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Existing driving licence holders with moped entitlement

If you already have the entitlement to ride a moped - you won't lose it. Currently your entitlement is shown on your driving licence as category P and covers you to ride mopeds with:

• an engine size up to 50 cylinder capacity (cc)
• a maximum speed up to 50 kilometres per hour (km/h)

From 19 January 2013, new European rules will apply. You won't lose your entitlement but it will show differently on any driving licences issued to you from that date.

Your entitlement will show as:

• category AM (the European category) - lets you ride mopeds with a maximum design speed over 25 km/h but not more than 45 km/h, small three wheelers (up to 50 cc and below 4 Kilowatt (kW)), and light quadricycles (unladen mass less than 350 kilograms (kg) and up to 45 km/h)
• category P - extending the above to include two or three wheeled mopeds with a higher maximum speed of up to 50 km/h (to retain your existing entitlement)
• category Q - extending the above to include two or three wheeled mopeds with a maximum speed up to 25 km/h (to retain your existing entitlement)

You won't need to do anything – your existing entitlement is still valid.

Existing motorcycle or tricycle riders

If you already have motorcycle entitlement, it won't change under the new rules. However, if you want to ride bigger bikes, you'll need to follow the rules for new riders below.

Your entitlement to ride tricycles is currently shown on your licence as category B1 (trikes and quads) or B (cars). When you replace or renew your licence after 19 January 2013, it will be shown as B1 and A (limited to tricycles).

New riders from 19 January 2024

From 19 January 2013, the following new rules will apply.

Passing your driving test for a moped after 19 January 2024

The minimum age to ride these vehicles will still be 16 years, and you’ll still need to pass your:

• compulsory basic training (CBT)
• theory test
• practical test

Once you've passed your tests, your entitlement will be shown on your driving licence as:

• category AM (the European category)
• category Q

If you pass your car test first, you'll receive the entitlement to drive mopeds as well. However, you will need to pass your CBT to ride them on the road (as now). Your moped entitlement will be shown as above (categories AM and Q).

Category A1 (small motorcycles up to 11kW - 125 cc)

Category A1 covers small bikes with:

• a cylinder capacity not more than 125 cc
• power output not more than 11 kW and a power to weight ratio not more than 0.1 kW per kg
• motor tricycles with a power output not more than 15 kW

The minimum age limit for category A1 will still be 17 years.

You'll have to pass theory and practical driving tests to get this entitlement.

Category A2 (medium motorcycles up to 35 kW)

Category A2 covers medium sized bikes, with or without a sidecar, which have:

• an engine power output not more than 35 kW
• a power to weight ratio not more than 0.2 kW per kg - the bike must also not be derived from a vehicle of more than double its power

The minimum age for category A2 is 19 years.

There are two ways to get this entitlement.

Direct access

If you you're aged 19 or over, you can take a theory and a practical test.

Staged access

If you're aged 19 or over and you have two years' experience on an A1 motorcycle, you only need to take a further practical test.

Category A

Category A covers machines unlimited in size and power, with or without a sidecar, and motor tricycles with a power output of more than 15 kW. There are two ways to get this entitlement.

Direct access

If you don't have two years' experience, you'll have to be aged 24 years or over. You'll also need to pass the theory and practical tests.

Staged access

You can get this category from age 21 if you have two years' experience on an A2 motorcycle and you take a further practical test.

Tricycles

You'll need to follow the same rules if you want to ride a tricycle that falls within these categories.

Please note that tests for mopeds with three or four wheels, A1 tricycles and A tricycles will only be offered to the physically disabled.

More useful links

• New rules for vehicles you can drive and minimum ages