Motorcycle missouri laws

This page will answer the most common questions we receive about motorcycle laws and licensing requirements in Missouri. Continue reading to find your answer and follow links to explore some of these topics in greater depth. Additional eye protection like a face shield or goggles is not required, but is a smart piece of equipment to ride with.

A motorcycle helmet is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment. Wearing one can greatly reduce your chances of being seriously injured or killed if you are involved in a motorcycle crash.

Read more about motorcycle helmet laws and safety. Like most other states, Missouri requires motorcycle equipment to meet certain requirements. Your exhaust system, tires, brakes, taillight, turn signals, and wheels must be working properly. Turn signals are not required by law, but if you do not have turn signals you must use hand signals to notify other vehicles of your actions. If you are under 21 and are a passenger or operator, you must wear a DOT-approved crash helmet.

The handlebars on your motorcycle cannot be higher than 30 inches from the saddle to the highest point of the handle grip. Do not ride with more than one passenger on a motorcycle. If you do have a passenger, they need their own seat and footrest. Furthermore, you cannot put a small child between two adults on a motorcycle. Motorcycles in the state of Missouri need a safety inspection five years after the date of their manufacture, starting January For example, if you have a model, your motorcycle will not need a safety inspection until This includes any change in motorcycle ownership.

If your motorcycle is older than six years, then you need to have a safety inspection every two years. Typically, even year models receive a safety inspection in even years and odd year models receive a safety inspection in odd years.

However, if your model is an even-year model, and your registration is up in an odd year, then your inspection is good for only one year. Lane splitting is not explicitly allowed in Missouri but is not explicitly prohibited either. Lane splitting happens when a motorcyclist rides between the two lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. On the other hand, lane sharing is acceptable in Missouri. It is different from lane splitting because motorcyclists ride next to each other in the same lane.

Driving five miles per hour or more than the speed limit can get you three points on your license. If you get a total of four points within a one-year time period, you will receive a point accumulation advisory letter. If you get a total of eight or more points in a year and a half, your driving privileges will be suspended.

Definitions — maximum speed limits — cities, towns, villages, certain counties, may set speed limit, how set — slower speeds set, when — violations, penalty. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the uniform maximum speed limits are and no vehicle shall be operated in excess of the speed limits established pursuant to this section: 1 Upon the rural interstates and freeways of this state, seventy miles per hour; 2 Upon the rural expressways of this state, sixty-five miles per hour; 3 Upon the interstate highways, freeways or expressways within the urbanized areas of this state, sixty miles per hour; 4 All other roads and highways in this state not located in an urbanized area and not provided for in subdivisions 1 to 3 of this subsection, sixty miles per hour; 5 All other roads provided for in subdivision 4 of this subsection shall not include any state two-lane road which is identified by letter.

Such lettered roads shall not exceed fifty-five miles per hour unless set at a higher speed as established by the department of transportation, except that no speed limit shall be set higher than sixty miles per hour; 6 For the purposes of enforcing the speed limit laws of this state, it is a rebuttable presumption that the posted speed limit is the legal speed limit.

The following are the length of suspension based on the number of violation it is:. Once your license is reinstated, your point total reduces to four. The reduction in points is the following:. To avoid a careless and imprudent driving charge, you must:.

Basically, if you are driving in an unsafe manner, you could be charged with careless and imprudent driving. Motorists to exercise highest degree of care — violation, penalty. Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care.

Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor, unless an accident is involved then it shall be a class A misdemeanor. Careless and imprudent driving is a Class B misdemeanor. If you are involved in an accident and have a careless and imprudent driving offense, it rises to a Class A misdemeanor. There are two degrees of manslaughter in Missouri, first-degree and second-degree. First-degree involuntary manslaughter is when you act recklessly and kill another person.

Passenger Seat Not Required. Radar Detector No Restriction. Rider-Education Waiver Skill Test. Safety Helmet Required by law; M. Section Turn Signals Not Required. If you have any updates to this list please feel free to leave it in the comments.