Nevada “Motorcycle Laws” – 6 That Every Rider Must Know

Helmets are required to ride a motorcycle in Nevada. You also must wear goggles or protective face shields if the vehicle does not have a screen or windshield. Because lane-splitting is unlawful, you cannot pass or ride next to an automobile or other motorcycle in the same lane.

In this article, our Nevada personal injury attorneys discuss these and other Nevada motorcycle safety laws, including:

• 1. What are Nevada motorcycle law requirements?
• 2. Are helmets required?
• 3. What are the rules for passengers?
• 4. What are the driving and passing laws?
• 5. How do I get a motorcycle license?
• 6. What are the laws for motorcycling under the influence?
• Facts and Statistics
• Additional Resources

Injured in a motorcycle crash in Nevada? Learn about filing motorcycle accident lawsuits in Nevada.

Motorcycles and automobiles are held to the same driving standards and rules in Nevada.

1. What are Nevada motorcycle law requirements?

Nevada state law defines motorcycles as:

“every motor vehicle equipped with a seat or a saddle for the use of the driver and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, excluding an electric bicycle…, a tractor and a moped.”¹

Motorcycles on Nevada roadways must meet all the following ten requirements:

1. The seat is high enough so your feet cannot both reach the ground simultaneously.²
2. The handlebars extend no more than six inches above your shoulders while you are astride the vehicle.³
3. The wheels are protected by fenders.⁴
4. The motorcycle has stoplights as well as one-to-two headlamps visible from 1,000 feet to be used during inclement weather and from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.⁵
5. The headlamps must be from 24 to 54 inches from the ground, and the color temperature ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 kelvins.⁶
6. The motorcycle has at least one tail lamp (brake light / brake light / red taillight) that emits a red light visible from 500 feet.⁷
7. Motorcycles manufactured in 1973 and later must have electric turn signal lamps in the front and rear. The front lamp’s color may range from white to amber, and the rear lamp’s color may range from amber to red.⁸
8. There must be at least one rear reflector between 20 and 60 inches from the ground and that is visible from 300 feet.⁹
9. There must be two rearview mirrors at least three inches long mounted on each handlebar, enabling you to see 200 feet to the rear.¹⁰
10. The motorcycle must be equipped with brakes and have a functioning muffler.¹¹

In addition, you must keep one hand on the handlebar at all times. All bikes must have a horn. Plus you must comply with any local exhaust and noise ordinances.¹²

It is up to you to maintain your motorcycle and ensure it is safe before taking it on the road. Driving a malfunctioning motorcycle can:

• cause serious accidents and
• make you vulnerable to lawsuits.

Learn more in the Nevada DMV Motorcycle Operator Manual and the Nevada Motorcycle Equipment Requirements site.

2. Are helmets required?

Yes. You are required to wear securely-fastened helmets while driving motorcycles on public roadways in Nevada. You are also required to wear:

• goggles,
• glasses,
• protective glasses, or
• face shields for eye protection

if the motorcycle lacks a transparent windscreen.¹³

Helmet Specifications

Motorcycle helmets must meet all the following six standards to be in accordance with DOT (Nevada Department of Transportation), the U.S. Department of Transportation, and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration):

1. The helmet weighs at least three pounds.
2. There is an inner liner made up of a minimum one-inch thick layer of firm polystyrene foam.
3. There are sturdy chin straps with rivets.
4. External components extend no further than two-tenths of an inch from the helmet’s surface.
5. The helmet has a manufacturer’s label revealing its name, model type, year, and materials.
6. The back of the helmet has a sticker imprinted with “DOT,” which certifies compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standards.

Penalties for Not Wearing a Helmet

If you are cited for failing to wear a helmet, you are required to pay a fine, which varies by location. The fee for violating helmet laws in the city of Las Vegas is $208.¹⁴ The fee in the city of Reno is $80.¹⁵

Not wearing a motorcycle helmet also adds two (2) Nevada demerit points to your driver’s license.¹⁶

Learn more about Nevada motorcycle helmet laws (NRS 486.231).

3. What are the rules for passengers?

Passengers are not allowed on motorcycles in the state of Nevada unless the vehicle:

• was designed to carry more than one person and
• has separate footrests for the passenger.

As a motorcycle passenger, you must ride either:

• Behind the driver and astride the seat that was designed for two people; or
• Astride a second seat attached to the rear of the driver; or
• In an attached sidecar

As a passenger, you must wear a helmet as well.¹⁷

4. What are the driving and passing laws?

To ride a motorcycle in Nevada, you must abide by the same traffic laws and rules — and enjoy the same privileges — as drivers of automobiles on public roads. You have full use of your lane, and you may drive on any road unless signage indicates otherwise.

Lane splitting between traffic lanes is not permitted.¹⁸ Two motorcycles may drive next to each other in the same lane as long as both motorcyclists consent.

You may not pass another vehicle in the same lane even though it can fit in the same lane. Like automobiles, motorcycles must pass by temporarily swerving into the adjacent lane.¹⁹

5. How do I get a motorcycle license?

You need a Class M license to drive motorcycles in Nevada. This is different from the Class C license that is required to drive automobiles. To get a Class M license, you must:

• be at least 16 years of age and
• present proof of your identity and a social security number.

Motorcyclists need a class M license in Nevada.

You may obtain a Class M motorcycle endorsement in one of three ways:

1. Get an out-of-state motorcycle license transferred to Nevada (within 30 days of moving to Nevada);
2. Take a knowledge test, skills (driving) test, and vision test at the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles; or
3. Complete a Motorcycle Safety Course certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

The DMV examiner will also conduct a safety check of your motorcycle and check to make sure you have current and valid insurance and registration. You also have to show you know how the bike works, from the choke, throttle and ignition to the starter, clutch, and gear shift.

Note that you are required to show your license to a police officer or in a court of law upon request.²⁰ If you are caught driving a motorcycle without a license, you can avoid fines by completing a motorcycle safety course within nine months of the court order.²¹

Motorcycle Permits

If you are 16 or 17 years old, you have to have a motorcycle instruction permit for at least six months before getting a Class M license. You must then log 50 hours of supervised driving on a motorcycle and complete a motorcycle safety course. Permits are valid for only one year before they need to be renewed, and they expire automatically the day you turn 18 years old.

6. What are the laws for motorcycling under the influence?

You face Nevada DUI charges either for:

• driving a motorcycle while impaired by drugs or alcohol; or
• driving a motorcycle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least .08% (even if you are not drunk); or
• driving a motorcycle with illegal amounts of certain drugs in their blood (even if you are not high)

A first-time DUI without causing major injuries or death is a misdemeanor. The judge will usually agree to “suspend” any jail sentence as long as you pay a fine, attend DUI school, and fulfill other terms.

You may also have your driver’s license suspended, even if your DUI case gets dismissed. (Learn about avoiding a driver’s license suspension.)

Note that DUIs that cause injury or death are charged as a category B felony, carrying two to 20 years in state prison. Learn more about Nevada DUI penalties.²²

Facts and Statistics

In Nevada in 2022, 78 motorcyclists died from traffic accidents.²³

Nationwide in 2020, motorcycle fatalities went up by 11%.²⁴ Nationwide the following year, 36% of motorcyclists killed in traffic accidents had no current and valid license.²⁵

Also in 2021, 28% of motorcyclists in fatal accidents throughout the U.S. had illegal blood alcohol contents (0.08% or higher).²⁶ Alcohol impairment was a likely contributor to the crash since motorcyclists typically have just a second or two to try to avoid an accident.

Since motorcyclists are exposed to the elements with no exterior protection, they typically sustain much more serious injuries than drivers in passenger vehicles. Plus after the initial collision with the other vehicle, motorcyclists have a second collision: With the hard ground.

Additional Resources

For more in-depth information, refer to these scholarly articles:

• The Helmet Law in Nevada: How to Hassle Harley Riders – San Diego Law Review.
• Products Liability: Motorcycle Design-The Outer Limits of Crashworthiness – Stetson Law Review.
• Factors associated with crash severities in built-up areas along rural highways of Nevada: A case study of 11 towns – Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering.
  
• Motorcycle Helmet Laws: The Facts, What Can Be Done to Jump-Start Helmet Use, and Ways to Cap Damages – Journal of Health Care Law & Policy.
• Helmetless Motorcyclists–Easy Riders Facing Hard Facts: The Rise of the Motorcycle Helmet Defense – Ohio State Law Review.

Also see our articles on Nevada bicycle safety laws and Nevada motorized bicycle laws, by our Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorneys.

Legal References