What licence is required to ride a 125cc
This guide provides details on the different licences, certificates, and special cases that allow you to ride a 125cc. Please note that we drew on French and EU regulations when determining these rules.
For French driving licences
The A1 licence
The A1 licence is the driving licence that allows you to ride a 125cc motorcycle. You must sit both a theoretical and a practical exam in order to get one. To take the exam, you must have completed at least 20 hours of driving lessons on a 125cc motorcycle and passed the 125cc motorcycle exam.
Here are examples of accepted photos. Please note that all information must be readable. So, beware of camera blur and flash on documents.
- Warning !
- Before 1 January 2011 the A1 designation was automatically filled in (checked) on the driving licence when getting a B licence. Therefore, before 1 January 2011 anyone holding a B licence was eligible to ride a 125cc.
- A1 licences are no longer issued with the B licence. Furthermore, old licences with the A1 designation issued with the B licence stopped being valid on 1 January 2011, although there are certain exceptions (see below).
B licence with 7-hour certificate
To ride a 125cc scooter or motorcycle with your B licence, you will need to complete a 7-hour training course with a qualified school.
This training course will take 1 day and does not include a final exam. Once you have completed your 7 hours, you will receive a certificate confirming that you have completed the 125cc course.
Exceptional cases:
In the French Highway Code, there are certain exceptional cases that allow you to ride a 125cc with only a B licence.
- Here are the exceptional cases that allow you to ride a 125cc with a B licence:
- You got your B licence before March 1980 - You can ride a 125cc if you got your B licence before March 1980.
- You rode and insured a 125cc between 2006 and 2010 - You may ride a 125cc with your B licence, provide you present an insurance statement showing that you rode and insured a 125cc between 2006 and 2010.
For EU driving licences
The A1 licence or above
If your driving licence was issued in an EU country, you will need to have at least the A1 driving licence check on your driving licence. An A2 or A licence will of course be sufficient to ride a 125cc motorcycle.
If you have an old driving licence issued before the standardised EU system was introduced, we will use EU documents to make sure you are able to ride the motorcycle you have rented.
For licences from outside the EU
First of all, if your driving licence was issued in a non-EU country and is not written in French, you’ll need an official translated version of your driving licence. International driving licences often provide a French translation of your licence. The translated version must show that you are eligible to ride a 125cc motorcycle.