Scooter and moped insurance

Moped vs scooter: what's the difference?

The main difference is the engine size.

50cc or less is normally classed as a moped, while scooters tend to be between 50cc and 150cc.

This difference will affect your maximum speed. Mopeds have a maximum speed of 28 mph, so insurers might consider them to be a lower risk than scooters.

You can’t ride a moped on the motorway either, due to their lower speed. So they tend to be cheaper to buy and insure than scooters.

When it comes to insurance, they're both classed as a type of motorbike so you'll need motorbike insurance to cover them.

For more information, check out our guides on 50cc motorbike insurance and 125cc motorbike insurance to see which is best for you.

Do you need to tax a moped or scooter?

To ride on the roads, you’ll need to register and tax your moped or scooter by paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

Scooters and mopeds come under the ‘less than 150cc’ tax band, which costs £22 per year. This increases to £101 for bikes with engines of more than 600cc.

You can get more information on motorbike tax bands on the GOV.UK website.

How old do I have to be to ride a moped?

You can ride a moped up to 50c in the UK from the age of 16, as long as you pass the relevant tests.

You can start riding a scooter up to 125cc from the age of 17.

To get started, you’ll need to:

• Apply for a provisional motorbike licence. They cost £34.
• Complete a one-day CBT course, which gives you a rundown of basic riding skills. This costs around £150.
• There’s no pass or fail with the CBT. Once you’ve finished the course, you can ride your moped or scooter with L-plates, or D-plates if you’re in Wales.

Once you’ve got your CBT, you have 2 years to progress to a full licence. To do that you need to:

• Pass the motorcycle theory test, which costs £23.
• Pass the motorbike practical test. This has two parts, on- and off-road, and costs around £90.

What do I need to compare moped insurance quotes?

When you’re getting a scooter insurance quote, it helps to have these things to hand:

Moped or scooter details

• The registration, make and model of the moped
• The year it was manufactured
• Any modifications that you’ve made
• The approximate value of the bike
• Any motorbike security measures you’ve taken

Personal details:

• The type of licence you have and how long you’ve held it
• How many miles you think you’ll ride in a year
• Any claims or convictions from the past five years
• How you plan on using your scooter e.g. social use only, commuting, business