Alabama
Registration and license plate are required.
Minimum age to ride a moped is 14.
The following safety equipment is required: headlamp, tail lamp, stop lamp, side and rear reflectors, brakes, mirrors, horn, muffler, helmet, and shoes.
Arizona
Registration and driver’s license are required.
Minimum age to ride a moped is 16.
The following safety equipment is required: headlight, horn, brakes, muffler, tail light, license plate light, and rearview mirror.
Arkansas
The following equipment is required: 1-2 headlights; red rear reflector; and red rear light.
California
Class M2 license is not required for mopeds or motorized bicycles that cannot reach speeds over 20 mph
Colorado
Registration is required.
Minimum age is 16.
The following safety equipment is required: headlight, horn, brakes, red rear reflector, and rear-view mirror.
Delaware
Mopeds shall not be operated upon interstate highways.
No person shall operate a moped without having been licensed as an operator of a motor vehicle (though an operator does not need a motorcycle endorsement); minimum age is 16.
Regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a moped is operated upon any public road.
Mopeds shall be registered for a 3-year period. Moped license plates have to be displayed on the rear of the moped so it is clearly visible. All moped registrations will expire on December 31st.
Driving on interstate or limited access highways is not permitted.
The following safety equipment is required: headlamp, side and rear reflectors, brakes, mirror, and muffler.
Motorcycle operators under age 16 are required to wear a helmet.
Moped are exempt from vehicle safety inspections.
District of Columbia
Registration required.
At speeds between 25-35 mph, the headlamp must be visible for 200 feet.
Minimum age to ride a moped is 16. Mopeds must have a headlamp that meets the following requirements: a) at speeds less than 25 mph, the headlamp must be visible for 100 feet; b) at speeds of at least 35 mph, the headlamp must be visible for 300 feet.
The following safety equipment is required: headlight, taillight, stop light, license plate light, ignition lock, horn, brakes, muffler, chain guard, and rearview mirror.
Florida
A person under 16 years of age may not operate or ride upon a moped unless the person is properly wearing protective headgear.
A person under 16 years old may not operate a motorcycle that has a motor with more than 150 cc displacement.
A person operating a moped at less than the normal speed of traffic shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway unless passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or preparing for a left turn.
No person shall propel a moped upon and along a sidewalk while the motor is operating.
Georgia
Mopeds are exempt from registration and title requirements.
Every person operating a moped has all the rights and is subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle except that the operator of a moped is not required to comply with requirements relating to headlights, taillights, windshields, and eye-protective devices.
No person under 15 years of age may operate a moped or an electric-assisted bicycle upon the public roads and highways. No person may operate a moped upon the public roads and highways of this state unless he or she has in his or her possession a valid driver’s license, instructional permit, or limited permit issued to him or her. All classes of licenses, instructional permits, or limited permits issued are valid for the purposes of operating mopeds upon the public roads and highways of this state. No license or permit is required for the operation of an electric-assisted bicycle.
No person may operate or ride as a passenger upon a moped unless he or she is wearing protective headgear that complies with standards established by the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
Hawaii
No person may drive a moped unless the person possesses a valid driver’s license of any type issued by the state, or the person is at least 18 years old and holds a valid license from another jurisdiction.
No person under the age of 15 may drive a moped and it is unlawful to carry anybody other than the driver upon a moped.
Every person riding a moped on a roadway enjoys all the rights and is responsible for all the duties of the driver of a vehicle.
Unless otherwise determined by individual counties and posted upon a roadway, a moped must use a bicycle lane wherever one exists.
A moped may not be driven at a speed greater than 35 mph.
From 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever visibility is such as it is difficult to see persons and vehicles clearly at a distance of 200 feet, a moped must display a lighted headlamp and tail lamp.
A moped must be permanently registered.
The transfer of ownership of a moped requires the signature of both the transferor and transferee on the certificate of registration, and the transferee must forward the signed certificate to the county director of finance within 30 days.
Idaho
Moped operation requires a driver’s license, but a motorcycle endorsement is not required.
Internal combustion engine shall not exceed 50 cc.
Illinois
Every owner of a moped shall make application to the Secretary of State for a certificate of title.
Registrations of mopeds commence on the 1st day of April and expire March 31st of the following calendar year.
Every moped, when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front, and with a red reflector on the rear which shall be visible from all distances from 100 to 600 feet to the rear; a lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
A person operating a moped shall ride only upon the permanent and regular attached seat and such operator shall not carry any other person nor shall any other person ride on a moped unless such moped is designed for that purpose.
Every driver and passenger must be protected by glasses, goggles, or a transparent shield.
Indiana
Owners of mopeds or scooters with engines smaller than 50 cubic centimeters must apply for a registration. Such mopeds or scooters will receive license plates.
Operators of owners of mopeds or scooters must apply for a one of three license endorsements. For mopeds with engines smaller than 50 cubic centimeters, a driver must be 15 years old or older and apply for an MDC – Class B endorsement. For other mopeds, a driver must have an MDC – Class A license. A driver with a motorcycle endorsement on their license may operate any moped.
Persons under 18 must wear protective headgear and goggles.
Iowa
Motorized bicycles are required to be registered as motorized bicycles (mopeds) as long as they are certified as having a top speed of 30 mph or less. Registration plates issued for motorcycles are to be issued also for motorized bicycles.
The MVD may issue a license valid only for the operation of a motorized bicycle to a person 14 years of age or older who has passed a vision test and written knowledge test. Fourteen and fifteen year olds are also required to successfully complete a motorized bicycle education course. The license is valid only for a period not to exceed 2 years from the licensee’s birthday in the year of issuance.
A person operating a motorized bicycle on the highways must not carry any other person on the vehicle.
Kansas
Every person operating a moped on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic shall remain on the far right side of the roadway, unless overtaking and passing another vehicle, preparing for a left turn, or it is reasonably necessary to avoid hazardous conditions.
Regular driver’s license or motorized bicycle license required; minimum age is 15.
No person shall operate any motor-driven cycle at a speed greater than 35 mph, unless the motor-driven cycle is equipped with a headlamp or lamps adequate to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 300 feet.
Kentucky
Registration not required.
Minimum age to ride a moped is 16.
No safety equipment is required.
Louisiana
There is no separate class of driver’s licenses for motor scooter riders.
To operate a motor scooter, a person must obtain an endorsement to his or her regular driver’s license.
An endorsement can be obtained by passing an operation skills test and a knowledge test. An operation skills test does not have to be taken if the applicant successfully completed the Department-approved Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operation Training Program.
Maine
The following safety equipment is required for a moped: rearview mirror; head-light, tail and brake light, and license plate light. Helmets are required if operating under a learner’s permit, or for 1 year after being licensed or for all passengers under age 15.
Lights must be on at all times while in operation. Mopeds are not subject to annual inspection. Not allowed on interstate/turnpike or on a way on which a bicycle is prohibited. May only be operated in single file and as close as practicable to the right.
Maryland
An individual with any valid class of vehicle license may operate a moped.
A moped operator’s permit is available to any individual age 16 or older who does not possess a valid driver’s license. The applicant must pass a vision test and a written test and pay the required fees.
A moped operator’s permit is valid for 5 years, and can be renewed upon application and payment of the required fee.
If a motor scooter has a capacity of 50 cubic centimeters piston displacement or more, the vehicle is treated like a motorcycle requiring its driver to title and register the motor scooter, as well as obtain a Class M Motorcycle license. If a motor scooter’s capacity is less than 50 cubic centimeters piston displacement, the vehicle does not have to be titled or registered. A Class M Motorcycle license is not required but the operator must have a valid driver license of any class of vehicle. A moped operator’s permit is also valid.
Massachusetts
A motorized bicycle shall not be operated on any public highway by any person under 16 years of age, at a speed of greater than 25 mph, or by any person not possessing a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.
Every person operating or riding as a passenger upon a motorized bicycle shall wear protective headgear.
Michigan
Mopeds must be registered but need not be insured.
A moped registration shall be valid for a 3-year period that begins on May 1 and expires on April 30 of the third registration year.
A moped or a low-speed vehicle must have permanently affixed to its frame a manufacturer’s identification number and registration decal.
A crash helmet is required for all operators under age 19.
A moped or low-speed vehicle cannot be operated on a sidewalk constructed for the use of pedestrians.
A low-speed vehicle must be operated at a speed of not to exceed 25 mph and cannot be operated on a highway, road, or street with a speed limit of more than 35 mph except for the purpose of crossing that highway, road, or street.
Every moped must be equipped with a head lamp.
A moped shall not be used to carry more than 1 person at a time.
Minnesota
Registration and license plates are required for mopeds.
Operators of mopeds must have either a valid driver’s license or a motorized bicycle permit. To obtain a motorized bicycle permit, applicants must complete an approved course, be at least 15 years old by the time the course is completed, and pass a written and a riding test (permit is void after obtaining drivers license).
Moped riders must wear eye protection at all times. All operators and riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet. The helmet can be a certified bicycle helmet or motorcycle helmet.
Mopeds may only carry related passengers and only when they are equipped with a passenger seat and foot pegs.
To operate a moped when it is dark outside, it must be equipped with a headlight that meets the standard set for motorcycles.
Mopeds may not be operated on any interstate highways.
Motorized foot scooters but not mopeds may be operated on bicycle paths, lanes, trails, and bikeways unless prohibited under local jurisdiction.
Mississippi
License requirements same as motorcycles.
Required safety equipment includes helmets and rearview mirrors.
Missouri
Registration not required. Minimum age for a driver’s license is 16. Valid operator’s license required. The following items are required when used on street or highway 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise: (1) headlamp, (2) rear reflectors, (3) pedal reflectors, (4) side-mounted reflectors on front and rear wheels or retro-reflective sidewalls, and (5) equipment required by moped regulation VESC-17.
Montana
A person may not operate a motorized bicycle at speeds of greater than 35 mph at nighttime or during periods of poor visibility unless the motorized bicycle is equipped with a headlamp or lamps that are adequate to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 300 feet ahead.
The headlamp on a motorized bicycle must be of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or a vehicle at a distance of not less than 100 feet when operated at any speed less than 25 mph, at a distance of not less than 200 feet when operated at a speed from 25 to 35 mph, and at a distance of not less than 300 feet when operated at a speed of 35 mph or more.
Nebraska
A moped shall be entitled to full use of a traffic lane of any highway with an authorized speed limit of 45 mph or less.
No person shall operate a moped between lanes of traffic or between adjacent rows of vehicles.
Mopeds shall not be operated more than 2 abreast in a single lane.
Any person who operates a moped on a highway shall ride as close to the right-hand side of the road as practicable.
No person shall operate any moped at a speed in excess of 30 mph.
No person shall operate or be a passenger on a moped unless they are wearing a protective helmet meeting U.S. Department of Transportation standards. The helmet must also be secured properly on the operator or passenger’s head with a chin strap.
No person shall operate a moped without a current, valid driver license.
Nevada
Mopeds need not be equipped with turn signals.
Drivers of mopeds need not wear helmets.
Effective January 1, 2017, owners of mopeds must apply for a one-time registration. Such registrations issued are non-transferable. Mopeds will be issued unique license plates.
New Hampshire
No person may drive a moped upon any road in New Hampshire without a current valid driver’s license issued by any state, a special motorcycle license issued by any state, or a special moped license or endorsement, a 3-wheeled motorcycle endorsement, or a motorcycle learner’s permit.
No person shall drive a moped in the night time at a speed greater than 35 mph unless such moped is equipped with a lighted headlamp or lamps which are adequate to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 300 feet ahead.
Tail lamps and stop lamps are also required for mopeds.
No person shall operate a moped, except 1 equipped with clipless pedals, unless such moped has pedals equipped with a reflector that is visible from the front and rear of the moped from a distance of 200 feet.
No person, during darkness, shall operate a moped equipped with clipless pedals unless the operator is wearing either reflectorized leg bands on the lower exterior of either the operator’s legs or shoes.
Every moped shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its driver to stop the moped within 25 feet from a speed of 10 mph on dry, level, clean pavement.
New Jersey
Registration and title are required.
Special motorized bicycle license is issued to 15- and 16-year olds.
Operator required to have liability insurance covering bodily injury, $15,000; death, $30,000; property damage, $5,000.
Protective helmet required.
New Mexico
Mopeds shall comply with those motor vehicle safety standards deemed necessary and prescribed by the Director of Motor Vehicles.
While operating a moped, persons must have in their possession a valid driver’s license or any class or permit issued to them.
Operators of bicycles, motorcycles, mopeds, and the like shall comply with the rules for operation of motor vehicles.
New York
A limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed between 30 mph and 40 mph shall be a class A limited use motorcycle. A limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed between 20 mph and 30 mph shall be a Class B limited use motorcycle. A limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed of not more than 20 mph shall be a Class C limited use motorcycle.
A registration issued to a Class B or Class C limited use motorcycle shall be valid only for operation on roads in the right-hand lane available for traffic, or upon a usable shoulder on the right side of the highway. This does not apply when the motorcycle operator is preparing to make a left turn.
A limited use motorcycle shall be subject to the equipment requirements that are applicable to a motorcycle.
A certificate of title is not required for a limited use motorcycle.
The following safety equipment is required: approved protective helmet and eye protection, except for moped classified as Class C limited use motorcycles. Brake acting on both wheels, horn, headlamp, tail lamp, number plate lamp, tires with at least 2/32-inch tread, 1 rear red reflector, muffler, and rearview mirror.
North Carolina
To drive a moped, no license is required, but the operator must be at least 16 years of age.
Mopeds need to be registered and operators need liability insurance.
Safety helmet required. If operated at night, headlight and taillight or reflector and rearview mirror. If moped is registered additional equipment required: horn, brakes, and license plate lamp.
North Dakota
Valid driver’s license or permit is required. Minimum age is 14. Safety helmet required for persons under 18.
Headlights and red reflector or red light on rear required for nighttime use.
A driver’s permit for a motorized bicycle may be issued to an applicant who is at least 14 years of age who pays a fee, takes a written examination to test knowledge of traffic laws and general rules of the road, and has adequate eyesight. The permit expires in the same manner as a driver’s license. Safety helmet required for persons under 18.
Ohio
To become licensed to operate a moped, 14- and 15-year olds must pass the usual vision and written tests, as well as a road test. This rule also applies to persons not currently holding a valid operator’s license, regardless of age.
Probationary motorized bicycle licenses are required for 14- and 15-year-old operators.
Operators are required to obtain and display a rear license plate.
A moped operator must obey the same traffic laws that apply to operators of bicycles and motor vehicles. This includes obeying all traffic signs and signals, traveling the same direction as the rest of the traffic, signaling turns, and yielding the right of way.
Operators must wear a protective helmet with the chin strap properly fastened if under 18 years of age.
Mopeds must be equipped with a rearview mirror.
Mopeds must be operated when practicable within 3 feet of the right edge of the roadway.
Carrying more than 1 person on a moped is never allowed.
Oklahoma
No person shall operate a motor-driven cycle or motor scooter at a speed greater than 35 mph.
Moped operators are required to have a Class A, B, C, or D license.
Operators under 18 must use approved helmet.
Oregon
The operator of a moped must wear an approved helmet.
It is unlawful to modify a moped so that it is in excess of 49 cc and/or capable of reaching speeds in excess of 30 mph.
It is unlawful to carry any passenger on a moped.
Pennsylvania
Title, registration, and a license plate are required.
The minimum age to ride a moped is 16.
The following safety equipment is required: brakes, headlamp, tail lamp, side and rear reflex reflectors at night, license plate lamp, stop lamp, and parking lamp.
Rhode Island
Out-of-state residents owning motorized bicycles, whose state of residence does not require registration, shall register the vehicle in the state of Rhode Island.
The operator of a motorized bicycle is required to have a valid license and must be at least 16 years of age.
Not permitted on Interstate highways.
South Carolina
A person may not ride on a moped other than on or astride a permanent and regular seat attached to the moped.
A moped may not be used to carry more persons at 1 time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
It is unlawful for a person to operate a moped without: operable pedals if the moped is equipped with pedals; at least 1 rearview mirror; operable running lights; and brake lights which are operable when either brake is deployed.
The operator of a moped must have the operating lights turned on at all times while the moped is in operation on the public highways and streets of South Carolina.
It is unlawful for a person to modify or change the equipment of a moped so that the vehicle exceeds 2 brake horsepower and produces speeds in excess of 30 mph on level ground.
It is illegal for a person to operate a moped without displaying the metal identification plate, which must be attached to the vehicle.
A person under 21 may not operate or ride upon a moped without an approved protective helmet.
To ride a moped, a person must either have a valid driver’s license or a moped license.
A person must be at least 14 years old to obtain a moped license. Effective January 1, 2017, moped operators under 16 may only operate a moped during daylight hours. During night time, the operator must be accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older with at least one year of driving experience, within a safe viewing distance of the operator.
South Dakota
Valid driver’s license required; minimum operator age is 14 for instruction permit and 14 years and 6 months (14 years and 3 months with approved driver’s education course) for restricted permit.
Helmet required under age 18.
A moped must be equipped with a single beam headlamp. The headlamp must be of sufficient intensity to a person clearly discernable at a distance of at least 100 feet.
Mopeds must have at least 1 tail lamp, which when lighted emits a red light that is visible for a distance of 250 feet.
Tennessee
Registration is required.
License plate required if used on roadway.
If operator is 14 or 15, must have motorized bicycle license; if 16 or older, valid operator’s license required.
The following safety equipment is required: safety helmet, headlamp, tail lamp, stop lamp, brakes, mirror, horn, muffler, and windshield or eye protection devices required. Headlights are required to be on during operation at all times.
Texas
Texas law defines a moped as a motor-driven cycle that cannot attain a speed in 1 mile of more than 30 mph and the engine of which: (1) cannot produce more than 2-brake horsepower; and (2) if an internal combustion engine, has a piston displacement of 50 cc or less and connects to a power drive system that does not require the operator to shift gears.
For the purpose of registration, mopeds are treated as motorcycles.
A person may not operate a moped unless the person holds a driver’s license. An applicant for a moped license must be 15 years of age or older.
Utah
A peace officer may at any time upon reasonable cause to believe that a moped is unsafe or not equipped as required by law, or that its equipment is not in proper adjustment or repair, require the person riding the moped to stop and submit the moped to an inspection and a test as appropriate.
A moped may not be used to carry more persons at 1 time than the number for which it is designed or equipped, except that an adult rider may carry a child securely attached to his person in a back pack or sling.
A person operating a moped upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic shall ride as near as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway.
A person under the age of 18 may not operate or ride a moped upon a highway unless that person is wearing protective headgear.
Virginia
Moped drivers must ride as close as is practical to the right curb or edge of the roadway or, if posted, may be required to use an adjacent bike trail.
No moped may be driven on any highway or public vehicular area faster than 35 mph or by any person under the age of 16.
A person who operates a moped in excess of 35 miles per hour will be deemed to be operating a motorcycle.
Mopeds are required to be registered. All drivers must carry government-issued identification that includes their name, address, and date of birth.
All riders of mopeds must wear helmets and other protective equipment.
All rear red reflectors must be visible from 600 feet.
Washington
No person may operate a moped on the highways of the state unless the moped has been assigned a moped registration number and properly displays that number.
A person 16 years of age or older, holding a valid driver’s license of any class issued by the state of the person’s residence, may operate a moped without taking any special examination for the operation of a moped. No driver’s license is required for operation of an electric-assisted bicycle if the operator is at least 16 years of age. Persons under 16 years of age may not operate an electric-assisted bicycle.
A moped may not be operated on a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, equestrian trail, or hiking or recreational trail.
No person may operate a moped or an electric-assisted bicycle on a limited access highway or on a sidewalk.
Removal of any muffling device or pollution control device from a moped is unlawful.
West Virginia
Valid license required. Minimum age is 16.
Required safety equipment includes: headlamp, tail lamp, stop lamp, mirrors, horn, muffler, and brakes.
Wisconsin
Operation of a moped requires possession of a valid operator’s license of any class, or a restricted license, or a special restricted license, for persons age 14 until 18.
It is illegal to transport a passenger on a moped.
A moped instruction permit is available, but holders of such permits may operate a moped only during daylight hours and may not carry any passengers.
Mopeds are required to observe the lighting requirements imposed on motor vehicles and must have at least 1 and not more than 2 headlamps.
Wyoming
Any person licensed to drive any class of vehicle may also drive a moped on public streets or highways.
Mopeds are not required to be registered.
Puerto Rico
Registration and valid driver’s license are required.
Minimum age to ride a moped is 16.
Goggles and a safety helmet are required.
It is not permitted to operate motor scooter a half hour before sunset to a half hour after sunrise at a speed of higher than 35 mph unless scooter is equipped with front light that emits light visible at distance of 300 feet.
