Ontario M1 Test Cheat Sheet: Key Facts to Memorize

Experienced riders say the M1 knowledge test is mostly about numbers. The questions that trip people up are not judgement calls — they are exact figures: how many questions, what pass mark, how many days, which highways.

This sheet distils the Ontario M1 test’s most-tested facts into one page you can re-read the night before. Keep “M1” language in your head while you study: every fact below exists because motorcycle test-takers get asked about it.

The 64-Question Format in One Line

The widely reported M1 format is 24 motorcycle-specific questions, 20 on the rules of the road, and 20 on road signs. The pass mark is 80 percent in each section, not just overall.

That works out to at least 19 of 24 in the motorcycle section, plus 16 of 20 in each of the other two.

Section	Questions	To Pass
Motorcycle-specific	24	19 correct
Rules of the road	20	16 correct
Road signs	20	16 correct

Memorise the pair “24-20-20, 19-16-16” and you have locked in the entire format. Say it out loud five times; it will still be there on test day.

Before your test day, run a timed simulation on our M1 motorcycle practice test to feel how the three sections flow back to back.

The Numbers That Run Your First 90 Days

Your M1 licence is valid for 90 days from the day it is issued. You must hold it for at least 60 of those days before you can take the Level One road test for your M2.

Everything else on the graduated motorcycle ladder hangs off these two numbers.

• 16 — the minimum age to apply for an M1 licence in Ontario.
• 90 — the number of days your M1 stays valid.
• 60 — the minimum number of days you must hold it before booking the M2 road test.
• 22 — the months you hold an M2 before you can take the road test for a full M licence.

Think of it as the 90-60 countdown: the 90 is your expiry clock, the 60 is your earliest exit. Riders who book their M2 road test early in the window avoid the scramble of an expiring M1.

If you want to see where the M1 fits in the bigger picture, our licence class finder walks through every class the province issues, including Class M.

The Four Level One Conditions

Until you upgrade to M2, you ride under four conditions. They are the single most-tested topic on the motorcycle section, so learn them as a set.

1. Zero blood alcohol. Not “a little” — zero. If you will be riding, your blood-alcohol concentration must be zero, period.
2. Daylight hours only. From a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Night riding is off the table at M1.
3. Roads posted at 80 km/h or less. Plus one named exception: the northern highways below.
4. No passengers. Solo riding only — nobody on the back seat until M2.

Your mnemonic for the four: “Zero, Day, 80, Solo.” Zero alcohol, daylight, 80 km/h, solo riding. Four words, four conditions.

The One-Look Revision Card

Fifteen lines, five minutes, the night before the test. If you can answer every one cold, you are ready.

1. The M1 test has 64 questions: 24 motorcycle, 20 rules, 20 signs.
2. Pass marks are 19, 16, and 16 — 80 percent in each section.
3. Minimum age for an M1: 16.
4. M1 is valid for 90 days.
5. You must hold it 60 days before the M2 road test.
6. M2 lasts 22 months before the full M road test.
7. Level One means zero blood alcohol.
8. Ride only in daylight: half-hour before sunrise to half-hour after sunset.
9. Stay on roads posted 80 km/h or less, except eight named northern highways.
10. Those eight: 11, 17, 61, 69, 71, 101, 144, 655.
11. No passengers at M1.
12. A motorcycle helmet meeting approved standards is required by law for riders.
13. In group riding, the handbook’s safest arrangement is a staggered formation, switching to single file on curves, in turns, and at freeway entries and exits.
14. Your dominant lane position is the lane position that gives you the best view and keeps you visible.
15. Fail one section and you fail the test — there is no averaging across sections.

How These Facts Show Up as Test Questions

Knowing the numbers is only half the battle. The test rarely asks “how many days is an M1 valid?” outright — it wraps the facts in scenarios. Here are the shapes the questions usually take, so nothing on screen surprises you:

• The “which is allowed” question: four scenarios, only one legal. A favourite is night riding — “An M1 rider leaves a friend’s house at 9 p.m.” is an instant no.
• The highway trap: they list a 400-series highway as one option and highway 11 as another. Only the northern exception counts.
• The passenger twist: “Which M1 rider is following the conditions?” — the one riding solo. Watch for a passenger who is “also licensed” — it does not matter at M1.
• The pass-mark math: “A rider scores 20 of 24 on the motorcycle section and 14 of 20 on signs.” That’s a fail, because the signs section misses 80 percent.
• The validity countdown: “Your M1 was issued 100 days ago.” That licence is expired — 90 days is the limit, full stop.

Read every option before answering. The wrong answers on number questions are usually almost right — 18 of 24 instead of 19, or 60 days where the answer is 90. When you see a number you know, trust your cheat sheet, not your doubt.

The most common trap pairs two true-sounding facts where only one matches the question. “Zero alcohol” is true of M1 — but if the question asks about the speed rule, the right answer is still the 80 km/h one. Answer what was asked.

How Riders Actually Memorise This

A cheat sheet only works if the facts move from the page into your head. Here is the drill that riders report actually sticking with:

1. Read this sheet once, slowly, saying the bold numbers out loud.
2. Cover the sheet and rewrite the mnemonics from memory: “24-20-20, 19-16-16”, “90-60”, “Zero, Day, 80, Solo”. Check what you missed.
3. Drill the eight highways in their three chunks until the sequence is automatic.
4. Take a timed practice run on the M1 motorcycle practice test to find which section is your weak link.
5. Work the long tail through our 200-question M1 bank — full coverage of motorcycle topics, signs, and rules with explanations.
6. Re-read this sheet the night before. Fifteen lines, five minutes, then sleep.

Don’t memorise the facts in isolation — attach each number to its “why”. Zero alcohol because a new rider has no margin for impairment; daylight because visibility is survival. The “why” makes the “what” almost impossible to forget.

Quick Answers to Common Cheat-Sheet Questions

How many questions are on the M1 test in Ontario?

The widely reported format is 64 questions: 24 motorcycle-specific, 20 on the rules of the road, and 20 on road signs.

What score do I need to pass the M1 test?

An 80 percent mark in each section: at least 19 of 24 in the motorcycle section, and at least 16 of 20 in both the rules and signs sections.

How long is an Ontario M1 licence valid?

90 days. You must hold it for at least 60 days before you can take the Level One road test for your M2.

Which highways can an M1 rider use?

Eight northern highways are the exception to the 80 km/h rule: 11, 17, 61, 69, 71, 101, 144, and 655.

Can I ride at night or carry a passenger on an M1?

No to both. M1 riding is limited to daylight hours — from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset — and passengers are not allowed until M2.

How old do I have to be to get an M1?

16. That is the minimum age to apply for an M1 licence in Ontario.

This site is an unofficial practice resource and is not affiliated with DriveTest, the Ministry of Transportation, or the Government of Ontario.

The M1 format is described as widely reported. Road rules change over time, so always confirm current requirements with official sources before your test.