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

Last updated: July 26, 2026

A driving license is always required to drive an electric scooter in Italy. If the vehicle is L1e approved (maximum 45 km/h and continuous rated power up to 4 kW), an AM license is sufficient, obtainable from 14 years of age. Beyond these limits, the vehicle becomes L3e, and A1, A2, or A licenses are required, depending on the power.

It seems simple, but this is where the most common confusion arises: for electric scooters, engine displacement does not exist. The parameter that determines everything—license, minimum age, passable roads, insurance—is the combination of maximum construction speed and continuous rated power. In this guide, you will find approval categories, corresponding licenses, how to read the vehicle registration certificate, and what is truly mandatory on the road.

Approval categories: L1e, L2e, L3e

Article 47 of the Highway Code classifies motor vehicles into European categories identified by the letter L. For scooters—thermal or electric—the three important ones are as follows.

The category is not a commercial label chosen by the manufacturer: it is the result of homologation, i.e., the official recognition that the vehicle has passed the required technical tests. It is stated on the vehicle registration certificate and determines all subsequent obligations.

Why power replaces displacement

For a combustion engine, displacement is the immediate reference: 50 cc equals a moped, 125 cc equals a light motorcycle. An electric motor has no displacement, so the legislator uses an equivalent parameter: continuous rated power, expressed in kW.

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

One last crucial clarification: modifying the vehicle to exceed homologation limits makes it irregular. A vehicle approved for 45 km/h that is modified to go faster loses the validity of its homologation and, consequently, its registration and insurance coverage. In the event of an accident, the consequences are severe, both in terms of penalties and civil liability.

Which license is needed, category by category

AM license — the "moped license"

Obtainable from 14 years of age, it allows driving two- and three-wheel mopeds (L1e and L2e) with a maximum speed of 45 km/h, as well as light quadricycles. It requires a theoretical exam and a practical test. It is not a mere permit: it is a full-fledged license, with points, and infractions committed while driving a moped affect the path towards higher categories.

A1 license

Obtainable from 16 years of age, it covers motorcycles up to 125 cc and 11 kW, with a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW/kg. For an electric scooter, this means: continuous rated power up to 11 kW. It is the right license for mid-range urban e-mopeds, those capable of sustaining speeds of 70-80 km/h.

A2 license and A license

The A2 license is obtainable from 18 years of age and covers up to 35 kW. The A license, without power limits, is obtainable at 24 years of age through direct access or at 20 years of age if you have held an A2 license for at least two years. The system is progressive: for category upgrades, only the practical test is repeated, not the theoretical exam.

What if I only have a B license?

The B license includes moped endorsement, thus allowing the driving of any L1e electric scooter without further requirements. Additionally, in Italy only, the B license allows driving motorcycles up to 125 cc and 11 kW: for electric vehicles, this translates to an L3e scooter up to 11 kW nominal. This extension is not valid abroad: those who leave Italy with only a B license driving a 125cc risk penalties.

How to understand your electric scooter's category

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

1. Ask the seller for the European Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or the homologation sheet.
2. Look for the vehicle category field: it should state L1e, L2e, or L3e with any subcategory.
3. Verify the maximum construction speed and the continuous rated power, not the peak power.
4. On the vehicle registration certificate, after registration, you will find the same data in fields J and P.

License plate, insurance, and helmet: what is mandatory

An approved electric scooter is a motor vehicle in every respect. The obligations are the same as for a gasoline vehicle of the same category, with no exceptions related to the power source.

• Registration and license plate — mandatory. L1e mopeds receive a personal license plate linked to the owner, L3e motorcycles receive a license plate linked to the vehicle.
• Third-party liability insurance — mandatory, even for stationary vehicles on public land.
• Approved helmet — mandatory for driver and passenger, for any category.
• Periodic inspection — first inspection after four years from registration, then every two years.
• Passenger transport — allowed only if provided for by the vehicle registration certificate and with a driver of legal age in the case of mopeds.

On the tax front, there is a difference: electric vehicles benefit from a road tax exemption in the first years after registration, with duration and subsequent rules varying from region to region. Some regions provide for permanent exemption.

Where you cannot drive an L1e

This is the limit that weighs most heavily in daily use and is often discovered too late. L1e mopeds cannot travel on motorways and main extra-urban roads (the so-called ring roads and expressways). If your home-to-work commute includes even a short stretch of expressway, an L1e is not the correct choice: you need an L3e.

On the other hand, electric vehicles have free access to most ZTLs (Limited Traffic Zones) and areas subject to traffic restrictions, with rules established by individual municipalities. This is the most concrete 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 follow entirely different rules.

The distinction matters because it determines whether you need a license, whether you have to register the vehicle, and on which roads you can travel. If an advertisement promises an "electric scooter without a license" that reaches 45 km/h, the information is wrong: it doesn't exist in Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

Can I ride an electric scooter with a B license?

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

At what age can you ride an electric scooter?

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

How many kW can an electric scooter ridden with a moped license 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 license plate and insurance?

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

Can I carry a passenger on an L1e electric scooter?

Only if the registration certificate indicates two seats and if the rider is an adult. On mopeds, carrying a passenger is not allowed for underage riders.

Can an L1e electric scooter go on an urban expressway?

No. Mopeds are excluded from motorways and main extra-urban roads. To travel on these sections, an L3e approved vehicle with the corresponding license is required.

In summary

Ecobonus electric scooters 2026

There is only one operating rule: look at the homologation category before the price. If you travel in the city on short routes, an L1e with an AM or B license covers everything without additional costs. If your journey involves expressways or requires higher speeds, the only correct path is an L3e with the appropriate license: forcing an L1e on unsuitable routes is both illegal and dangerous.

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