What licence do I need to ride a motorbike or scooter in the UK?
How the CBT, the A1, A2 and A categories fit together, what each one lets you ride, the age thresholds, and the progressive access route.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 20 min
- Read
- 5 min
- Safety
- warning
Short answer
Almost everyone starts with compulsory basic training. A CBT plus a provisional licence lets you ride a moped up to 50 cc from 16, or a motorcycle up to 125 cc from 17, with L-plates, no pillion and no motorways, and it lasts two years. To remove those restrictions you take a theory test and a two-part practical test for a full category: A1 from 17, A2 from 19, and full A from 24 direct or from 21 by progressive access after two years on an A2.
The licence structure looks complicated because it is doing two things at once: setting a minimum age for each power level, and providing two different routes to the top category. The first route, direct access, simply waits until 24 and takes the full test on a large machine. The second, progressive access, lets a rider move up in stages — A1 to A2 to A — with two years of experience required at each level before the next test. Neither is better; they suit different ages and budgets. What matters is knowing exactly which category you hold, because the restrictions are enforced and insurance follows entitlement.
Safety
Step by step
- Start with compulsory basic training.The CBT is a day-long course of five elements, from an approved training body, ending with a period of riding on the road with an instructor. It is not a test — you cannot fail it, you simply continue until the instructor is satisfied. You need a provisional licence to take it.
- Understand what a CBT actually permits.With a valid CBT and a provisional licence you may ride a moped up to 50 cc from age 16, or a motorcycle up to 125 cc and 11 kW from age 17. You must display L-plates, and in Wales D-plates are also permitted. You may not carry a pillion passenger and you may not use motorways. The certificate lasts two years.
- Know the A1 category.Available from 17. Requires the motorcycle theory test and both parts of the practical test, taken on a machine of the right size. It permits a motorcycle up to 125 cc and 11 kW with no L-plates, a pillion passenger and motorway use.
- Know the A2 category.Available from 19. Permits a motorcycle up to 35 kW, with a power-to-weight limit, and a restricted machine may not be derived from one of more than double that power. This is where most riders spend their twenties, and the choice of machine matters because not every bike can be legally restricted to A2.
- Know the two routes to full category A.Direct access is available from 24: take the theory and practical tests on a large machine and hold unrestricted entitlement immediately. Progressive access is available from 21 provided you have held an A2 licence for at least two years, and requires a further practical test but not necessarily a further theory test.
- Check what your car licence already gives you.A full car licence obtained before 1 February 2001 usually carries moped entitlement without further training. A car licence obtained after that date requires a CBT to ride a moped. Look at the categories printed on the back of your photocard rather than assuming.
- Get the right insurance and the right gear.Insurance must match your entitlement exactly — insuring a machine you are not entitled to ride is worthless. A helmet meeting the required standard is a legal requirement; gloves, boots, armoured jacket and trousers are not, and are the difference between a fall and a hospital stay.
- Do more training than the minimum.The CBT is a floor, not a standard. Post-test schemes such as enhanced rider training, and the advanced schemes run by the major riding organisations, measurably improve survival for new riders. Motorcyclists are heavily over-represented in serious casualty figures relative to the miles they ride.
- Renew or upgrade before the CBT expires.A CBT lasts two years. If you have not passed a full test by then you must retake it to keep riding on L-plates. Diarise it — riding on an expired CBT is riding without entitlement, and the insurance consequences follow.
Common mistakes
- Treating the CBT as a qualification — It is a day's training with no pass or fail, designed to make a novice safe enough to practise on the road. Riders who treat it as the end of learning are heavily represented in first-year casualty statistics.
- Buying the bike before checking the category — The A1 and A2 limits are about power and power-to-weight ratio, and not every machine can lawfully be restricted. A bike bought before checking is frequently a bike that has to be sold again.
If it doesn't work
CBT has expired and you are still riding
Cause: The two-year certificate lapsed — Fix: Stop riding until you retake it. You are riding without valid entitlement, which means without effective insurance and with personal liability for any injury you cause.
Bought a bike that turns out to be too powerful for your category
Cause: A1, A2 and A limits are about power and power-to-weight, not just engine size — Fix: Check the specific machine against your category before buying. Some bikes can be legally restricted to A2 by an approved kit and some cannot, because of the rule about the unrestricted parent model.
Turning 24 and wondering whether to wait for direct access
Cause: The two routes cost different amounts and take different times — Fix: Direct access is quicker and often cheaper overall if you are already 24. Progressive access gets you riding years earlier with graduated experience, which many instructors consider the safer path.
Car licence holder unsure whether a CBT is needed
Cause: The rule depends on when the car licence was obtained — Fix: Look at the entitlement categories on the back of the photocard, or check the online licence record. Pre-February 2001 car licences generally carry moped entitlement; later ones do not.
Insurance quote is enormous for a new rider
Cause: New riders are statistically a high risk — Fix: A smaller machine, secure overnight storage, an approved security device and additional training all help. Some insurers recognise post-test training schemes with a discount.
Want to carry a passenger on L-plates
Cause: Not permitted — Fix: A provisional entitlement does not allow a pillion. You need a full category, which means passing the theory test and both practical modules.
Questions people ask
Do I need a CBT if I have a full car licence?
If your car licence was issued before 1 February 2001, it usually carries moped entitlement without a CBT. If it was issued afterwards, you need a CBT to ride a moped, and a CBT to ride a 125. Check the categories printed on the back of your licence.
How long does a CBT last?
Two years. If you have not passed a full motorcycle test in that time, you must retake it to continue riding on L-plates. Passing a full test removes the need entirely.
What is progressive access?
The route to a higher category through experience rather than through waiting. Hold an A2 licence for two years and you can take a further practical test from age 21 for full category A, rather than waiting until 24 for direct access.