Renting a scooter in France: can you ride a moped or a 125 cc on a car licence?
According to Service-Public.fr, the French government's official information site, checked on 31 October 2026, a car licence (permis B) covers a moped, and a 125 cc light motorcycle or scooter only if you have held it for at least 2 years and taken a 7-hour practical training course; holders of a European licence must take the course too, and the page does not mention licences from outside the EU.
Official sources: Service-Public.fr: Peut-on conduire un scooter 3 roues ou une moto 125 avec le permis B ? · Service-Public.fr: Brevet de sécurité routière (BSR), catégorie AM du permis de conduire · Service-Public.fr: Permis moto : permis A1 ou permis 125 (moto légère).
Licence rules for scooters differ from country to country and can change, and rental companies may ask for more than the law. We quote the official texts word for word, with the date we read them; this is information, not legal advice. Check with the rental company and the official page before you ride.
Moped, 125 cc or bigger: what a car licence covers
| Vehicle | With a car licence |
|---|---|
| Moped (up to 50 cc) | Yes Yes: no moped certificate (BSR) needed if you hold a car licence |
| Scooter or light motorcycle up to 125 cc | Only with conditions Only after 2 years with the licence and a 7-hour course |
| Bigger than 125 cc | No No: above the light motorcycle limit you need a motorcycle licence |
Moped (up to 50 cc): Yes
Par ailleurs, vous n'avez pas besoin du BSR (catégorie AM) si vous avez déjà une autre catégorie de permis (par exemple le permis B) ou un titre européen équivalent.
Our translation: Also, you do not need the BSR (category AM) if you already hold another licence category (for example the B licence) or an equivalent European licence.
Source: Service-Public.fr: Brevet de sécurité routière (BSR), catégorie AM du permis de conduire (Service-Public.fr (French government, Direction de l'information légale et administrative)), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Scooter or light motorcycle up to 125 cc: Only with conditions
Le permis B permet de conduite une moto légère 125 ou un scooter 3 roues de la catégorie L5e sous conditions.
Our translation: A car licence (permis B) lets you ride a 125 light motorcycle or a category L5e three-wheeled scooter, under conditions.
Vous pouvez conduire une motocyclette légère avec un permis B si vous remplissez les 2 conditions suivantes: Vous avez le permis B depuis au moins 2 ans Vous avez suivi une formation pratique de 7 heures
Our translation: You can ride a light motorcycle with a B licence if you meet the following 2 conditions: you have held the B licence for at least 2 years; you have taken a 7-hour practical training course.
Source: Service-Public.fr: Peut-on conduire un scooter 3 roues ou une moto 125 avec le permis B ? (Service-Public.fr (French government, Direction de l'information légale et administrative)), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Bigger than 125 cc: No
Le permis A1 permet de conduire les véhicules suivants: Moto légère (avec ou sans side-car) d'une cylindrée maximale de 125 cm³, d'une puissance n'excédant pas 11 kW et dont le rapport puissance/poids ne dépasse pas 0,1 kW/kg
Our translation: The A1 licence lets you ride the following vehicles: light motorcycle (with or without sidecar) with an engine of up to 125 cm³, a power of no more than 11 kW and a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.1 kW/kg
Source: Service-Public.fr: Permis moto : permis A1 ou permis 125 (moto légère) (Service-Public.fr (French government, Direction de l'information légale et administrative)), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
The official A1 page sets the light motorcycle limit at 125 cm³ and 11 kW; a car licence covers nothing bigger.
Does it depend on where your licence is from?
| Your licence | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| UK licence | Not stated The official text we read does not mention licences issued in other countries. |
| Licence from another EU country | Only with conditions The 7-hour course is compulsory |
| Licence from outside Europe (US, Canada, Australia...) | Not stated The official text we read does not mention licences issued in other countries. |
Si vous avez un permis B européen, vous devez obligatoirement suivre la formation.
Our translation: If you have a European B licence, you must take the training course.
Source: Service-Public.fr: Peut-on conduire un scooter 3 roues ou une moto 125 avec le permis B ? (Service-Public.fr (French government, Direction de l'information légale et administrative)), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Travel insurance and scooters
Riding without the licence category the law asks for can also leave you without insurance cover. The UK government puts it this way in its travel advice for Thailand:
Many travel insurance policies expect you to hold the correct UK licence for the type of car, motorbike or scooter you intend to drive abroad. This means that if you wouldn’t be legally permitted to drive it in the UK, your insurer may not cover you for driving it in Thailand.
Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK), page updated on 12 October 2026), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Read your policy before you ride.
Driving in France, do you need an international driving permit? UK licence · Canadian licence · Australian licence
Questions
Can I ride a 125cc in France with a car licence?
Only under two conditions. The official page says: “You can ride a light motorcycle with a B licence if you meet the following 2 conditions: you have held the B licence for at least 2 years; you have taken a 7-hour practical training course.” (our translation) The course is taken at a driving school in France. The page does not say anything about licences from outside the EU, so check with the rental company and the official page.
Can you rent a moped in France with a car licence?
Yes, a car licence covers a moped. The official page says: “Also, you do not need the BSR (category AM) if you already hold another licence category (for example the B licence) or an equivalent European licence.” (our translation)
Can you rent a scooter in Nice with a car licence?
Nice follows the French rules: a car licence covers a moped, and a 125 cc only after 2 years with the licence and a 7-hour course: “You can ride a light motorcycle with a B licence if you meet the following 2 conditions: you have held the B licence for at least 2 years; you have taken a 7-hour practical training course.” (our translation)
Can I rent a scooter in France with a car licence?
A moped, yes. A 125 cc only after 2 years with the licence and a 7-hour course, which holders of a European licence must take too: “You can ride a light motorcycle with a B licence if you meet the following 2 conditions: you have held the B licence for at least 2 years; you have taken a 7-hour practical training course.” (our translation) “If you have a European B licence, you must take the training course.” (our translation)
Where does this answer come from?
From Service-Public.fr, the French government's official information site, read on 31 October 2026 and quoted word for word on this page (with our translation when the text is not in English). Rental companies can ask for more than the law: check with the rental company and the official page before you ride.
Other countries
Spotted a change? Tell us. Scooter rental: every country we checked.