Racer Guide · Licenses
How to get your USA Cycling race license: a beginner's step-by-step guide
Which license you need, what it costs, how to buy it and how it works for the two Berkeley Omnium race days, for riders who've never pinned on a number.
Licenses at a glance
- Who issues it
- USA Cycling, the national body for bike racing. The Berkeley Omnium doesn't sell or issue licenses.
- Trying one race
- Beginner one-day license, $15, added to your entry on BikeReg or bought at the race
- Both Omnium days
- A one-day license covers one race day, so one for Saturday and one for Sunday ($30)
- Racing a season
- Annual license from USA Cycling: $110 for adults, $40 under 19 (auto-renewing)
- Under 18
- A parent or legal guardian must be at the race to sign the waivers
The short answer
To race a USA Cycling sanctioned event like the Berkeley Omnium you need a USA Cycling license. If you're new, the simplest option is a $15 Beginner one-day license for the Novice (Category 5) field: BikeReg adds it to your entry when you register, or you can buy it at the race. It covers one race day, so racing both days of the Omnium takes two ($30). If you plan to race regularly, an annual license from USA Cycling costs $110 for adults ($130 without auto-renewal) and counts your results toward moving up.
Do I need a license to race?
Yes, for any race sanctioned by USA Cycling, which includes both Berkeley Omnium races. USA Cycling is the national organization for bike racing in the U.S.: it writes the rules, sorts racers into categories and issues the licenses. Every rider on the start line holds one, from first-timers to pros.
A license is also your race-day insurance: USA Cycling licenses include accident medical coverage for the racing they cover, subject to the policy's terms. You don't need to belong to a club or team to get one.
Which license should I get?
| If you're… | Start with |
|---|---|
| New to racing and trying one race or one weekend | Beginner one-day license, $15 per race day |
| New, and planning to race several times this season | Annual license, $110 for adults: your results count toward moving up |
| Under 18 | A Beginner one-day license, or an annual license at $40. A parent or guardian signs the waivers at the race |
| A former annual license holder upgraded to Category 4 or higher | Experienced one-day license, $35, sold only on BikeReg, or renew your annual license |
| Already holding a current annual license | Nothing to buy. Enter your field on BikeReg with your license |
This is a starting point, not an eligibility ruling. USA Cycling's pages have the official rules.
USA Cycling: one-day licenses →
| License | Cost | Who it's for | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner one-day | $15 per race day | Novice (Category 5) racers, including new junior and women racers | Added to your entry on BikeReg, or bought at the race |
| Experienced one-day | $35 per race day | Former annual license holders who were upgraded to at least Category 4 | Only on BikeReg, so buy it before race day |
| Annual, adult (23 and older) | $110 auto-renewing, $130 one-time | Anyone racing regularly; valid for 12 months | USA Cycling's website |
| Annual, under 23 (19 to 22) | $80 auto-renewing, $100 one-time | Riders aged 19 to 22 | USA Cycling's website |
| Annual, under 19 | $40 auto-renewing, $60 one-time | Junior racers | USA Cycling's website |
One-day licenses can't be used at national championship events, and one-day holders don't become USA Cycling members.
How to get a one-day license
You don't need a USA Cycling account or membership. You buy the license with your race entry:
- Pick a USA Cycling sanctioned race with a field for new racers, usually labeled Novice or Category 5. Our categories guide explains the labels.
- Start your entry on BikeReg, the registration site the Berkeley Omnium and many Northern California races use.
- Choose your field. If you don't have a current license, BikeReg adds the matching one-day license to your cart.
- Pay and finish your entry. BikeReg emails a receipt.
- Keep the receipt handy and check in at registration on race day.
Missed online registration? A Beginner one-day license can also be bought on-site at the race. The Experienced one-day license can't.
How to get an annual license
- Go to USA Cycling's membership page and choose Join (first-time racers have their own purchase path).
- Create a USA Cycling account, or sign in if you have one.
- Pick the domestic race license for your age: adult, under 23 or under 19.
- Choose auto-renewal (cheaper) or a one-time purchase, and pay.
- Your license is valid for 12 months from purchase. Use it when you register for races on BikeReg.
Started on one-day licenses? USA Cycling allows one one-day license purchase to be credited toward an annual license; its one-day license page explains how.
What category should I enter?
Every new road racer starts in Novice, also called Category 5, whatever their fitness. You race with other beginners, and the Beginner one-day license covers it. Combined fields that include Novice, like Women's 4/Novice, are open to you too.
Category 4 is the next step up. Under USA Cycling's upgrade policy you can request it after five finishes in road races, criteriums or clinics, and only results on an annual license count automatically. Results from one-day races have to be added to your record through USA Cycling's membership services. If you hope to move up, USA Cycling recommends an annual license.
Can I race the Berkeley Omnium on a one-day license?
Yes, in fields you're eligible for. A one-day license covers the race day it was bought for, and the Omnium is two race days:
- Saturday, Berkeley Hills Road Race: new racers have raced the Novice and Collegiate Novice field or the Women's Short Race (in 2026). One one-day license.
- Sunday, Berkeley Streets Criterium: the Open Novice or Women's 4/Novice crit (in 2026), with the Beginner Race Program on the course beforehand. Another one-day license.
- Both days: two Beginner one-day licenses, $30. You need both races to get an Omnium score.
Racing more than a handful of days this year? An annual license soon costs less than buying one-day licenses race by race.
What about junior racers?
Juniors need a license too. A new junior can race on a $15 Beginner one-day license, or get an annual under-19 license for $40 ($60 one-time) if they'll race through the season. Juniors race in junior fields grouped by racing age, not with adults.
Our juniors page has a birth-year field finder, distances, gear and what parents should know.
Bringing a friend to their first race
Already a USA Cycling member? USA Cycling's Companion Pass lets members request a free one-day license code (worth $15) from the member benefits portal and give it to a friend, who enters it at checkout on BikeReg for any sanctioned race. Check USA Cycling's page for which memberships include it.
Racing the Women's Short Race or the Women's 4/Novice crit with a friend is one of the easier ways to start.
Next: register and get ready
Online registration opens March 1 on BikeReg. In 2026 online entry closed 3 days before the Berkeley Hills Road Race, and day-of entry cost $15 more.
Remind me: opens March 1Registration dates, day-of entry, payment and junior waivers, all in one place:
Berkeley Omnium registration guide →
What to bring, when to arrive and what happens at check-in and on the start line:
New to criteriums? Get time on the Berkeley Streets course before your first race:
Questions
How to get your USA Cycling race license: a beginner's step-by-step guide: FAQ
Do I need a license before I register?
No. If you don't have a license, BikeReg adds a one-day license to your cart when you enter a field, so you buy both at once. If you want an annual license, buy it from USA Cycling first and register with it.
Can I buy a license on race day?
Yes, the Beginner one-day license ($15) can be bought at the race. The Experienced one-day license is only sold on BikeReg, so buy it before race day.
Do I have to join a cycling club?
No. You don't need a club or team to get a license or race in the Novice field. Clubs are a good way to learn group riding before your first race, though.
What if I've never raced before?
Start in Novice (Category 5) with a $15 Beginner one-day license. Everyone starts there, whatever their fitness.
What's the difference between Novice and Category 4?
Novice (Category 5) is where every new road racer starts. Category 4 is the next level: you can request it after five finishes in road races, criteriums or clinics. Riders who were upgraded to Category 4 or higher can't use the Beginner one-day license.
Can I race both days of the Berkeley Omnium with one license?
An annual license covers both days. A one-day license covers only the day it's for, so racing Saturday and Sunday on one-day licenses takes two ($30 for Beginner licenses).
Can I upgrade from a one-day license?
You can buy an annual license any time, and USA Cycling allows one one-day license purchase to be credited toward it. To move up a category you need results (finishes for the first step, upgrade points after that), and only annual-license results count automatically.
What if I already have an annual license?
Then you don't need to buy anything else. Enter the field that matches the category, racing age and gender on your license.
What license does a junior racer need?
A Beginner one-day license ($15) for a first race, or an annual under-19 license ($40 auto-renewing) for a season. At the Berkeley Omnium, a parent or legal guardian must be at the race to sign the waivers.
What if I only want to try racing once?
A Beginner one-day license is made for that: $15, no membership, bought with your entry. USA Cycling members can also give a friend a free one-day license code through the Companion Pass.