This is an overview of the motorcycle driving licence requirements for the 27 EU Member States, the EEA countries (European Economic Area) and the EFTA countries (European Free Trade Association), as laid down in the Third Driving Licence Directive.

⇒To download this overview as a pdf, click here.

The driving licence categories in the European Union are as follows:
• AM > for two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles with a maximum design speed of not more than 45 km/h, as well as light quadricycles;
• A1 > for light motorcycles with a cylinder capacity not more than 125 cubic centimetres and a power rating less than 11 kW and with a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW/kg;
• A2 > for motorcycles with a power rating under 35 kW and with a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.2 kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle of more than double its power;
• A > for heavy motorcycles without power restrictions.

To get a driving licence in the European Union you need to meet the following minimum age requirements.

Age 16

• Mopeds, category AM
• Light motorcycles, category A1

Age 18

• Standard motorcycles, category A2
• In general, to apply for a category A2 licence, you need at least 2 years of experience on a motorcycle at category A1. Alternatively, you can access directly at a higher minimum age, which is usually 24 years.

Age 20

• Heavy motorcycles, category A
• In general, to apply for a category A licence, you need at least 2 years of experience at category A2. Alternatively, you can access directly at a higher minimum age, which is usually 24 years.

Member States may raise or lower the minimum age for issuing a driving licence:

• For category AM down to 14 years or up to 18 years
• For category A1 up to 17 or 18 years
  • if there is a two years difference between the minimum age for category A1 and the minimum age for category A2, and
  • there is a requirement of a minimum of two years of experience on motorcycles of category A2 before access to motorcycles for category A can be granted.

Minimum age requirements per country (with staged access):

Note1: In Switzerland, the category that can best be compared to AM is M: mopeds with a max. speed of 30 km/h or electrical bicycles with a max. speed of 25 km/h and max. 500 W.
Note 2: Direct access to A is not possible, at least two years A2 is necessary.

B licence holders in the following countries are allowed to ride A1 motorcycles in their own country, under certain conditions:

Austria:

• You must have a B licence for at least 5 years
• Complete 6 hours of training
• The Austrian licence with the code B111 (= A1 with a B licence) is also accepted in Spain (with a minimum possession of a B license for 3 years), Portugal (with a minimum age of 25), Czech Republic (only vehicles with automatic transmission), Italy and Lithuania

Belgium:

• If you have a B licence from before 1 January 1989, you are allowed to ride all motorcycles
• With a later B driving licence (between 1 January 1989 and 1 May 2011), you may ride all A1 motorcycles
• If you obtained licence B after 1 May 2011 and
  • had your driving licence for at least two years
  • completed 4 hours of training

Czech Republic:

• Only motorcycles with automatic transmission

France:

• You must have a B licence for at least 2 years
• Complete 7 hours of training (if you took the three-hour practical training before 2011, you do not need to take the training again
• You are exempt from taking the training in the following cases:
  • you obtained your B license (with A1 equivalence) before March 1980
  • you rode a insured light motorcycle or a three-wheel scooter in category L5e between 2006 and 2010 and you have had your B license for 2 years or more

Germany:

• You must be at least 25 years old
• You must have a B licence for at least 5 years
• Complete 13.5 hours of practical and theoretical training
• B licences issued before 1 April 1980 automatically include a full A1 licenceTo get a full A licence by stepped access you have to pass a practical test between A2 and A but in principle no further training is needed; as most people applying for the test do that through a driving school they are asked by the driving school to show their practical skills which means in practical terms some training lessons before the test

Greece:

• You must be at least 27 years old
• Have a B licence for at least 6 years
• You must complete 5 hours of training

Italy:

• You must complete 10 hours of training

Latvia:

• You must complete 10 hours of training

Malta:

• You must complete 10 hours of training

Poland:

• You must have a B licence for at least 3 years

Portugal:

• You must be at least 25 years old or additional licence for mopeds

Luxembourg:

• You must have a B licence for at least 2 years
• You must complete 7 hours of training

Romania:

• You must be at least 24 years old
• Have a B licence for at least 3 years
• You must complete 10 hours of practical training
• Only motorcycles with automatic transmission

Slovakia:

• You must have a B licence for at least 2 years
• Only motorcycles with automatic transmission

Spain:

• You must have a B licence for at least 3 years

This overview has been compiled with the utmost care; however, it is possible that inaccuracies occur. FEMA is in no way responsible for this. This overview has been compiled using various sources, such as: FEMA members, national transport agencies, Wikipedia and the European Commission. Verifiable tips, corrections and/or additions to this overview are welcome at info@femamotorcycling.eu.