Category B and motor tricycles: what are the conditions?

In Italy, B allows motor tricycles; from age 21 it also covers those above 15 kW. The rule applies to approved tricycles, not quadricycles or every three-wheeled scooter.

When you must be at least 21

B also entitles you to ride motor tricycles, but the Highway Code sets an age condition for those above 15 kW: the rider must be at least 21. The threshold concerns power, not engine capacity. A younger rider must not assume the vehicle is allowed just because it is insured or sold for urban use.

First check that the vehicle is approved as a motor tricycle. Three-wheeled scooters and enclosed vehicles may belong to different classes: a quadricycle, for example, does not become a tricycle just because it looks similar. Check the category and power for the specific version in its documents. If the document is foreign, incomplete or inconsistent with the technical sheet, ask the Motorizzazione.

Example: with a valid B licence, an approved 14 kW tricycle is below the age-21 threshold for power above 15 kW. A 16 kW tricycle exceeds it, so a 20-year-old cannot ride it on B alone. This example does not replace checking approval and any individual restrictions on the licence.

Check the vehicle’s approval category and power on its registration document. For a tricycle above 15 kW, the licence holder must be at least 21. This equivalence applies in Italy and does not turn B into category A abroad.

• Above 15 kW, B allows motor tricycles only if the rider is at least 21.
• Engine capacity and power are different: this threshold is based on power.
• The category in the documents is decisive; a three-wheel appearance is not enough.

Check before buying or renting

Ask the owner or rental company to show the vehicle document and check model, category and power. If a model has several versions, make sure the technical sheet matches the exact registration plate: the same product line may have different engines. For rentals, check licence and age requirements under the contract too.

A valid licence does not make an unapproved modification compliant; an unregistered modification can cause further problems. Helmet and other vehicle-specific road requirements still apply, along with insurance conditions.

To revise vehicle categories and conditions, use Quiz Patente Ufficiale: organised chapters, timed tests and review of incorrect answers.