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At 16 in Great Britain you can ride a moped on the road once you have a provisional licence and have completed compulsory basic training (CBT). CBT is not a test, though: it puts you on L plates (L or D plates in Wales) with tight limits, and within 2 years you must either pass the full moped test or pass your car test (which gives full moped entitlement on its own, explained below), or else retake CBT. This guide is for 16 year olds in England, Scotland and Wales, and their parents, who want to know what it takes to get through CBT and the moped tests, and how a moped affects the car test at 17.
The rules at a glance
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 16 (category AM) |
| What counts as a moped | A 2-wheeled vehicle with a maximum design speed over 25 km/h (15.5 mph) but not over 45 km/h (28 mph) |
| Before riding on the road | Provisional licence plus a CBT certificate |
| Plates | L plates (L or D plates in Wales) |
| Passengers and trailers | Not allowed until you pass your test |
| Motorways | Not allowed for provisional motorcycle licence holders |
| Time limit | Within 2 years, pass the full moped test or your car test, or retake CBT or stop riding |
| Full AM licence | CBT, the motorcycle theory test, then the moped practical test; or CBT plus a car test pass (see below) |
| Riding without valid CBT | Fine of up to £1,000 and up to 6 penalty points |
From provisional licence to full AM licence
Think of it as three stages, with the 2-year CBT window as your deadline for the last two.
Stage 1: get road-legal for CBT
- Get a provisional licence. You can apply from 15 years and 9 months (£34 online, as of November 2026).
- Book CBT with an approved training school.
- Get the bike legal. If you use your own moped, it needs a V5C registration certificate (log book), road tax, an MOT if it needs one, and insurance that covers you.
- Wear an approved helmet. GOV.UK says you must wear a helmet that meets safety standards.
Stage 2: complete CBT
CBT is a training course, not a pass or fail test. You get a certificate when you complete it. Then fit L plates (or D plates in Wales) and ride within the learner restrictions.
Stage 3: pass the tests
Take the motorcycle theory test, then the moped practical test, within the 2 years, to get a full AM licence. Passing removes the L plates and lets you carry a passenger. Passing your car test within the 2 years also gives you full moped entitlement up to 50cc (see below).
What you cannot do until you pass
- Carry a pillion passenger. The Highway Code says you MUST NOT until you have passed your test.
- Pull a trailer.
- Ride on a motorway. Highway Code Rule 253 bars holders of provisional motorcycle licences from motorways.
- Ride a motorcycle above moped class. At 17 CBT lets you ride up to 125cc and 11 kW on L plates, but at 16 it is mopeds only.
- Keep riding after 2 years without passing your full moped test or your car test. You must either take CBT again or stop riding.
How a moped affects your car test later
- Separate theory tests. The motorcycle theory test and the car theory test are different tests. Passing one does not count for the other.
- No formal credit. You still need the car theory test and car practical test at 17.
- The same provisional licence card covers you for a moped at 16 and for a car from 17, once the car learner rules apply.
- Road sense carries over. Riding teaches observation, positioning and judging speed, all things the car examiner marks, and you learn how vulnerable two-wheelers are. See sharing the road with motorcycles.
- Points carry over too. GOV.UK says any penalty points on your provisional licence that have not expired are carried over to your full licence when you pass, which matters under the New Drivers Act. Up to 6 points for riding without valid CBT could put a new car licence at risk. See the New Drivers Act.
- CBT plus a car pass gives you a full moped licence. If you pass your car test on or after 1 February 2001, GOV.UK says you get full moped entitlement either by passing the car test and then doing CBT, or by doing CBT and then passing the car test within 2 years. You can then ride a moped up to 50cc without L plates and without taking the full moped test, for as long as your car licence lasts. So a 16 year old who does CBT and passes the car test at 17 inside the 2 years does not need the moped test. This does not cover larger motorcycles, which still need CBT and their own tests. Only drivers who passed their car test before 1 February 2001 can skip CBT for a 50cc moped.
Moped at 16 or wait for the car at 17?
| Moped at 16 | Car at 17 |
|---|---|
| Independent travel a year earlier | No independent driving until you pass |
| Ride alone after CBT, no supervisor needed | Must be supervised until you pass |
| Exposed to weather and more vulnerable in a crash | Protected by the car body, seat belts and airbags |
| Limited to 28 mph design speed, no motorways | All roads except motorways as a learner (motorways only with an approved instructor in a dual-control car) |
| Costs: CBT, helmet and clothing, insurance, the moped | Costs: lessons, insurance, test fees |
See learners and motorways for the car rule.
Common questions
Can I ride a moped at 16 without a test?
Yes, on L plates, after completing CBT and with a provisional licence, for up to 2 years. To ride without L plates or carry a passenger you need a full moped licence: pass the full moped test, or pass your car test within 2 years of CBT.
Can you fail CBT?
CBT is a training course rather than a pass or fail test. You get the certificate when you complete it.
How long is a CBT certificate valid?
2 years. Within that time pass your full moped or motorcycle test, or for a moped up to 50cc your car test, or take CBT again or stop riding.
How fast can a moped go?
A moped in category AM has a maximum design speed of no more than 45 km/h (28 mph).
Can I take a friend on the back?
No. You must not carry a pillion passenger until you have passed your test.
Do I need a theory test for a moped?
Not for CBT. You need the motorcycle theory test before the moped practical test for a full AM licence.
Looking for lessons or an instructor? Our sister site Compare Driving Instructors covers lesson prices and choosing an instructor.
Back to the full guide to learning to drive in Great Britain. See also UK licence categories.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Riding a motorcycle, moped or motor tricycle” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Riding a motorcycle, moped or motor tricycle: bike categories, ages and licence requirements” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Compulsory basic training (CBT)” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “CBT: if you have a car driving licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “The Highway Code: Annex 2. Motorcycle licence requirements” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “The Highway Code: Motorways (253 to 273)”, Rule 253 (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving licence categories” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Apply for your first provisional driving licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Penalty points (endorsements): new drivers” (gov.uk)