How to Renew a Motorcycle License in Mississippi
A motorcycle license renewal is a mandatory process for all motorists who wish to maintain the privilege to ride a motorbike on public roads in the state of Mississippi. Mississippi offers a motorcycle-only license, or an endorsement attached to a regular driver’s license. However, both require the same process to renew. This renewal process must be completed before the expiration date on their documents. To renew a motorcycle endorsement, motorists must use one of the options provided by the Mississippi Driver Service Bureau (DSB), which is governed by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Mississippi affixes an endorsement to an existing driver’s license rather than issuing a separate license for motorcycles, so the process to renew a motorcycle endorsement follows the same steps as renewing a standard driver’s license.
There is a motorcycle license renewal cost in addition to having to furnish the proper documentation and paperwork needed for this process. Anyone wishing for renewal must also meet the requirements which can vary depending upon the avenue by which the applicant chooses to renew an endorsement for a motorcycle. To find out more about how to renew motorcycle endorsements in Mississippi, continue reading the article below.
When to Renew a Motorcycle License in Mississippi
Renewing a motorcycle license in Mississippi has to be completed before your license and/or endorsement documents reach their expiration date. A Mississippi license and the attached endorsement are valid for either four or eight years.
You may renew a motorbike endorsement within 6 months of the expiration date shown on your driver’s license. You also have up to one year after it expires to renew it as well. However, renewing a motorcycle endorsement after the expiration date may come with the assessment of late fees and penalties.
Eligibility for Motorcycle License Renewal in Mississippi
The motorcycle renewal requirements for those wishing to renew their endorsement are standard and the same for those applying to a Class R license as well. Applicants for renewal must be either United States citizens or lawful residents. They must also be legal residents of the state of Mississippi.
A motorbike endorsement renewal application requires several items to support the requirements. To prove your residency in the state of Mississippi, you must provide two documents supporting this fact. You may use things such as:
- A bank statement.
- A rental agreement or lease.
- A current utility bill.
Other eligibility guidelines for renewing a motorcycle endorsement naturally come under general eligibility rules for the state for anyone wishing to renew their driver’s license. These guidelines include:
- Renewal applicants must be at least 16 years and six months of age.
- All applicants must be in the process to renew a Class R or Class D license.
- Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license.
- If you are renewing a motorcycle endorsement online, your last renewal must have been done in person.
Instances When You Cannot Renew Your Motorcycle License in Mississippi
You may not renew your motorcycle license in Mississippi if the status of your regular Class R driver’s license falls into the category of either being suspended or revoked. In order to renew a credential, you must first have your driving privileges reinstated before proceeding with a renewal of a document or endorsement.
How to Renew a Mississippi Motorcycle License Online
You may ask yourself ‘Can I renew my motorcycle endorsement online?’ While the DPS does offer the option of renewing a motorcycle endorsement online, it comes with the caveat of being eligible to do so. You must be at least 16 years and 10 months of age in order to renew your endorsement online, for example. Anyone wishing to renew online may not have completed their last renewal online.
They must have done so in person at a local DPS office. They must also be legal, United States citizens, have a valid Class R or Class D Mississippi driver’s license, and must have a valid debit or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) with which to pay the fees required. Motorists who wish to renew a motorcycle endorsement online and meet the eligibility requirements must also provide the following information:
- Driver’s license number.
- Last four digits of their Social Security number.
- Full name.
- Date of birth.
The DPS online portal accessible through their website will have clear instructions on how to input this information. Once that information is correctly submitted via the portal, the submission of supporting documentation is next. Drivers seeking a renewed motorcycle endorsement but who do not have a driver’s license photo on file with the DPS will have to visit their local office to take a picture to have placed in their file once the approval of their application is complete.
The portal should then prompt an applicant to submit payment information which will include a service fee which is required of all online transactions. The DPS grants the new motorcycle endorsement renewal once the application, payment, supporting documents, and any other necessary forms are approved. The DPS mails the new credential out to the address on file within 48 hours.
How to Renew a Mississippi Motorcycle License in Person
Motorists may ask where to renew a motorcycle license in person in Mississippi. To do so, drivers in the state must visit their local DPS office branch. They must appear in person prior to the expiration date shown on their driving credentials. In order to renew a motorcycle endorsement successfully, Mississippians must prepare a list of supporting documentation as well as meet with the requirement guidelines of the DPS.
The documentation and adherence to guidelines for the motorbike endorsement renewal are the same as they are for a regular driver’s license renewal. These include having your driver’s license with you as well as having a valid method with which to pay.
How to Renew a Mississippi Motorcycle Endorsement by Mail
Military members who wish to renew a motorcycle endorsement and are stationed outside of Mississippi can complete the process through the mail. If your license is expired, you will not be assessed a late fee as long as you apply for renewal within 90 days of being discharged. All military members, their spouses, and their dependents may renew via mail by providing:
- A copy of their MS DMV driver’s license or Social Security card.
- A copy of their military orders.
- A letter from their commanding officer stating:
- Name
- Mississippi driver’s license number
- Military status
- Certified check for the renewal fees
Once collected, send the necessary documentation along with payment to:
Office of Central Print P.O. Box 958 Jackson, MS 39205
Motorcycle endorsement renewal by mail is also available to college students living outside of Mississippi. In order to complete the renewal by mail applicants will need:
- A copy of a student ID card.
- A notarized letter on school letterhead confirming full-time student status.
- A copy of their Mississippi driver’s license or Social Security card.
- A certified check for the renewal fee.
Once collected, all the documentation should be sent to:
College Renewals Rose McKinnon P.O. Box 958 Jackson, MS 39205
Mississippi Motorcycle Renewal Costs
The cost to renew a motorcycle endorsement in Mississippi also includes other fees as well since the endorsement rests on a regular driver’s license. For that reason, drivers renewing their endorsement must calculate the fees owed for the other services, such as renewing either a Class D or Class R driver’s license, in addition to their endorsement renewal fees. The fees to renew a driver’s license are:
- $17 for a license valid for four years
- $5 for a four-year endorsement.
- $33 for a license valid for eight years.
- $10 for an eight-year endorsement.
Sources
- Motorcycle Operator Manual from MS.gov
- Driver Self-Service Portal from MS.gov