Electric scooter: what license do you need? Complete guide to L1e and L3e

Last updated: September 2026

You always need a licence to ride an electric scooter in Italy. If the vehicle is type-approved as L1e (maximum 45 km/h and continuous nominal power up to 4 kW), an AM licence is sufficient and can be obtained from age 14. Above these limits, the vehicle becomes L3e and an A1, A2, or A licence is required, depending on power.

It seems simple, but this is where the most widespread confusion arises: electric scooters do not have engine displacement. The factor that determines everything—licence, minimum age, roads you may use, and insurance—is the combination of maximum design speed and continuous nominal power. In this guide, you will find the type-approval categories, the corresponding licence, how to read the registration certificate, and what is actually mandatory on the road.

The type-approval categories: L1e, L2e, L3e

Article 47 of the Italian Highway Code classifies motor vehicles into European categories identified by the letter L. For scooters—internal-combustion or electric—these are the three that matter.

The category is not a commercial label chosen by the manufacturer: it is the result of type approval, meaning the official recognition that the vehicle has passed the required technical tests. It is listed on the registration certificate and determines every subsequent obligation.

Why power replaces engine displacement

For an internal-combustion engine, engine displacement is the immediate reference: 50 cc means a moped, while 125 cc means a light motorcycle. An electric motor has no engine displacement, so the legislature uses an equivalent parameter: continuous nominal power, expressed in kW.

Be careful not to confuse it with peak power, the highest value that manufacturers highlight in product specifications. A vehicle may claim 3,000 W of peak power and be type-approved as L1e because its continuous nominal power remains below 4 kW. It is nominal power, not peak power, that determines the category.

One final, decisive clarification: modifying the vehicle to exceed its type-approval limits makes it non-compliant. A vehicle type-approved for 45 km/h that is modified to go faster loses the validity of its type approval and, consequently, its registration and insurance coverage. In the event of an accident, the consequences are serious, both in terms of penalties and civil liability.

Which license is required for each category

AM license — the “moped license”

It can be obtained from the age of 14 and authorizes riding two- and three-wheeled mopeds (L1e and L2e) with a maximum speed of 45 km/h, as well as light quadricycles. It requires a theory exam and a practical test. It is not merely a permit: it is a full license, with points, and offenses committed while riding a moped affect progress toward higher categories.

A1 license

It can be obtained from the age of 16 and covers motorcycles up to 125cc and 11 kW, with a power-to-weight ratio no higher than 0.1 kW/kg. For an electric scooter, this means continuous rated power of up to 11 kW. It is the right license for mid-range urban e-mopeds, capable of maintaining speeds of 70–80 km/h.

A2 and A licenses

The A2 license can be obtained from the age of 18 and covers up to 35 kW. The unrestricted A license can be obtained at 24 through direct access, or at 20 if you have held an A2 license for at least two years. The system is progressive: when moving up a category, you do not retake the theory exam, only the practical test.

What if I only have a category B license?

A category B license includes authorization to ride mopeds, so it allows you to ride any L1e electric scooter without further requirements. In addition, in Italy only, a B license allows you to ride motorcycles up to 125cc and 11 kW: for electric vehicles, this means an L3e scooter with up to 11 kW of rated power. This extension is not valid abroad: anyone leaving Italy with only a B license while riding a 125cc motorcycle risks penalties.

How to identify your electric scooter's category

Do not rely on the commercial description or the comparison “equivalent to a 50cc.” Verification takes thirty seconds and must be done before purchase.

1. Ask the seller for the European certificate of conformity (CoC) or the type-approval sheet.
2. Look for the vehicle category field: it must state L1e, L2e, or L3e, with any applicable subcategory.
3. Check the maximum design speed and the continuous rated power, not the peak power.
4. On the registration certificate, after registration, you will find the same data in fields J and P.

License plate, insurance, and helmet: what is mandatory

A type-approved electric scooter is a motor vehicle in every respect. The obligations are the same as for a petrol vehicle in the same category, with no exceptions based on the power source.

• Registration and license plate — mandatory. L1e mopeds receive a personal plate linked to the registered owner, while L3e motorcycles receive a plate linked to the vehicle.
• Third-party liability insurance — mandatory, even when the vehicle is stationary on private property, as of June 30, 2024.
• Approved helmet — mandatory for the rider and passenger, regardless of category.
• Periodic inspection — first inspection four years after registration, then every two years.
• Passenger transport — permitted only if specified on the registration document and, for mopeds, with an adult rider.

There is a difference in tax matters: electric vehicles are exempt from vehicle tax for the first few years after registration, with the duration and subsequent rules varying from region to region. Some regions provide a permanent exemption. The complete registration procedure, vehicle-tax costs, and the two questions to ask your insurance company are covered in the guide to electric scooter plates, registration, and insurance.

Where you cannot ride an L1e

This is the limitation that has the greatest impact on daily use and is often discovered too late. L1e mopeds cannot travel on motorways or main extra-urban roads (the so-called ring roads and expressways). If your commute includes even a short stretch of expressway, an L1e is not the right choice: you need an L3e.

On the other hand, electric vehicles can freely access most ZTLs and areas subject to traffic restrictions, under rules established by individual municipalities. This is the most tangible competitive advantage of electric vehicles in urban areas.

What is not an electric scooter

Three categories of vehicles are regularly confused with electric scooters, but they follow completely different rules.

The distinction matters because it determines whether you need a license, whether you must register the vehicle, and which roads you can use. If an advertisement promises an “electric scooter without a license” that reaches 45 km/h, the information is wrong: no such vehicle exists in Italy.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an electric scooter that can be ridden without a license?

No. Any approved electric scooter intended for road use requires at least an AM licence. The only electric vehicles that can be ridden without a licence are pedal-assist bicycles and electric scooters, which belong to different legal categories.

Can I ride an electric scooter with a B licence?

Yes. A B licence allows you to ride all L1e electric scooters up to 4 kW and, only in Italy, also L3e models up to 11 kW nominal power. This extension does not apply abroad, where an A1 licence is required.

At what age can you ride an electric scooter?

From age 14 with an AM licence for L1e models up to 45 km/h and 4 kW. From age 16 with an A1 licence for models up to 11 kW. From age 18 with an A2 licence for models up to 35 kW.

How many kW can an electric scooter ridden with an AM licence have?

Up to 4 kW of continuous rated power, with a maximum design speed of 45 km/h. This is the limit that defines the L1e category, the electric equivalent of a 50cc moped.

Does an electric scooter need a licence plate and insurance?

Yes, both are mandatory for any approved electric scooter, regardless of its category. An approved helmet is also mandatory for both the rider and passenger.

Can I carry a passenger on an L1e electric scooter?

Only if the registration certificate indicates two seats and the rider is an adult. Moped riders under 18 are not permitted to carry passengers.

Can an L1e electric scooter be ridden on a ring road?

No. Mopeds are prohibited from motorways and main extra-urban roads. To travel on these roads, you need an L3e-approved vehicle and the corresponding licence.

In summary

There is only one practical rule: check the type-approval category before the price. If you travel around the city on short routes, an L1e with an AM or B licence covers everything without additional costs. If your route includes expressways or requires higher speeds, the only correct option is an L3e with the appropriate licence: forcing an L1e onto unsuitable routes is both illegal and dangerous.

Once you have clarified the category, the next two steps are to understand what information to require from the seller and how much you can save: you will find the evaluation criteria in the guide to choosing an electric scooter, and all the details about the government incentive in the 2026 Electric Scooter Ecobonus guide, which for the L1e category is worth up to 40% of the price.

The information provided is for informational purposes and refers to the Italian regulations in force on the date of the update. For your vehicle's specific situation, always refer to the registration certificate and the provisions of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.