Maryland Moped Permit: Eligibility, Test, and Penalties

A Maryland moped permit is a Motor Vehicle Administration credential that lets someone without a driver’s license ride a moped or motor scooter legally on public roads. If you already hold a valid driver’s license from Maryland, another state, or another country, you do not need one. If you don’t, you can apply at 16 or older, pass a knowledge test, and pay $30.¹

Do You Actually Need a Moped Permit

Maryland law says anyone operating a moped on a highway must carry one of three things: a Maryland driver’s license of any class, a license from another state or country, or a moped operator’s permit.² A regular driver’s license already covers you. The moped permit is for people who don’t have a license.

One firm limit: you cannot get a moped permit if your driving privileges have been suspended, revoked, refused, or canceled. The MVA checks your record, and the permit is not a way around a suspension.¹

What Counts as a Moped in Maryland

Before you apply, make sure your vehicle actually fits the state’s definition. Maryland defines a moped as a pedal-equipped bicycle assisted by a small motor. It must have pedals that mechanically drive the rear wheel, two or three wheels with at least one larger than 14 inches in diameter, and a motor rated at 1.5 brake horsepower or less. A gas engine cannot exceed 50 cubic centimeters of piston displacement. Electric bicycles are explicitly excluded.³

The state also recognizes a motor scooter: a nonpedal vehicle with a step-through frame, a seat, automatic transmission, two wheels (at least one 10 inches or more in diameter), and a motor rated at 2.7 brake horsepower or less (or 50cc or less for gas engines).⁴ The same moped operator’s permit covers both. If your vehicle exceeds these limits, you’ll likely need a motorcycle license instead.

Who Qualifies for the Permit

To be issued a moped operator’s permit, you must:

Be at least 16 years old. Applicants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Not hold a valid driver’s license from Maryland or any other jurisdiction.
Have driving privileges that are not currently suspended, revoked, refused, or canceled.
Provide documentary evidence of lawful status in the United States.
Present your Social Security card, or if you don’t have it, a current W-2, SSA-1099, non-SSA-1099, or pay stub showing your name and Social Security number. If you’re ineligible for a Social Security number, provide evidence of that ineligibility.

These requirements come from Section 16-104.2 of the Transportation Article.¹ The MVA also gives applicants a vision screening and a knowledge test before issuing the permit.⁵

The Knowledge Test

The knowledge test for a moped permit is the same 25-question exam given for a Class C learner’s permit.⁵ It covers traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. You need 88 percent or better to pass, which means missing no more than three questions, and you have 20 minutes. Tests are usually taken on a computer at an MVA branch office. Oral tests are available by appointment, and foreign language interpreters are permitted.⁶

Study the Maryland Driver’s Manual before you go. If you fail, you’ll have to pay the application fee again to retake it.

Fees and How Long the Permit Lasts

The MVA charges $30 for a new moped permit and $25 for a renewal.⁷ A moped permit is valid for up to five years, with the exact duration set by MVA regulation. If you have temporary lawful status, the permit cannot extend beyond the expiration date of your authorized stay, or one year if no expiration date exists.¹

Titling, Helmets, and Insurance

The permit is only one piece. Maryland requires every moped and motor scooter owner to obtain a title. Titling involves submitting an application with the vehicle identification number or serial number and paying a title decal fee, an excise tax, and a title fee. The title decal must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle in a visible position, and it cannot be transferred to another vehicle or to a new owner.⁸

Every operator and passenger must wear protective headgear and eye-protective devices. The helmet must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218, which covers impact testing, penetration resistance, and retention. A DOT sticker on the helmet confirms compliance.⁸

Insurance is required, and this is where many riders get tripped up. The same regulation that mandates helmets directs moped operators to carry evidence of the security required under Transportation Article Section 17-103.⁸ The law changed in 2012, and mopeds are not exempt. Standard policies typically include bodily injury and property damage liability. Comprehensive and collision coverage is optional, though lenders usually require physical damage coverage if you finance the vehicle.

Where You Can Ride

Mopeds cannot be used on any road with a posted speed limit above 50 miles per hour, except on the shoulder in limited circumstances such as crossing an intersection, making a left turn, or passing a point where the shoulder is interrupted by a turn or merge lane. Expressways and controlled-access highways are off-limits entirely, unless an adjacent bike path has been approved by the State Highway Administration. Where a paved bike lane exists, you’re generally required to use it.⁹ These restrictions apply on public roads. On private property, they do not.

Penalties for Riding Without a Permit

Operating a moped on a public road without a valid license or moped permit is a criminal offense in Maryland, not just a traffic ticket. A first offense carries up to 60 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. A second or subsequent offense carries up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. Those penalties come from Section 16-101 of the Transportation Article.²

The jail exposure is what catches people off guard. Most riders assume the worst outcome is a fine. A conviction can also create downstream problems for employment, housing, and insurance rates. And because the MVA will not issue a moped permit to anyone whose driving privileges have been revoked or suspended, a conviction that triggers administrative action can lock you out of legal moped operation for a long stretch.

1
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-104.2 – Moped Operators Permits
2
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-101 – Drivers Must Be Licensed
3
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 11-134.1 – Moped
4
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 11-134.5 – Motor Scooter
5
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Off Road Vehicle (ORV) – Moped, Motor Scooters
6
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Driver Licensing – Knowledge Testing
7
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. MVA Fee Listing
8
Cornell Law Institute. COMAR 11.15.35.03 – Mopeds and Motor Scooters
9
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Transportation 21-1205.1 – Bicycle, Motor Scooter, and EPAMD Restrictions