Do I need a licence for a moped or scooter?
Depends on the vehicle: mopeds and motorcycles need a licence; standard e-scooters don't. The basis is the Highway Code and the IMT. Category AM (moped up to 50 cm³ or electric up to 4 kW, max 45 km/h) can be obtained from age 16. Category A1 (motorcycle up to 125 cm³, max 11 kW) also from 16, allows passengers and motorways and includes AM. A2 (up to 35 kW) is from 18 and A (no limit) from 24. E-scooters equated to bicycles (motor ≤0.25 kW and ≤25 km/h) need no licence or registration. In short: yes for a moped/scooter, no for a standard e-scooter.
📋 The rules
- AM (≤50cc, 45 km/h): from age 16
- A1 (≤125cc, 11 kW): from 16, includes AM
- A2 (≤35 kW): from 18
- A (no limit): from 24
- Standard e-scooter (≤0.25 kW): no licence
🔓 Exceptions
- Special moped licence possible at 14 with parental consent
- Helmet mandatory on motorcycles; recommended on e-scooters
- E-scooter above 25 km/h: leaves the exemption, needs registration/insurance
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Riding an e-scooter above the limits or modified is fined about €60 to €300 with seizure (in some municipalities up to ~€500). But riding a moped or motorcycle without the proper licence is driving without legal authorisation — a crime, punishable by a fine (day-fines) or prison up to 1 year, with seizure of the vehicle. Beware the Brazil confusion: there the CNH "category A" covers all motorcycles from 18; in Portugal the EU graduated system AM→A1→A2→A applies (AM/A1 at 16, A2 at 18, A at 24). Myth: "e-scooters need a licence" is false — standard ones need no licence or registration. To ride: check the right category for your vehicle and get the licence at the IMT.
📎 Official sources
- ePortugal — getting a driving licence →
- Highway Code — categories and ages →
- IMT — driving-licence types →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need a licence for a 50cc scooter?
Yes. To ride a moped or scooter up to 50 cm³, you need category AM of the driving licence, which you can get from age 16. Training includes about 15 hours. Category AM doesn't allow passengers or motorway use, unlike the higher categories.
And for a 125cc motorcycle?
For a motorcycle up to 125 cm³ and 11 kW, you need category A1, which you can also get from age 16. A1 allows carrying passengers and motorway use and also covers category AM. For more powerful motorcycles, you need A2, from 18, or A, from 24.
Do e-scooters need a licence?
No, standard ones don't. E-scooters equated to bicycles, with a motor up to 0.25 kW and a speed up to 25 km/h, need no driving licence or registration. It's a myth to think they do. Faster e-scooters, above those limits, leave the exemption and may need registration, insurance and a licence.
At what age can I ride a motorcycle?
It depends on the engine size. Categories AM and A1, for mopeds and motorcycles up to 125 cm³, can be obtained from age 16. Category A2, for motorcycles up to 35 kW, is from 18, and category A, with no power limit, from 24, or 20 with two years of A2.
Is riding a motorcycle without a licence a crime?
Yes. Riding a moped or motorcycle without the proper driving licence amounts to driving without legal authorisation, which is a crime, punishable by a fine or prison up to 1 year, plus seizure of the vehicle. So it's important to always have the correct licence category for the vehicle you ride.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “scooter licence 50cc portugal”
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