Starting August 12, 2026, a minor in Colorado will need written permission from a parent or legal guardian before the state will issue an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle. The requirement comes from House Bill 26-1079, which passed the legislature with unanimous support in both chambers and was signed by Governor Polis this year.
It is a short bill, and it does one specific thing. But if you have a teenager who wants to ride, or if you are a rider yourself trying to understand how Colorado's permit system works, it is worth knowing exactly what changed and what did not.
The bill requires a minor to have written permission of the minor's parent or legal guardian to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle. The law does not apply to foster children or emancipated minors, who are exempt from the new requirement.
That is the entire scope of the bill. It does not change the age at which a minor can apply for a permit, it does not change the training requirements, and it does not change what a permit allows a minor to do once issued. It adds a written consent requirement, specifically tied to the motorcycle permit application, before the state will process it.
Colorado's permit system for minors was already built around parental involvement. Under C.R.S. § 42-2-106 and § 42-2-108, a minor applying for an instruction permit, whether for a car or a motorcycle, has needed a parent, stepparent, guardian, or foster parent to sign an Affidavit of Liability (DR2460) as part of the application. That parent or guardian also has to hold a valid Colorado license, and for a motorcycle permit specifically, has to be authorized to drive a motorcycle if they intend to supervise the minor on one.
Separately, HB24-1021 is phasing in a requirement that anyone under 21 applying for a motorcycle instruction permit complete a Colorado State Patrol approved motorcycle safety training program (MOST) before the permit is issued. That requirement takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB26-1079 adds a distinct written permission requirement on top of that existing framework, specific to motorcycle permits, effective this August. In practice, a parent or guardian signing off on a minor's motorcycle permit is not new. What is new is that the law now says so directly, separate from the general affidavit of liability, and it draws a bright line for foster children and emancipated minors who are carved out of the requirement.
Two exemptions matter here: foster children, who may not have a parent in a position to grant consent, and emancipated minors, who are legally treated as adults for this purpose.
Everyone else under 18 seeking a motorcycle instruction permit in Colorado will need that written consent starting August 12, 2026. Once that permit is in hand, the same rider is also subject to Colorado's helmet law, which has its own age-based rules worth understanding before the first ride.
I coach through the MRA New Racer School, working with riders who already have street experience and are moving onto the track for the first time. Even among that group, the gap between a rider with structured seat time and one without is obvious within the first few sessions, reading a corner, judging a gap, knowing when to get on the brakes. That gap does not start on the track. It starts on the street, in the first weeks after a permit is issued.
The research backs that up. Riders with less than two years of experience have crash rates two to four times higher than more experienced riders, and that gap is largest in the first months on a bike. A motorcycle rewards smooth inputs and good judgment long before it rewards confidence, and that takes time and structured practice to build, on top of whatever the state requires on paper.
None of that is a reason to keep a capable teenager off a motorcycle. It is a reason for the conversation this law is really asking for, a parent and a minor sitting down and deciding together whether this is the right time, the right bike, and the right training plan, before anyone signs anything.
Consent requirements and training rules are about preventing crashes. They do not always work, and when a new or experienced rider is hurt because of someone else's negligence, the permit paperwork has nothing to do with whether that rider deserves full compensation.
If you or your teenager is dealing with a motorcycle accident, I handle these cases directly, not through a paralegal team, and I do not settle for a lowball number just because insurers assume a young or new rider is an easy target. My fee is 29% pre-litigation and 33% if we sue, compared to the 33-35% and 40-45% most Colorado firms charge.
New and young riders are also the group most likely to be underinsured or hit by an underinsured driver. If you have not looked at your own UM/UIM coverage, it is worth understanding what Colorado actually requires before your teenager is out on the road on a permit.
| VENYX | Industry Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Litigation | 29% | 33-35% |
| Litigation | 33% | 40-45% |
| Upfront Cost | $0 | $0 |
| Fee if No Recovery | $0 | $0 |
If a motorcycle accident has left you or your family dealing with insurance companies, I'm one call away, not a call center.
Call (877) 292-9529No. The bill governs motorcycle instruction permits issued for on-road driving. Off-road and dirt bike use on private land is not regulated through the DMV permit system.
No. The 12-month permit holding period for minors under 18 is unchanged. HB26-1079 only adds the written consent step at the application stage.
The law governs new permit applications going forward. It does not appear to require anything retroactively for permits already issued.
No. Insurance requirements are separate from the DMV permit process and are not addressed by this bill.
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