Licence categories
What age can you get an AM licence, and which mopeds does it cover?
Minimum age and the mopeds and light quadricycles allowed on an AM licence: how to read the type-approval limits.
You can obtain an AM licence from age 14 for mopeds and light quadricycles within the type-approval limits: maximum speed 45 km/h; for combustion-engine mopeds, up to 50 cm³ and 4 kW.
Minimum age and eligible vehicles
In Italy, you can obtain an AM licence from age 14. It lets you ride two- or three-wheeled mopeds and light quadricycles, provided each vehicle meets the category’s type-approval parameters. Calling something a “fifty” or “microcar” is not enough: its registration document must identify it as an AM moped or light quadricycle.
For a two-wheeled moped, the usual limits are a maximum design speed of 45 km/h and, for a spark-ignition internal-combustion engine, a maximum capacity of 50 cm³. Electric motors and other configurations are subject to the power limits in their technical classification. Three-wheeled vehicles and light quadricycles have their own parameters; do not assess them by copying the limits for a two-wheeled moped.
A microcar may be a light quadricycle if its mass, speed, power and type approval place it in category L6e. A more powerful or heavier quadricycle may belong to another category and require a different licence, such as B1 or B. Check the category and technical details in the vehicle document, or ask a driving school or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office, giving the registration number and exact model.
An AM moped must have a design speed no greater than 45 km/h. For a two- or three-wheeled combustion-engine vehicle, the limits are 50 cm³ and 4 kW; for an electric one, continuous rated power is limited to 4 kW. You may carry a passenger only once you are 16 and if the vehicle is approved for two people.
- Minimum age for an AM licence: 14.
- An AM moped’s maximum design speed must not exceed 45 km/h.
- Engine capacity is not the only criterion: power, mass and type-approval category also matter.
- Before riding a microcar, check the classification in its registration document.
What to check before using the vehicle
Read the vehicle document rather than relying only on the seller’s description. Compare its type-approval category with those allowed by your licence, and check that it has not been modified in a way that changes its approved characteristics. A modified or non-compliant vehicle may not be rideable on AM and could have further consequences for road use and insurance cover.
An AM licence does not authorise you to carry passengers on every moped: the vehicle must be approved to carry a passenger and you must meet the minimum age under the current rules. Before setting off, check the vehicle document and current Highway Code. For the test, it is useful to distinguish vehicle categories by their technical limits too.
To revise the rules of the road,Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers study chapters, timed quizzes and review of mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can I carry a passenger on an AM moped?
From age 16, but only if the moped is approved for two people. You can obtain an AM licence from age 14; before turning 16, you must ride without a passenger.
Can I ride an moped that exceeds 45 km/h on AM?
AM covers mopeds with a maximum design speed of 45 km/h. A vehicle that exceeds this limit or has been modified must be assigned its correct approved category; it cannot be treated as an AM moped.