What motorcycles can you drive without a license in 2021?

Due to constant changes in Russian legislation, many vehicle drivers, especially minors, quite often have a question about whether they need a license for a scooter (moped) in 2021 and 2022 , and what the penalty is for not having a driver’s license.

Moreover, starting from November 5, 2013, the requirements for drivers of small-power vehicles have become much more serious.

Are moped and scooter licenses required in 2021?

A moped is a type of vehicle that is so popular among teenagers and active youth. Its main difference from motorcycles is the engine capacity. A moped's internal combustion engine volume does not exceed 50 cm³. As a rule, its speed is limited to 50 km/h.

Are moped and scooter licenses required in 2021?

A scooter is a type of city motorcycle. They are designed for movement on high-quality road surfaces. Among the technical features, the outboard engine is located directly under the rider’s seat.

Both types of transport have found their target audience. Basically, these are young people who want to quickly move around the city, but cannot afford a car, and teenagers. The latter, when scooters and Japanese mopeds appeared on the market, were immediately noted in the summary of accidents and accidents.

Lack of driving experience, courage and poor knowledge of traffic rules have led to the fact that the statistics of accidents involving minors has risen sharply. Often these road accidents result in serious injury and death, which is why a number of changes were made to the law in 2013.

Back in 2013, mopeds and scooters were included in the list of vehicles that require a driver's license to drive. Moreover, the engine displacement did not matter. This requirement even applied to owners of vehicles with an internal combustion engine volume of less than 50 cubic meters, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h or equipped with an electric motor with a power of up to 4 kW.

This requirement was enshrined in law on November 5, 2013. But it was implemented in practice only a year later (November 5, 2014). The fact is that during this year new rules for issuing driver’s licenses were developed and adopted. Therefore, it was in 2014 that riders were able to begin undergoing training and passing an exam, after which they received the long-awaited license to drive a moped.

Changes were also made to the traffic rules. Firstly, the very concept of a moped as a mechanical vehicle was enshrined in the set of rules. Secondly, quadricycles were equated to the same category, the drivers of which were also required to have a category “M” driver’s license.

When riding a moped or scooter, it is important to remember safety

Now, according to the new rules, the driver of a moped or scooter, when stopped by a traffic police inspector, was required to present his scooter license or a temporary permit to drive a mechanical vehicle. That is, having a license for a moped in 2021 is a clear requirement, failure to comply with which may result in fines.

Moreover, the traffic rules clearly state that even if the bicycle is equipped with an internal combustion engine, its owner will have to obtain a license, like for an electric scooter.

Exams

We have already mentioned above that obtaining license category A within 3 months after opening subcategory B is possible without retaking the theoretical exam. In other cases, both parts of the course are completed in full.

The theoretical basis test always includes answers to tickets, which traditionally contain 20 questions. They are compiled from a course of traffic rules, legislative acts relating to motor vehicles, the design of a motorcycle and the rules of first aid. In general, those who have already taken the exam to obtain a driver’s license agree that the theoretical course for subcategories B and A is similar.

Practical part

After passing the theory block, applicants will be allowed to take the practical part of the exam. It is mandatory even for those who are studying in both categories at the same time or have recently passed the internship.

When obtaining subcategory A for a motorcycle, the exam is carried out only in the conditions of the site; they do not go on city highways. You will need to pass 3 blocks:

1. Acceleration followed by braking, dimensional semicircle and corridor.
2. Moving on a motorcycle at low speed, snake, rutted board.
3. Dimensional eight.

A “passed” rating will be given only if the driver has scored no more than 4 penalty points when performing the tasks described above.

Here is a list of mistakes and the number of points that are deducted when making them:

If mistakes were made, the driver will have to come to the race track a week later to retake the exam.

Do you need a license for a 50cc moped?

It would seem that vehicles with an internal combustion engine displacement of less than 50 cm³ are characterized by low power, so there is no need to register them, and even more so to obtain a driving license for them. However, in practice it turned out that even with such modest indicators, drivers successfully create emergency situations, the reasons for which are often simple ignorance of traffic rules.

Obtaining a license for a scooter and moped is always accompanied by passing an exam on the theoretical part, which includes not only traffic rules, but also the provision of first aid. That's why legislators included scooters and mopeds with an engine capacity of up to 50 cubic meters in the list of vehicles that require a driver's license of a certain category to drive. In this case, this is the license for a scooter or moped of category “M”.

Cross motorcycles

This class of vehicles is also called SUVs. They are designed for motocross racing. They lack headlights and other lighting, and the rubber does not provide the required level of grip on the road surface. According to the law of the Russian Federation, cross-bikes are sports equipment and do not require registration or registration.

In view of the above, the most obvious answer to the question of which motorcycles do not require a license is motocross bikes. But you need to take into account one important detail: driving on public roads is prohibited! According to the law, a motocross motorcycle must be delivered to the track only with the help of special equipment. In no case under your own power.

What category of license allows you to drive a moped (scooter)?

As mentioned earlier, to drive a moped or scooter, you need a category “M” license. However, they are not the only ones suitable. According to the law, drivers with licenses of any open category can drive these types of vehicles. That is, if the owner of a moped has a category “B” driver’s license, then the “M” category in his license opens automatically. This means there is no need to take additional exams for category “M”.

What category of license allows you to drive a moped (scooter)?

It is worth mentioning separately. In some cases, it appears on the driver’s license directly opposite the “M” category. This is not a special permit, but quite the opposite, a ban on driving a moped and scooter for medical reasons.

Thus, drivers who have received a driver’s license of category “M” or any other category: A, B, C, D and even Tm and Tb (tram and trolleybus) have the right to drive mopeds and scooters.

Cost of education

The cost of training at a driving school will depend on certain factors, such as the region of location and the prices of the educational institution itself. Typically, the cost of training ranges from 4 to 10 thousand rubles, but in some regions driving schools can set prices in the range of up to 20 thousand rubles.

When determining which school to study at, you should not immediately enroll in the institution that offers its services at the lowest price - such an advantage may hide disadvantages in the form of a low material and technical base, insufficient qualifications and experience of teachers.

Fine for driving a moped without a license

Riding a moped or scooter without a driver's license is a violation and is punishable by a fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles. Also, a driver who does not have proof of vehicle registration with him may be removed from driving and the moped taken to the impound lot.

The only “vehicle” with an internal combustion engine that can be driven without a license is a pit bike. However, it belongs to the category of sports equipment and is therefore not allowed for use on public roads.

Motorcycles with sidecars

Previously, such equipment was very popular in the USSR; it was used as an inexpensive and accessible alternative to a passenger car. Throughout the 20th century, motorcycles with a cradle were widespread in the armies of different countries. But over time, they began to lose popularity and are currently produced in limited quantities.

At first glance, it seems obvious that riding a motorcycle with a sidecar is very different from riding a two-wheeler. This is a much less maneuverable, but also more stable technique that requires special skills. Therefore, it is not always immediately clear what license is needed for a motorcycle with a sidecar.

But if you remember that the cradle, as a rule, can be unhooked, everything falls into place. Management will also require Category A, without any additional training. However, before you hit the road on a motorcycle with a side trailer, you need to thoroughly study the characteristics of its behavior on the road. An inexperienced driver can easily cause the vehicle to tip over when turning or lose control due to pulling to the side when accelerating and braking.

How to get a license for a moped?

In order to obtain a license for a moped or scooter, you must submit an application, undergo a medical and psychiatric examination, pay a fee and pass an exam.

The first thing you need to do is choose a driving school that has a driving training program. As a rule, it consists of 72 hours of theory and 30 hours of practice, with 18 hours allocated directly to driving.

Training takes place on a paid basis. When choosing a driving school, you should pay attention to whether it has a state license and reviews online.

A person who meets the following requirements can obtain a license for a scooter or moped:

• age over 16 years;
• availability of Russian citizenship or residence permit in the Russian Federation;
• absence of medical contraindications;
• successful completion of the final exam.

A medical examination is necessary to identify possible contraindications and restrictions on driving a moped. A license for a scooter will not be issued subject to a number of restrictions. These include:

• diseases of the endocrine system;
• epilepsy;
• motor dysfunctions;
• mental disorders;
• serious hearing and vision impairment;
• alcoholism and drug addiction.

At the initial stage of obtaining a license for a moped with an internal combustion engine volume of no more than 50 cubic meters, the candidate must collect the following documents:

1. Application on a special traffic police form (filled out according to the sample).
2. Identity card (passport).
3. Certificate from a psychiatric and drug treatment clinic.
4. Medical examination with a positive conclusion.
5. Two 3x4 photos.
6. Receipt for payment of state duty.

The exam itself is taken at the traffic police department. The first part is a test of theoretical material (traffic rules, assistance, design features of the vehicle, conflicts on the road). The verification is carried out in the form of testing.

Exam

The second is an assessment of driving skills. It includes two stages: a training ground and a populated area. Failure at any stage generally leads to failure to pass the license. As for retaking the test, this right can be exercised 7 days after the first failure. After passing all stages, the candidate can receive a license for a moped in paper or plastic form.

conclusions

1. Category A allows you to drive motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles with a motorcycle seat (on top) or steering wheel.
2. The old certificate had a general mark - A. In the new one, in addition to it, subcategories A1, B1, M were introduced.
3. To have the right to drive category A, the driver must be at least 18 years old, A1 - 16 years old.
4. To drive a category A motor vehicle, the driver must have vision of at least 0.6 in one eye and 0.2 in the other. If only 1 eye sees, visual acuity should be no worse than 0.8.
5. The absence of more than 2 phalanges on the fingers of the right hand and 3 on the left is not allowed; leg shortening is more than 6 cm and length is less than 75 cm.
6. The average cost of training is 10,000 rubles, duration is 2-4 months.
7. The exams consist of 2 parts – theoretical and practical. The practical part is given at the race track without going into the city.

Where to contact

The collected documentation must be submitted to any MREO.

In this case, the place of registration of the citizen does not matter. The institution’s electronic resource opens up the following opportunities:

• view information about which categories can be opened and review exam questions;
• write a request and receive a response online;
• find out contact details, opening hours of the institution;
• get advice by phone or using email, study background information in detail for each procedure, including opening new categories.

Package of documents

The process of registration of category A requires the provision of the following documents to the traffic police authorities:

• applications according to the established template with notification of which categories need to be opened (can be taken on site at the MREO or downloaded from the traffic police website);
• protocol or examination sheet marked “passed”;
• driver's license and the accompanying ticket;
• passports;
• receipts for payment of state fees;
• medical certificate. It is drawn up according to a standard template. The culprit of the accident? This document is called certificate for the traffic police No. 003-V/u (the old form was No. 083/u) from a psychologist and narcologist. For this purpose, the applicant undergoes a special medical examination. On average, the procedure takes 40 - 60 minutes. The document can be obtained at any district clinic or hospital. Before your visit, it is advisable to call the help desk and find out whether the institution provides such a service.

The old certificate received when opening category B will not be suitable, since the new one must indicate that the citizen can drive vehicles of categories A and B.