Safety course new requirement for teen motorcycle license in Pa.

Under a new law, teenagers looking to get their motorcycle licenses in Pennsylvania can no longer skip safety class.

In order to qualify for a license, 16- and 17-year-olds now need to have completed 15 hours of motorcycle safety coursework.

The new prerequisite went into effect at the end of last month.

The combination of in-class and on-the-road training counts toward the total number of driving hours younger riders need to get their licenses.

PennDOT spokeswoman Jan McKnight says there’s no price for the class for Pennsylvania residents, but that doesn’t mean it’s being provided for free.

“People who get a motorcycle license — a portion of that fee goes toward funding motorcycle safety programs,” McKnight said.

The course itself isn’t new.

About 80 percent of the teens who obtained motorcycle licenses last year took the class.

McKnight says PennDOT isn’t concerned the additional requirement will put too much demand on the safety course program at its current funding level.

At any given time, about 800 16- and 17-year-olds in the commonwealth have motorcycle learner’s permits.