Motorcycle insurance in Las Vegas and Nevada starts with the same liability minimum as a car, but the coverage that protects you, your passenger and your bike is optional. Here is what the law requires, what each coverage pays and how to get a quote.
Motorcycle insurance in Las Vegas, in 60 seconds
Motorcycle insurance in Las Vegas and Nevada is required by law: the Nevada Division of Insurance says riders must carry the same liability insurance required for cars, a 25/50/20 minimum. That liability pays others, not you or your bike. Coverage for your own injuries and motorcycle (uninsured motorist, medical payments, collision, comprehensive and custom parts) is optional, and it's where most riders need help choosing.
- Required: 25/50/20 liability on every registered motorcycle; true mopeds are exempt.
- Must be offered: UM/UIM at your liability limits, plus medical payments coverage.
- Watch for: many policies cover only factory standard parts.
- Also the law: helmets for rider and passenger, and a Class M license.
What to do: carry liability above the minimum, match UM/UIM to it, add medical payments, and list every aftermarket part when you ask for a quote.
You bought the bike, maybe added an exhaust and bags, and the DMV wants proof of insurance before it will plate it. A minimum policy gets you registered, but it pays the other driver, not you. In our experience helping Las Vegas riders since 2016, the real questions are your own medical bills and the parts you added. Here is how our Las Vegas motorcycle insurance team answers them.
Is Motorcycle Insurance Required in Nevada?
The short answer: Yes, Nevada requires every registered motorcycle to carry the same liability insurance as a car, at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries and $20,000 for property damage, while true mopeds are exempt.
The Nevada Division of Insurance says: "In Nevada, motorcycle riders are required by law to have the same liability insurance that is required for autos." The rule is NRS 485.185, which covers every motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in Nevada. Our guide to Nevada's 25/50/20 insurance requirement explains each number.
The DMV registers motorcycles like other vehicles, including proof of insurance, and NV LIVE then checks coverage electronically, with no grace period; see what happens when insurance lapses in Nevada.
What about mopeds and scooters?
NRS 485.185 says its liability rules don't apply to a moped, and the DMV lists moped insurance as "Not Required." A moped, per the DMV, is 50cc or less (or 1,500 watts), no more than 2 brake horsepower and 30 mph tops. It still needs registration and a helmeted rider. A bigger scooter isn't a moped.
The law doesn't require it, but a moped crash can still bring medical bills and someone else's damages. Ask what coverage is available.
Sources: NV DOI, motorcycle insurance → · NRS 485.185 → · NV DMV, motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles → · NV DMV, insurance and NV LIVE →
Nick Sakha
Nick founded Sakha Agencies in Las Vegas in 2016 after graduating from UNLV. His team helps valley families with auto, home, renters, condo and life insurance from the office at 4765 S Durango Dr, and reviews every guide on this blog for accuracy.
What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover in Las Vegas?
The short answer: A Las Vegas motorcycle policy can include liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist, medical payments, collision, comprehensive, custom parts and equipment and guest passenger liability, but only liability is required by Nevada law.
Motorcycle insurance is a policy that pays for injuries and damage from riding, built from separate coverages you choose one by one. The NAIC's consumer auto guide says you'll likely need a separate policy for a motorcycle.
| Coverage | Status in Nevada | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | Required: 25/50/20 | Injuries and damage you cause others; not you or your bike (DOI) |
| Uninsured / underinsured motorist | Must be offered | Your and your passenger's injuries when the at-fault driver is short on insurance (DOI) |
| Medical payments | Must be offered | Treatment for you and your passenger, regardless of fault (DOI) |
| Collision | Optional | Your bike after a collision, usually book value minus deductible (III) |
| Comprehensive | Optional | Non-collision damage "such as fire, theft or vandalism" (III) |
| Custom parts and equipment | Optional | Aftermarket parts beyond factory standard (III) |
| Guest passenger liability | Optional | A passenger hurt on your bike; depends on state law and insurer (III) |
Badges are our team's grouping of the sources; your policy's wording controls.
Collision and comprehensive aren't required by law, but they repair or replace your motorcycle, and lenders usually require them on a financed bike.
Sources: NV DOI, motorcycle insurance → · III, motorcycle insurance (industry) → · NAIC, consumer’s guide to auto insurance → · NV DOI, 2026 auto rate guide →
Do You Need Uninsured Motorist and Medical Payments Coverage on a Motorcycle?
The short answer: For most Nevada riders, yes: liability pays nothing for your own injuries, while uninsured motorist and medical payments coverage are the parts of a motorcycle policy that pay you and your passenger.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) pays your injury costs when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. NRS 687B.145 requires insurers to offer it on "a policy of insurance covering the use of a passenger car or motorcycle," equal to your bodily injury limits; you may decline in writing. The Division warns that "Saving money with low liability limits today could cost you more in the long run." Our Nevada uninsured motorist guide covers rejection and hit-and-run rules.
Medical payments coverage "pays immediately for treating injuries to you and your passenger without regard to fault," per the Division, whose motorcycle page adds that it's the only way your policy covers medical costs from a crash involving just you. NRS 687B.145 also requires an offer of at least $1,000 in medical expense coverage.
NHTSA puts the 2023 motorcyclist fatality rate per mile at almost 28 times the passenger-car rate. In our experience, the coverages that pay the rider deserve more attention than the bike's deductible. Our steps after an accident in Las Vegas apply to riders too.
Sources: NRS 687B.145 → · NV DOI, motorcycle insurance → · NHTSA, Motorcycles: 2023 Data →
Are Aftermarket and Custom Parts Covered on a Motorcycle Policy?
The short answer: Often not in full, because the Insurance Information Institute says many motorcycle collision and comprehensive policies cover only factory standard parts, so aftermarket exhausts, bags, paint and chrome need custom parts and equipment coverage.
Custom parts and equipment coverage means a separate limit for parts and accessories that didn't come from the factory. The Insurance Information Institute warns that "Many comprehensive and collision policies will only cover the factory standard parts on your motorcycle," and suggests asking about limits for chrome, custom paint, trailers and sidecars.
Unlisted add-ons may go unpaid. Keep receipts and report every upgrade.
Hypothetical. A Henderson rider with a $1,600 aftermarket exhaust and $1,200 saddlebags is clipped by a merging car on the I-215 Beltway; the driver keeps going. He goes down, and police take a report that day. He carries 100/300 liability and UM/UIM, $5,000 medical payments and collision with a $500 deductible. Figures are invented.
Assumes each loss is covered; how MedPay and UM/UIM coordinate varies by policy. Not what any specific policy pays and not a quote.
Sources: III, motorcycle insurance (industry) → · NRS 690B.020 (hit-and-run) → · NV DOI, motorcycle insurance →
What Is Nevada's Motorcycle Helmet Law?
The short answer: Nevada's helmet law, NRS 486.231, requires both the driver and any passenger on a motorcycle or moped on a highway to wear a helmet and glasses, goggles or a face shield, unless the bike has a qualifying windscreen.
NRS 486.231 says that when a motorcycle or moped is driven on a highway, "the driver and passenger shall wear protective headgear" and "protective glasses, goggles or face shields" meeting DMV standards. The windscreen exception covers eyes only: with a qualifying transparent windscreen, glasses or goggles aren't required, but the helmet still is.
The DMV says helmets "must meet U.S. DOT standards" and exempts three-wheelers with an enclosed cab. NHTSA calls helmets "the single most effective way to protect yourself from a head injury."
Locally, the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety's preliminary report counts 62 motorcyclists killed in Clark County in 2024 and 59 in 2025, noting 2025 data isn't final until 2027.
Sources: NRS 486.231 → · NV DMV, motorcycles → · NHTSA, Motorcycles: 2023 Data → · NV Office of Traffic Safety, 2024–2025 fatal report (preliminary) →
How Do You Get a Motorcycle License (Class M) in Nevada?
The short answer: You get a Nevada Class M motorcycle license either by passing the DMV's knowledge and skills tests or by completing an MSF-certified course, which the DMV accepts for up to one year in place of its tests.
A Class M license is the motorcycle authorization on a Nevada license, shown alongside Class A, B or C. NRS 486.061 requires it to ride a motorcycle on a highway, and NRS 486.071 lets you qualify by tests or an approved safety course.
| Step | DMV test route | Course route |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge test | 25 questions; 80% to pass | Not required at the DMV |
| Skills test | Cone weave, turns, quick stop, swerve | Done in the MSF-certified course |
| Limits | Two or more failed skills tests: take a course | Accepted for one year after completion |
Nevada DMV, 2024 motorcycle license guide and motorcycle page. A small endorsement fee applies; the two DMV pages list different amounts, so confirm it.
Permit limits: daylight only, no passengers, no freeways or high-speed roadways, and direct visual supervision by a licensed rider. Under 18, hold the permit at least six months, log 50 supervised hours and complete a safety course.
Sources: NV DMV, Getting a Motorcycle DL (2024) → · NV DMV, motorcycles → · NRS 486.061 and 486.071 →
What Affects the Cost of Motorcycle Insurance in Nevada?
The short answer: A Nevada motorcycle insurance premium depends on the rider's age, record and address, the bike's type and age, miles ridden, where it's stored and the limits you choose, so no published average can stand in for your quote.
We don't print a motorcycle price because no state source publishes one: the Nevada Division of Insurance's 2026 rate guide prices a sedan and a pickup, no motorcycles. Industry factors (III):
Rider
"Your age, your driving record and where you live."
Bike type
Sport bike, cruiser or custom motorcycle.
Bike age
The age of the motorcycle.
Miles ridden
The number of miles you ride in a year.
Storage
Where you keep the bike overnight.
Your limits
Higher limits cost more and protect more.
Discounts that may apply: III names training-course, multi-bike, organization-member and mature-rider discounts, and the Division's auto rate guide lists multipolicy among rating factors, so pricing the bike next to your car can matter; our Las Vegas auto insurance team handles both. None is guaranteed.
Sources: III, motorcycle insurance (industry) → · NV DOI, 2026 auto rate guide → · NV DOI, motorcycle insurance →
How Does Riding in Las Vegas Change the Coverage You Need?
The short answer: Las Vegas riders tend to ride all year in heavy freeway traffic and summer heat, so year-round liability, medical coverage and a plan for where the bike is parked matter more than a winter lay-up policy.
The valley has no real off-season, so a lay-up policy, which the Insurance Information Institute says is "Available primarily in northern U.S. states," rarely fits. If you park a bike for months, keep liability on it while it's registered: the DMV says comprehensive-only and storage-only policies usually aren't reported to it, which counts as a lapse.
Summer is the hard season: National Weather Service normals put the average July high at 104.5°F. Most of our riders' miles are on the I-15, US-95 and the Beltway, the same corridors our Las Vegas car insurance guide covers from behind the wheel.
Sources: III, motorcycle insurance (industry) → · NV DMV, insurance and NV LIVE → · NWS Las Vegas, temperature overview →
How Do You Get a Motorcycle Insurance Quote in Las Vegas?
The short answer: To get a motorcycle insurance quote in Las Vegas, have each rider's license details, the bike's VIN and type, a list of aftermarket parts, your annual miles and parking, and your current declarations page ready.
Our rider checklist:
- Gather rider details. Each rider's license number, Class M status or permit, birth date and recent tickets or crashes.
- List the bike. Year, make, model, VIN and type: sport bike, cruiser, touring, scooter or trike.
- Price the add-ons. Aftermarket parts with receipts: exhaust, seat, bags, paint, chrome, trailer or sidecar.
- Note use and storage. Roughly how many miles a year you ride and where the bike is parked overnight.
- Bring your declarations page. Your current policy shows your limits, so a new quote can match or improve them.
- Add your course card. An MSF or Nevada Rider completion card may earn a discount with some insurers.
Confirm the insurer's and agent's Nevada licenses (our guide to insurance quotes in Las Vegas shows how), and start the new policy before the old one ends.
Sources: NV DMV, Getting a Motorcycle DL (2024) → · III, motorcycle insurance (industry) → · NV DMV, insurance →
Get A Quote for Motorcycle Insurance in Las Vegas
Tell us about your bike and its add-ons, and we'll price the coverage with you. No obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need insurance for a moped or scooter in Nevada?
Not for a true moped. The Nevada DMV's motorcycle page lists insurance as "Not Required" for mopeds, and NRS 485.185 says its liability minimums don't apply to a moped. The DMV defines a moped as 50cc or less (or 1,500 watts), no more than 2 brake horsepower and a top speed of 30 mph. Mopeds still have to be registered, and riders still wear helmets. A bigger scooter isn't a moped, so check its class with the DMV. Our team's view: a moped crash can still bring medical bills, so ask what coverage is available.
Does motorcycle insurance cover my passenger in Nevada?
Some coverages do, if you carry them. The Nevada Division of Insurance says uninsured motorist coverage on a motorcycle policy "will also protect your passenger," and that medical payments coverage pays for treating injuries to you and your passenger without regard to fault. The Insurance Information Institute, an industry group, adds that guest passenger liability, which protects you when a passenger is hurt on your bike, may be available depending on state law and the insurer. A Nevada instruction permit allows no passengers at all.
Can I bundle motorcycle insurance with my car insurance in Nevada?
Often you can bundle the policies, though not usually onto one policy. The NAIC's consumer auto guide says you'll likely need a separate insurance policy for a motorcycle. The Nevada Division of Insurance's 2026 auto rate guide lists multipolicy among the factors insurers use, and some insurers price a rider lower when the motorcycle, car or home sits with the same company. Whether that applies depends on the insurer, so we price the motorcycle on its own and alongside your other policies. The Insurance Information Institute also names multi-bike discounts.
Will an MSF rider course get me a motorcycle insurance discount?
It may. The Nevada Division of Insurance's motorcycle page says many insurance companies offer a discount for riders who complete an approved motorcycle safety course, and the Insurance Information Institute names training-course discounts for graduates of classes such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course. The course does double duty in Nevada: the DMV's 2024 motorcycle license guide says you don't have to take the DMV written and skills tests if you complete an MSF-certified course, accepted for up to one year after you finish.
Do I need proof of insurance to register a motorcycle at the Nevada DMV?
Yes. The Nevada DMV says motorcycles and trimobiles are subject to the same registration requirements as other vehicles, and its motorcycle page lists liability insurance as required for motorcycles, trimobiles and other three-wheelers. The policy has to meet Nevada's 25/50/20 minimum and come from an insurer authorized in Nevada. After you register, the DMV's NV LIVE system checks coverage electronically, the same as for cars, and there is no grace period. Motorcycle registrations also carry an extra $6 fee that helps fund Nevada's rider safety program, per the DMV.
Related Questions
The Bottom Line on Motorcycle Insurance in Las Vegas
The short answer: Nevada's 25/50/20 minimum gets a motorcycle registered, but the coverages that pay you, your passenger and your bike are optional, so choose them on purpose.
Carry liability you'd rely on, match UM/UIM to it, add medical payments and list every part you've added. Our motorcycle insurance team in Las Vegas can walk through it with you, and we match you to the right market for your bike and your record.
Keep reading
More from our team.
Nevada Insurance Requirements
What 25/50/20 pays for and how NV LIVE checks it.
Read the guide → 🛡️Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Nevada
Keep it or sign the rejection.
Read the guide → 🚨After a Crash in Las Vegas
Steps that protect your claim.
Read the guide → ✅Free Quote Review
A licensed Las Vegas agent prices your motorcycle coverage with you.
Start my free quote →About this guide. Written by the Sakha Agencies team and reviewed by Nick Sakha, a licensed Nevada insurance agent (NV Lic. #4371904). Sakha Agencies (Nicholas K Sakha Agency Inc, NV Lic. #6013538) serves Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and all of Nevada from 4765 S Durango Dr, Las Vegas, and has since 2016. This guide is educational, not legal advice or a quote. Facts come from the named sources linked above, led by the Nevada Division of Insurance →, the Nevada DMV and NHTSA, with industry guidance (III) labeled, and are reviewed quarterly.
Last reviewed by Nick Sakha on November 6, 2026.