privilege |
| one year | Drunk driving (DUI)License revoked for one year | revisor.mo.govQuoteA vehicle while having eight-hundredths of one percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood; or (2) A commercial motor vehicle while having four one-hundredths of one percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood. |
| two hours | On a long ride, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?Answer: At least every two hours | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 46QuoteTake frequent rest breaks— Stop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours. |
Speed limits
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mph | About how fast will you be riding in the final two exercises of the Missouri motorcycle skills test?Answer: About 15 mph | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 57QuoteThe final two exercises involve speeds of about 15 miles per hour. You will be scored on time and distance standards as well as path violations. |
| 30 mph | According to the manual, how fast are most riders going when a crash occurs?Answer: Slower than 30 mph | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 5Quoteriding slower than 30 mph when a crash occurs. At these speeds, helmets can cut both the number and the severity of head injuries by half. |
Distances & following gaps
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Three seconds | The road is wet and you are following a van you cannot see through. What following distance should you leave?Answer: Three seconds or more | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 16QuoteIf the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or if traffic is heavy and someone may squeeze in front of you, open up a three-second or more following distance. |
| 12 seconds | When scanning for hazards far down the road, about how many seconds ahead should experienced riders look?Answer: About 12 seconds | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 20Quoteexperienced riders search for hazards that are further out, looking ahead to an area it would take about 12 seconds to reach. |
| one second | In a staggered group formation, where does the second rider ride?Answer: Right side of the lane, at least one second back | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 39QuoteThe group leader rides in the left side of the lane, and the second rider stays at least one second back and rides in the right side of the lane. |
Ages, permits & the test
8 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Questions on the test | mshp.dps.missouri.govQuoteQ: What score is required to pass the Class E/F/Motorcycle written test? A: There are 25 questions on these tests, you must score 80% to pass. You can miss up to 5 questions and still pass. ... Questions for the motorcycle permit test come from the Missouri Motorcycle Manual. |
| 80% | Passing score | mshp.dps.missouri.govQuoteQ: What score is required to pass the Class E/F/Motorcycle written test? A: There are 25 questions on these tests, you must score 80% to pass. You can miss up to 5 questions and still pass. ... Questions for the motorcycle permit test come from the Missouri Motorcycle Manual. |
| $10 | Fee | dor.mo.govQuoteMotorcycle Permit 15½ or 16 $12.75 or $10.00 0–6 months (182 days) |
| half-hour | Motorcycle permitNo riding from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise | revisor.mo.govQuoteAny person at least fifteen and one-half years of age who, except for age or lack of instruction in operating a motor vehicle, would otherwise be qualified to obtain a motorcycle or motortricycle license |
| 50 miles | Motorcycle permitNo more than 50 miles from home | revisor.mo.govQuoteThe operator shall not carry any passengers; and (4) The operator shall not travel over fifty miles from the operator's home address. |
| One year | How long after you finish an approved rider course will Missouri accept the completion card to waive testing?Answer: One year from the course completion date | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 58Quotethe course completion card will be accepted for waiver of testing for one year from course completion date. |
| 6 months | If you are over 16 and hold a Missouri motorcycle permit, how often must the permit be renewed?Answer: Every 6 months | Missouri Department of Revenue, Driver License Bureau websiteQuoteIf you are over the age of 16 and have a permit there are no restrictions except that your permit must be renewed every 6 months. |
| at least 45 | A railroad track or pavement seam runs parallel to your path, and you need to cross it. How should you do it?Answer: Cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 33Quotemove far enough away from tracks, ruts, or pavement seams to cross at an angle of at least 45˚. Then, make a deliberate turn. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| under 26 | HelmetsOperators and passengers under 26 | revisor.mo.govQuoteEvery person under twenty-six years of age who is operating or riding as a passenger on any motorcycle or motortricycle, as defined in section 301.010 , upon any highway of this state shall wear protective headgear at all times the vehicle is in motion |
Other numbers
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | About how much of your motorcycle's total stopping power can the front brake provide?Answer: At least 70% | Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), page 13QuoteThe front brake is more powerful and can provide at least 70% of your total stopping power. |
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 Missouri 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 19 of them for Missouri, 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 Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual (Form 2332), Missouri statutes or DOR 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.