Have Scooter Questions About Scooter Licensing?

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Whether scooters need to be licensed, if you have to get a special driver's license and what overall scooter laws apply can vary greatly from country to country and even from state to state in the U.S. It's important to know what the scooter license and registration requirements are in your area before you ever buy a scooter. You don't want to make purchase you'll later live to regret. For instance, one of our readers told us that he bought a scooter over the Internet, only to find later that it could never be made compliant with the strict California emissions laws. What a disaster!

If you're looking for specifics about a state, then check out our state scooter laws page. If there's no link for your state, I apologize. It's a big project to research and write up the scooter regs for every state, and I may not have gotten to your state yet.

How to Get Answers to Your Scooter Laws Questions

You can ask a question here, but since we've already had dozens of scooter laws questions asked & answered, there's a good chance you won't need to. You can just find the answers you need RIGHT AWAY, without having to wait for someone to answer your particular question.

Here are 5 ways to find the answers you need:

1. Check out our Scooter Laws FAQs below
2. Scan the questions/answers on this page
3. Scan the older scooter laws questions/answers in our archives
4. Search our question/answer database:

5. Ask your unique question using the form below

Common Questions About Scooter Laws & Licensing

Question: Do you need a special driver's license to drive a scooter?

Answer: As stated above, this can vary, but as a general rule, if you intend to ride anything over 50cc, then you will almost definitely need a special license endorsement (usually the same thing as a motorcycle endorsement) and the scoot will need to be tagged and insured. In many states, scooters 50cc or 49cc can float under the radar, even though you have full rights to the roads (as long as the speed limit doesn't exceed your capabilities!).

Question: Are scooters street legal or highway legal?

Answer: Again, this varies... with the scooter's capabilities. All scooters 49cc and above are considered street legal these days, meaning they must abide by the prevailing traffic laws, ride in the road (not on the shoulder or sidewalk), etc. Larger scooters may be highway legal, depending on the highway. Most 125cc/150cc scoots can go up to 55 or 60 MPH, and can ride on roads with higher speed limits. But to ride on an expressway type road, such as in interstate, you'll probably want to be on at least a 250cc scooter. Even then, be prepared to feel the wind of passing vehicles, especially large trucks. Only you can decide if you are comfortable at those speeds, no matter what your scooter is capable of.

Question: Is it necessary to take a skills course?

Answer: Motorcycle skills classes are highly recommended for all new scooter or motorcycle riders. There are many skills that are completely different from anything you've done in a car or even on a bicycle. Learning how to do them from a pro and in a protected environment can be very empowering. Some states require passing a skills class, at least for younger drivers, but most adults won't have to take one. Still, it's a great idea. Look for an MSRF-certified course. If you live in an area where such courses aren't readily available, then try to get an experienced rider to mentor you. That's what I did... the classes here in Boise, Idaho were booked for months in advance, so I learned how to ride from my husband, who was an experienced and confident motorcycle rider.

So, without further ado, if you have other scooter questions about scooter licensing laws that you'd like to get answers to, you can use the quick and easy form below...

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Thanks for asking your scooter questions about scooter licensing, and please check back often for new answers and comments. If you didn't find what you were looking for here, feel free to check out our archives of older scooter laws questions.

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