North Dakota motorcycle laws: helmets, lane splitting and more

This page explains North Dakota motorcycle laws in plain English so riders know what to look up. It isn't legal advice and it doesn't cover every condition or exception. Laws change. North Dakota's laws are in the North Dakota Century Code, which is on the Legislative Branch website. For licensing, check the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). For a specific situation, talk to a lawyer.

For a national comparison, the IIHS motorcycle helmet overview keeps a current table by state.

North Dakota requires motorcycle riders and passengers under 18 to wear a helmet. Riders and passengers 18 and over aren't required to by state law. If you're buying a helmet, choose a DOT-certified one.

Not required isn't the same as a good idea. North Dakota riding means constant crosswinds, grasshoppers at highway speed, hail in summer, gravel from oilfield trucks and deer at dusk. A full-face helmet handles all of it and cuts the wind roar on long prairie miles. Check the Century Code for any eye protection rule, and wear eye protection either way.

As of 2026, North Dakota law doesn't allow lane splitting (riding between lanes of moving traffic) or lane filtering (moving up between stopped cars at a light). Several states are changing their laws, so check before you ride.

Until that changes, hold your lane. At lights in Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks, stop where the driver behind can see you and leave space ahead for an escape route. In oil country, give trucks plenty of room: their wake, dust and the gravel they throw can be a bigger hazard than the traffic itself.

To ride on public roads in North Dakota you need a motorcycle license or endorsement, handled by NDDOT's driver license offices. The usual path includes a written test and a skills test, and a motorcycle safety course is worth taking whether or not it changes the testing for you. Check NDDOT for current steps and age rules, since they change.

New to riding? Our guide to the motorcycle app for beginners covers what helps in your first season, and North Dakota's short season is a good reason to get trained early.

Passengers under 18 must wear a helmet, the same as riders. Only carry a passenger on a bike built for two, with a real seat and footrests, and brief them before you go.

Keep your lights, horn and mirrors working, and check the Century Code before you change the exhaust or lighting. Small-town speed zones on two-lane highways are common, and they're enforced.

North Dakota requires liability insurance on registered vehicles. The liability minimum is usually written as 25/50/25: $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash, and $25,000 for property damage. North Dakota is also a no-fault state, and how no-fault coverage applies to a motorcycle depends on the policy, so ask your insurer. Check the North Dakota Insurance Department for current rules.

Carry your license, registration and proof of insurance. If you're riding into Theodore Roosevelt National Park, bring your park pass or plan to pay at the entrance.

North Dakota bans texting while driving. On a bike the simple rule is: don't touch the phone while you're moving.

Rippin' is built for that. Tap Record Ride once before you roll, pocket or mount the phone, and ride. Recording runs in the background. Set up turn-by-turn on a loop builder route before you leave, and pull over to change anything.

Segments in Rippin' are stretches of road a rider added and our team checked. You're timed automatically when you ride one, but a segment board is about who owns the road and who rides it, not a race. Turf, poker cards and points come from riding, not from riding fast.

Empty prairie highways tempt speed, and bison, deer, combines and oilfield trucks punish it. Our list of the best motorcycle roads in North Dakota says what to watch for on each road, and the North Dakota motorcycle rides overview covers seasons and events.