Your state's 50cc scooter/moped laws

[jayhawk]

OK, I'm curious how different states handle the 50cc or 49cc scooters. I'm from MO, no plate, no insurance, valid DL and the scoot has to go 30 mph or less.

Along with clicking the poll button, I'd love for everyone to post their state and any additional requirements in the message section...because I'm sure I didn't hit all the possibilities in the above poll.

Eric

[bob67]

I live in Mass . if you can register your 50cc as a moped, "depending on how the registry person feels thst day", then all you need is a valid auto drivers license and a 2-year decal from the DMV . No insurance is available at all for a 50cc . nobody will ins it due to no metal lic plate ....

ill post links to the rules and a pic of my decal from the DMV ....

www.mass.gov/rmv/license/7moped.htm
www.mass.gov/rmv/forms/20017.pdf


77one person i talked to said the DMV wanted a phot of his speedometer to prove it wasnt capable of over 30mph ...

[meitianman]

ny, special plate, drivers license, insurance. its not 50cc or under tho, its 30mph or less. anything over 30mph needs a motorcycle endorsement

[bob67]

how do they prove your 30mph speed what kind of Meitian you got post pic ?

[jayhawk]

The 30 mph is kind of a theoretical thing in Missouri - most restricted scooters are limited to a 30 mph on flat terrain speed to meet the many states that have similar laws. Many of these scooters end up being de-restricted, but the paperwork doesn't show that and many DMVs won't license them even if you tell them they faster (i.e. - Clerk: "But it's 49ccs and state law won't allow registration").

Eric

[kaintuckdave]

Kentucky will not register anything under 50ccs, all you need is a valid driver's license.

[scosgt]

On my new Benelli the max speed is listed on the MCO as 28 Mph

[pinekirk]

Colorado only requires a driver's licence, but there is a registration sticker good for 3 years (cost $5.25). no plate or ins. is required. a lot of people don't bother to buy the registration sticker, but if you get pulled over you will then have to buy it and probably pay a fine for not having had it.

[jayhawk]

I wonder if we can get this "stickied" so that new users can add their states - then, if you move, you have some idea what you're up against!

[tommyp]

Florida requires a valid DL, and issues a motorcycle plate with annual yellow registration stickers similar in content to the pink one shown in the above pic. You must have a helmet and/or insurance. I had to supply the title to the DMV certifying that the scooter was 50cc or less. And they looked up the brand (Rocketa at the time) to see if it could be registered in the state. Simple.........

[Karl]

Aug 15, 2008 13:34:20 GMT -5 jayhawk said:

I wonder if we can get this "stickied" so that new users can add their states - then, if you move, you have some idea what you're up against!

As Bob the Builder says "Yes, You Can!"

[jayhawk]

Thanks!

["Big Guy"]

In Louisiana, all scooters are licensed as motorcycles, however, if it is under 5hp, no MC endorsement is needed on your license. There are no speed or cubic centimeter displacement rules, just HP. All scooters over 1hp are required to have a MC plate, liability insurance, registration sticker and brake tag (called inspection in other states).


-Rich

[termite]

Aug 15, 2008 23:55:31 GMT -5 "Big Guy" said:

All scooters over 1hp are required to have a MC plate, liability insurance, registration sticker and brake tag (called inspection in other states).

-Rich

It's called an inspection sticker pretty much anywhere in Louisiana outside of the New Orleans area, Rich.
I'm from central Louisiana, and I never heard it called a "brake tag" until I started working with a bunch of guys from New Orleans.
"Brake tag" is a New Orleans/SE Louisiana colloquialism, like "hose pipe"(garden hose).

[tazman45]

NC No Driver License no tag if 50cc and under speed limit 30mph wear a hemet no nothing they say its a bike no lights

[wildride08]

Illinois requires a valid D.L. and a plate and insurance

[troj4nm4n]

well in Tennessee i was informed today that i had to have a class m .. when i bought it , the dealer and the dmv said just a standard d.l and nothing else

[byufanatic]

In Texas the answer is "G - None of the above."

If you have a 50cc scooter that goes less than 50 mph it will be plated as a moped. Anything bigger/faster is plated as a motorcycle.

Stickers, plates, and insurance are required.

As for the rider -

Anyone age 15 and older can ride a vehicle plated as "moped" if they have a moped license.

Anyone 16 and older can ride a vehicle plated as "moped" or "motorcycle" as long as they have a motorcycle license.

Rob

[kgarove]

Maryland MVA web site is clear enough on what can be registered. Similar to most states and here's the link: www.mva.state.md.us/VehicleServ/REG/scooter.htm

But... I bounced off the MVA 2 times trying to register a Shenke 150cc, and determined that if the third try failed, I'd just ride the rascal un-registered like everyone else.

Sticking points: Didn't like the MCO body style designation (Moped), no dealer endorsement (I bought from a nice Chinese lady and importer who accpeted cash only and really could not lawfully retail scooters), required a motorcycle inspection certificate ($54). And on and on...

In general, the MD MVA was totally confused and admited same.

Finally, on the try number 3, the counter lady turned to a supervisor for clarification, and the bad supervisor lady said, "Sit other there and we'll seek clarification". S***! I sat for about 20 minutes, and went back to my original MVA lady and asked how much longer I'd have to wait. Response: "I dunno". I said, "1 hour?". "No". "1/2 Hour?". "Not that long.".

Then the heavens opened, the choir piped up, and it was like a scene from a Sistine Chapel fresco.

The good lady said, "I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION. I WON'T WAIT ANY LONGER. I'LL GIVE YOU YOUR TITLE AND TAGS."

When I was a kid, I used to play tag in the Hecht Company department store in Northwood with my urchin friends. The key to escape during a game of tag was to move fast, without looking like you were moving fast, otherwise the store detectives would catch on and eject the lot of us. It was hilarious trying to esacpe and I would invariably feel like I would explode from too much fun. That's the way I exited the MVA.

[beska]

Michigan must have a registration sticker $15.00 for 3 years no insurance no helmet(but only a fool would not wear one)valid DL and lights.

[johnnyrb]

tennessee.gov/safety/publications/motorcyclemanual.pdf scroll down to about page 3 under 50 cc is classified as a motorized bycycle

[frankj3]

;D

You left out the option for Texans on 50cc or less.....

Motorcycle Plate, Moped License (Code "K") or Motorcycle License (Code M), Insurance, Inspection Sticker affixed to the Motorcycle Plate Holder, Helmet (unless certain endorsements are met)

Frankj3

[imagesinthewind]

Aug 15, 2008 12:38:05 GMT -5 pinekirk said:

Colorado only requires a driver's licence, but there is a registration sticker good for 3 years (cost $5.25). no plate or ins. is required. a lot of people don't bother to buy the registration sticker, but if you get pulled over you will then have to buy it and probably pay a fine for not having had it.

Yeah, I haven't met anyone who owns a 50cc YET that bought the sticker! And I do know of a couple people that registered their 150cc as a 50cc so they didn't have to plate it!

But Denver is still a bit lenient on scoots.
Barely register when one gets stolen. Scoots just aren't taken seriously here. YET!

[trigerman]

i don't agree to the fact that scoots need to have an insurance. it should be optional not mandatory. the reason why i get a scooter is to get away from too much expense on gas and insurance etc, to get to my job. registering scoot would be just fine for me but insuring it??? nah! what for? scoots are not allowed in hi ways above 45mph anyways. it's just use to go around the village.

[danw]

When gas hits 5.00 a gallon (as the average around the country), I am willing to eat my hat if the DMV's around the country dont start requiring LOTS more taxable regulations on scooters.
If the taxes they are getting on cars starts to go down, they will find a way to tax other things to make up for it.

[ranman55]

I'm from Connecticut, the 50cc and under you only need a valid drivers license and the highway is a no-no.
Randy

[golflover]

NY here also with the meitian turbo duo. Need insurance, registration (plate for LMB) and a valid drivers license to operate. When I registered mine it went by the vin number. It came up as a MTQT-02 when the scoooter had MTQT-03 decals on it.. The DMV guy had a slight problem gettting the manufacturer in too, he ended up putting in SH/ME for Shanghi Motors - meitian turbo dou and it took it. But it is registered as an LMB (class B moped 30 mph) but I've had mine get to 40 on the speedo but have not verified the speed yet. Has 422 miles on it and it has been a blast to ride. Not to mention saving me big bucks on gas.

[imagesinthewind]

Aug 24, 2008 17:27:24 GMT -5 trigerman said:

i don't agree to the fact that scoots need to have an insurance. it should be optional not mandatory. the reason why i get a scooter is to get away from too much expense on gas and insurance etc, to get to my job. registering scoot would be just fine for me but insuring it??? nah! what for? scoots are not allowed in hi ways above 45mph anyways. it's just use to go around the village.

What if something goes horribly wrong and you hit a bicyclist?

And what if your scooter gets stolen?

I pay $101 per year for absolutley, completely, blanket coverage.
If my scooter gets stolen in the next year (Denver and other larger cities are seeing a lot of stolen scoots) I can get a new one without shelling out another $2100 for it!

Insurance for a scooter is cheap and good piece of mind, but that's just my opinion, I could be wrong! LOL!

[pukame2]

In Hawaii, You must have a Driver's License, Class 3 and a Motorcycle License, Class 2 to operate a gas-powered motorcycle/motor scooter, above 2hp.
Electrics are exempt.
The motorcycle/motor scooter must be licensed/safety checked/plated and insured before allowed on the thoroughfares.

[edlinuser]

In Arkansas it's called the Bill Clinton law. Passed in an oil crisis, under 50 cc and single speed is treated like a bicycle. No tags, insurance, DL, needed.