Certain, but not all, three-wheeled motor vehicles, also called autocycles or perhaps trikes — with two wheels in front and one wheel in the rear — may now be operated without a class M motorcycle license. Effective April 20, 2022, changes to vehicle and traffic law provide that a class D license (which is what most of us must have to operate cars and small trucks) is valid to operate qualifying three-wheeled motor vehicles that have two wheels in the front and one wheel in the rear. But to qualify, they must have a steering mechanism and seating which does not require the operator to straddle or sit astride and must have safety belts for all occupants. A qualifying example would be the Polaris Slingshot.

Previously, a valid motorcycle license (class M) was required to operate all three-wheeled vehicles. Now a class D or M and class A, B, C, E, DJ and MJ licenses are also valid to operate qualifying three-wheeled motor vehicles, which must be manufactured to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards for motorcycles.

A class M motorcycle license is still required to operate all three-wheeled motor vehicles that do not meet the qualifications as described above. An example of a three-wheeled motor vehicle that still requires a class M motorcycle license is a Can Am Spyder. While it is three-wheeled, it requires the operator to straddle the vehicle while operating it and it does not come equipped with seatbelts for all occupants.

These autocycles have become quite popular over the past decade or so. Apparently, the DMV has realized that these operate more like a four-wheeled motor vehicle than like a two-wheeled motorcycle, and thus has relaxed the requirements for their licensing.