Mopeds, e-bikes and motorcycles

What is an AM driving licence?

The AM licence is the moped and scooter licence. You need it for a light moped, moped, speed pedelec and brommobiel. You may ride with it from the age of 16.

Do you have a B licence? Then AM is automatically included. Read more under does a car licence include a moped licence. WA insurance is also compulsory for all of these vehicles.

Which vehicles can you ride with an AM licence?

With AM you may ride a light moped, moped, speed pedelec and brommobiel. A scooter can be a light moped or a moped: look at the colour of the plate, not at the shape.

Light moped (snorfiets): blue plate

A light moped has a blue plate and goes at most 25 km/h. It usually rides on the cycle path. Signs can send it onto the carriageway. Rider and passenger wear a helmet.

Moped (bromfiets): yellow plate

A moped has a yellow plate. It rides on the cycle/moped path if there is one, otherwise on the carriageway. It may not use a normal cycle path. The speed limit is:

• 45 km/h on the carriageway;
• 30 km/h on the cycle/moped path inside built-up areas;
• 40 km/h on the cycle/moped path outside built-up areas.

Rider and passenger wear an approved helmet.

Brommobiel: 45 sticker

A brommobiel is a small car that goes at most 45 km/h. You recognise it by the 45 sticker on the back. It drives on the carriageway, not on the cycle path. If it has seat belts, you use them. Light mopeds, mopeds, speed pedelecs and brommobiels may not use the autoweg or the motorway.

How to recognise the vehicles

Picture and type	Recognise / speed	Licence and safety
Light moped (snorfiets)	Blue plate; 25 km/h	AM or B; WA; helmet for rider and passenger
Moped (bromfiets)	Yellow plate; 45 road / 30 path inside / 40 path outside	AM or B; WA; helmet for both
Brommobiel	45 sticker; on the carriageway	AM or B; WA; seat belt if fitted
Normal e-bike	Pedal assistance up to 25 km/h, max 250 W	Bicycle rules; no licence or plate
Speed pedelec	Yellow plate; assistance up to 45 km/h	Moped rules; AM or B; WA; suitable helmet
Motorcycle	Motorcycle plate	A1, A2 or A; WA; approved helmet

Can a moped ride on the cycle path?

No, not on a normal cycle path. A moped (bromfiets) rides on the cycle/moped path if there is one. If there is no cycle/moped path, it rides on the carriageway. A speed pedelec follows the same rules. A light moped (snorfiets) does ride on the cycle path, just like a bicycle. Only if a sub-sign under the cycle path sign says so does a light moped ride on the carriageway.

The sign tells you who may use the path:

	G11, compulsory cycle path: cyclists and light mopeds. A moped and a speed pedelec may not use it; they ride on the carriageway.
	G12a, cycle/moped path: cyclists, light mopeds and mopeds. A moped must use this path. Inside a built-up area the limit here is 30 km/h, outside it 40 km/h.
	G13, optional cycle path: cyclists may ride here. A light moped with a petrol engine may only use it with the engine off. A moped may not use it.

Sign: mopeds to the cycle path

Sometimes you see a white sign with a red border, a red moped and an arrow (sign D103). This sign is only for moped riders. It tells you to move here from the carriageway to the cycle/moped path. If the arrow points the other way, you move from the path to the carriageway instead. The sign does not apply to light mopeds: they stay on the cycle path.

Source: RVV 1990, articles 5 and 6.

What is a speed pedelec?

A speed pedelec is an electric bicycle that assists you up to 45 km/h. By law it is a moped. It has a yellow plate.

That is why moped rules apply to a speed pedelec:

• You need a licence: AM or B.
• WA insurance is compulsory.
• A helmet is compulsory: a moped helmet or a special speed pedelec helmet.
• You ride where a moped rides, so not on any cycle path. Inside built-up areas you may do 45 km/h on the carriageway and 30 km/h on the cycle/moped path.

The difference with a normal e-bike

A normal e-bike only assists you while you pedal, with a motor of at most 250 watts, up to 25 km/h. You need no licence, plate or insurance for it. Can the bike go faster than 6 km/h with a throttle without pedalling, or has it been tuned? Then it is no longer a normal e-bike.

Can you ride a motorcycle with a B licence in the Netherlands?

No. For a motorcycle you need licence A1, A2 or A. That also applies to a 125cc motorcycle and a motorcycle with a sidecar. In the Netherlands a B licence does not allow you to ride a motorcycle.

On a motorcycle the rider and passenger wear an approved helmet. The motorcycle needs a plate and WA insurance. You ride on the carriageway.

Is a speed pedelec a motor vehicle?

Yes, in one sense. Under the Road Traffic Act a speed pedelec is a motorrijtuig, like a light moped and moped. The law uses that term for licences and insurance. A normal e-bike is not a motorrijtuig.

A motorvoertuig is something else. That word is used in the traffic rules (RVV 1990), and mopeds are not included there. So a speed pedelec is not a motorvoertuig. This matters for some signs, such as an overtaking ban for motor vehicles. Many motor vehicle rules do apply to the brommobiel. See overtaking bans.