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Georgia’s motorcycle laws can be just as complex (if not more so) as the inner workings of your motorcycle. Just take out all of the fun mechanical components and replace them with boring legalese and traffic tickets.

This article will explain everything you need to know as a motorcycle owner in Georgia, from how to get your license to do when that license inevitably gets you a ticket. Let’s get started!

Georgia Motorcycle License Requirements

Georgia uses a classification system for its different types of driver licenses. The standard driver license is the Class D, which is for ordinary four-wheeled vehicles. The type of driver license that you need to operate a motorcycle in Georgia is the Class M Motorcycle License. Georgia does, in fact, require you to have a dedicated motorcycle license.

To be legally allowed to operate a motorcycle, you must have a Class M license. That means meeting all three of the following requirements:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Pass a Georgia motorcycle license test.
• Pass an eye exam.

Georgia Motorcycle Equipment Requirements

As with other motor vehicles, motorcycles must be equipped with components that meet certain legal standards. Not only must your motorcycle have all of the right parts, those parts must be in the right condition, displayed a certain way, etc. 

When it comes to motorcycles, there are countless equipment regulations on the books in Georgia, but you can leave most of them to the manufacturers. Manufacturers build motorcycles with state laws in mind, meaning they won’t sell illegal motorcycles in places where they’re illegal.

The most important equipment requirements to pay attention to are those that vary from state to state and those that are often misunderstood. Here they are:

Muffler

Georgia’s only noise restriction for motorcycle mufflers is that they must not cause “excessive or unusual” noise. That means they can be loud, just not too loud. Most forms of straight pipes or other mufflers lacking baffle plates can be considered to create “excessive or unusual” noise, which can get you a ticket.

Reflectors

Section 40-8-24(a) of the Georgia Code states, “Every motorcycle and every motor driven cycle shall carry on the rear at least one red reflector, meeting the requirements of this Code section.” Let’s break that down a bit.

Every motorcycle, motorbike, moped, etc. must have at least one red reflector on the back. You can have more than one, but they must all be red and they must all be placed at the rear-most part of the vehicle.

This reflector must be mounted between 20 and 60 inches above the surface of the road and must be easily visible from a distance of 300 feet.

Lights

Every motorcycle must have at least one forward lamp (headlight), which must adhere to the requirements set out in section 40-8-20 of the Georgia Code. These lamps must project light at least 500 feet and be capable of adequately illuminating objects, people, and vehicles at night.

You may have up to two forward lamps on your motorcycle. Having more than two forward lamps on a motorcycle can get you a ticket. These headlights must not have any hint of blue coloration.

Motorcycles must also come equipped with a sufficiently bright brake light.

Windshield

According to section 40-6-315(b) of the Georgia Code, “No person shall operate or ride upon a motorcycle if the motorcycle is not equipped with a windshield unless he or she is wearing an eye-protective device of a type approved by the commissioner of public safety.”

Whether driving the motorcycle or riding on it, you can get a ticket under this section of the law if you are not wearing eye protection while on a motorcycle that is not equipped with a windshield.

If your motorcycle does not have a windshield, then you must wear some form of protective eyewear. A common form of protective eyewear is a pair of goggles. But remember, these goggles must be approved for roadway usage, meaning manufactured specifically for driving conditions.

Georgia Motorcycle Registration Process

Like other motor vehicles in Georgia, motorcycles must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. To do so, you must complete the registration process. It is possible to do so online, in most counties. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• Your Georgia driver license.
• A completed Application for a Motorcycle Title/Tag.
• A notarized Affidavit of Fact for a Motorcycle.
• The motorcycle’s title, registration papers, certificate of origin or other proof of ownership.
• Proof of insurance.
• Proof of residency.
• A certificate of inspection from law enforcement.

You will have to pay a few registration fees to complete the process. You will also have to pay an ad valorem tax, which is a tax that varies depending on the value of your motorcycle.

Georgia Motorcycle Laws for the Road

In an ideal world, you could focus on your ride, the wind, and the scenery and just enjoy life. In this world, however, there are thousands of sections of traffic law that you need to adhere to in order to avoid getting a ticket.

That said, you don’t have to familiarize yourself with every section of the law unless you want to be a traffic ticket expert like us. And, if that’s the case, you’ll have some fierce competition.

For most people, knowing the common laws is enough. Here are a couple common motorcycle laws for the road that every motorcyclist should understand.

Lane Splitting

Lane splitting is the practice of driving between two lanes. Often called “stripe-riding” due to the fact that the rider drives on top of or close to the stripe that divides the two lanes, lane splitting can be an efficient way to move through heavy traffic.

Despite heavy political pressure to change things, lane splitting remains illegal in Georgia. You can be ticketed, fined, and potentially held liable for any personal injuries caused a result of your lane splitting.

Lane filtering, the practice of splitting lanes while other traffic is stopped at an intersection, is also illegal. Like many states, Georgia considers lane filtering simply to be a kind of lane splitting. The law treats it the same as it does ordinary lane splitting.

Helmet Laws 

Section 40-15-1(5) of the Georgia Code sets out firm requirements for motorcycle drivers and riders to wear legally approved helmets. That’s true for all operators and passengers regardless of age. If you are seated on a motorcycle or similar vehicle, you must wear an approved helmet at all times while the vehicle is in motion.

Mopeds are a notable exception to this rule. Mopeds, though two-wheeled and street-legal, are exempt from Georgia’s helmet laws. You do not have to wear a helmet when riding on or driving a moped.

Carrying Passengers 

It is legal to carry passengers on a motorcycle under certain conditions. The following conditions must be met in order for you to legally carry a passenger on your motorcycle:

• The motorcycle must have a dedicated passenger seat.
• The passenger seat must have footrests.
• The passenger must wear shoes at all times (cannot be barefoot or wearing only socks).
• The passenger must wear a helmet at all times.

If one or more of the above requirements are not met, then the passenger cannot legally ride on your motorcycle. Anybody caught riding a motorcycle when these conditions have not been met can be ticketed.

Laws Against Racing Motorcycles in Georgia

Street racing motorcycles in Georgia is just as illegal as street racing other motor vehicles. Any kind of unauthorized exhibition of speed or speed contest constitutes a violation of Georgia’s vehicle code. These violations range from misdemeanors to felonies and can result in serious fines, fees, and worse.

With the passage of a new law in mid 2021, it is now possible to go to jail for organizing a street race even if you do not yourself participate in the race.

Fines

The fines for a street racing conviction in Georgia vary depending on your record. If this is your first time being convicted of such an offense, you can expect to pay between $300 and $750 in fines. If this is your second conviction for the same offense, the fine can go as high as $1,000. For third and fourth convictions, that price jumps up five times over: $5,000.

Courts have the ability to lower the fine depending on the circumstances of your offense. For example, first time offenders with clean records who strike a positive plea deal might only pay $300 whereas people with multiple past speeding convictions and a rude courtroom demeanor might pay the full $750.

Fees

Fees are like fines in that they can cost an arm and a leg. However, they’re more administrative than punitive. But that’s not to say that they’re not punitive at all. The moment you see your first suspension lift fee, you’re probably going to feel like “punitive” barely scratches the surface.

Suspension lift fees for street racing convictions vary depending on the number of times that you have had your license suspended as a result of such a conviction. These fees only apply when you are paying to have your suspension lifted early, before the legally mandated lift date. See the following table for more information:

Conviction	Suspension Lift Fee
First	$210
Second	$310
Third	N/a
Fourth	N/a

You cannot pay to lift your suspension/revocation early after a third or subsequent conviction.

License Suspension or Revocation

No matter how squeaky clean your driving record is, if a court convicts you for street racing a motorcycle in Georgia, you’re going to be losing your license. But there’s a difference between a license suspension and a license revocation.

When your license is suspended, you can eventually get it back. You just have to wait out the suspension period and/or pay an early suspension lift fee. When your license is revoked, however, you can never get the same license back. Instead, you will have to go through the licensure process again and start back from step one of getting a brand new license.

Here’s how long each conviction will suspend or revoke your license:

Conviction	Suspension or Revocation Period
First	Suspended for 120-365 days.
Second	Suspended for 18-36 months.
Third	Revoked for five years.
Fourth	Revoked for five years.

Vehicle Confiscation

Georgia’s Governor, Brian Kemp, signed House Bill 534 (HB 534) into law in June of 2021. This law allows the government to confiscate vehicles from people who have been convicted of street racing three or more times within a five-year period.

After a third conviction for street racing your motorcycle, the government has the privilege of deciding whether or not to confiscate it. Your property can then be seized and relinquished to the state. Oftentimes, this results in the state auctioning off your vehicle. You will never see a penny of the proceeds.

Jail Time

In addition to all of the above penalties, a conviction for street racing in Georgia can result in extended periods of incarceration ranging from 10 to 1,825 days (5 years). That’s quite a few tally marks on your cell wall, if you ask us! See the following table for more information:

Conviction	Jail Sentence
First	10 days to 6 months.
Second	90 days to 1 year.
Third	120 days to 1 year.
Fourth	One to five years.

Georgia Motorcycle Safety Inspection Requirements

Georgia is one of the more lenient states when it comes to safety inspection requirements for motor vehicles, particularly motorcycles and similar vehicles. There are no safety inspection requirements for motorcycles in Georgia.

Georgia Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

Although Georgia is more lenient when it comes to safety inspections, it is quite strict when it comes to insurance requirements. Georgia law requires motorcyclists to have full liability insurance, just like with other motor vehicles.

To have full liability insurance, you must have the following coverage:

• $25,000 in liability insurance per person for injuries or death;
• $50,000 in insurance per accident for injuries or death; and,
• $25,000 in property damage liability insurance per accident.

What to Do If You Get a Ticket on Your Motorcycle

There are only two ways to successfully get over a ticket: Either you avoid getting one in the first place or you beat it in court. To avoid getting a ticket in the first place, read our blog and take our tips and tricks to heart. To beat your ticket in court, hire a lawyer with the WinIt app, take your case to court, and win it with WinIt.

Unfortunately, WinIt cannot help you fight criminal traffic violations like street racing. However, the lawyers on our app are just chomping at the bit to help you fight your speeding tickets and other infractions.

So what are you waiting for? If you’ve gotten a motorcycle traffic ticket in Georgia, download the WinIt app and start fighting it today.