How to Get Your Sur-Ron / E-Moto Fully Street Legal & Registered as a Motorcycle in California (Full Guide)

Method I used for a fully legal Ultra Bee.
There are 3 main steps to getting any E-Moto/Ultra Bee fully street legal, and registered as a motorcycle.

1. M1 Permit/License
2. Registration
3. Insurance

Assuming you are starting from 0 and are at least 15½ (CA), this entire process can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on where you live, what you are starting with, and if you have all the correct paperwork.

• Make sure to request these forms when buying the bike. Documents Needed: MCO, Bill of Sale. Bike must have a registerable VIN*.

Another Side Note: It is much easier to register these bikes as a moped, but it's honestly not too hard to get them registered as a motorcycle, and with moped registration, you will still need an M2 license. Mopeds are also legally only allowed to go 28mph, have 1HP, or less than 50cc equivalent engines/motors. This is often not the case for these E-Bikes/Motos.

Section 1 - M1 Permit/License

Requirements for minors (CA DMV)

I'm a teenager, so speaking from my experience of starting with 0 driving knowledge to having both a C Class (car) and an M Class Permit, the DMV is a pain in the ass. As a minor they will give you a hard time, even if you have all your documents and are doing everything right. As a minor with no driving experience, you end up having to do all the steps to get a car driving permit (C Class) regardless of if you want to drive or not, so might as well get it. Nevertheless, here's the order I recommend:

1. Take the online driving course.
I used Drivers Ed Direct, but whatever service you use, make sure they give you a pink DL400c slip afterwards. Depending on how comfortable you are with road rules/driving/experience, you can finish this in 1-5 days. I recommend using a company that doesn't have time restrictions and lets you finish whenever. You learn most of the driving part in the behind-the-wheel training anyway.

2. Talk with your driving course company about getting your pink slip quicker, and register for the CMSP course.
The CMSP (California Motorcyclist Safety Program) is linked on the DMV site. You'll also want to find a driving instructor around this time if you haven't already, you'll need your behind-the-wheel hours logged before the DMV will give you either permits. DM me for a contact in the Bay Area.

3. Take your CMSP course/ get your C Class Permit.
This is a 2-day course. They'll put you on a small bike and teach you the basics, clutch control, braking, turning, etc. Complete it, and you get a DL 389. Keep all your documents safe, this document allows you to skip the riding test.

As for the C Class Permit, use the Get in Line method described below and take your C Class Permit Written Test (should just need identification doccuments (listed on the sheet) and your DL 400C)

Test Study/Answers: C Class Quizlet

4. Do your 6 hours of behind the wheel training and get your permit signed.

5. Go to the DMV with your documents.
Don't book an appointment. The day you are most free, in the morning use the "get in line feature" and keep an eye on it. So you don't need an appointment and can stay at home/work/school until your turn. Usually takes 2 - 3 hours.

You will need to go with your parents as a minor and tell them you are here to take your M1 Permit Written Test. Provide all doccuments from below, I reccomend having a screenshot of the link above cuz the DMV has a hard time remembering that minors can have an M1 permit.

You'll need: your pink DL400c slip from your online course, your DL389, and your signed 6 hours, your birth certificate or passport, your Social Security card, and proof of California residency. If you're a minor, a parent/guardian has to come with you and sign off. Bring everything. They will try to send you home for the dumbest reasons.

At the DMV, you'll take a written knowledge test for the M1 permit (motorcycle-specific questions on top of the regular rules of the road). Study the California Motorcycle Handbook; answers are all on quizlet btw M1 Quizlet.

Pass that test → you get your M1 permit. With an M1 permit you can ride a motorcycle, but only during daylight hours, you cannot carry passengers, and no freeway, but you are now independent.

Section 2 - Registration

This is where most people get tripped up, but it's honestly not that bad once you know what you're doing.

Use StreetOHV (EzPlates). DirtLegal is NOT your friend. Unlike some other services, StreetOHV does not require police VIN verification, which is a massive headache you will be happy to avoid. They handle the whole registration process for you and will get your bike plated as a street-legal motorcycle. You can reach their support at Support@StreetOHV.com or (415) 787-3387.

Here's what the process looks like with them:

1. They'll create an LLC for you.
StreetOHV sets up a Montana LLC in your name, which is how they're able to register the bike. This is a legal and common process. The bike is registered as a company asset.

2. You'll need a form notarized.
StreetOHV will send you a form that needs to be notarized. You can get this done same-day at most UPS Stores, banks, or notary offices. Takes like 10 minutes and costs a few bucks.

3. Mail your MCO to StreetOHV
Your Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) needs to be an original physical document, not a scan, not a PDF. When you buy the bike, make sure you get the actual paper MCO mailed to you. This is why I highlighted this earlier, the OEM MCO must be sent by snail mail, can take upto a week.

4. Scan and submit your documents.
Once you've got everything, Bill of Sales, notarized form, and other stuff, you upload/submit them to StreetOHV. They handle everything from there and will mail you your plates and registration.

Timeline-wise, once you've got all your docs in order, expect 1-2 days for temp tag (if u bought one) and 2+ weeks for metal plates. Stay in contact with their support if things seem slow.

*Some E-Bikes/E-Motos have VINs that aren't 17 characters or are in an unregisterable format with the US DMV. Imported bikes especially are often not factory-designed to be registered in the US, but it's still possible. If your bike doesn't have a registerable VIN, you can apply for a VIN assignment through the DMV. I haven't personally done it, but I've seen it happen, just expect extra time and paperwork.

Section 3 - Insurance

Alright, this is the annoying one. There's no clean, universal answer here.

Insurance companies don't really have a defined category for electric dirt bikes / E-Motos, so you're at the mercy of whatever agent you get and how they decide to classify your bike. It's kind of a crapshoot.

What worked for me: I used Progressive and just told them it was an electric dirt bike. They classified it as a dirt bike, and I was able to get a policy (I said it had 30hp, formula is kw/.75 = hp). Straightforward enough, but I've heard of other people calling Progressive and getting a completely different answer depending on the agent.

The real strategy: You're just going to have to try a bunch of different companies. Dairyland, Markel, Progressive, Nationwide, call around, describe the bike honestly, and see who will write a policy for you. The right agent or broker will eventually be able to help you out.

If you're hitting walls everywhere, DM me, I have a connection with a State Farm agent who's been able to work with these bikes.

Congrats, you now have a street-legal E-Moto that you can ride without worrying about Cops.