Supreme Court demands driving license for electric scooters exceeding 25 km/h

The key 2025 ruling establishes that Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMPs) that exceed speed limits are classified as mopeds.

Imatge genèrica d'un patinet elèctric circulant per una zona urbana, sense mostrar cap persona reconeixible.

Imatge genèrica d'un patinet elèctric circulant per una zona urbana, sense mostrar cap persona reconeixible.

The Supreme Court confirmed in a 2025 ruling that electric scooters exceeding 25 km/h and limited power, such as the case originating in Barcelona in 2021, require a driving license.

The highest judicial authority in Spain has settled the debate regarding the regulation of modified personal mobility vehicles (VMP). The resolution, drafted by magistrate Julián Sánchez Melgar, ratifies the conviction of a driver operating a high-power scooter without the necessary license.
The case dates back to September 21, 2021, in Barcelona, when the Local Police intercepted a Sabway Diablo 1,900W Brushless scooter. This device reached 45 kilometers per hour and 1,900 watts, clearly exceeding the limits set for VMPs.

The ruling emphasizes that if a scooter exceeds the speed (25 km/h) and power limits, it is automatically classified as a moped, requiring the corresponding driving permit.

The Supreme Court's decision supports the previous resolutions from the Criminal Court Number 28 of Barcelona and the Provincial Court. Driving such a vehicle without a license can lead to administrative and criminal liabilities, including severe sanctions and potential prison sentences.
This resolution reinforces legal certainty and provides traffic authorities with a clear tool to penalize those who modify their scooters to exceed legal limits, thereby enhancing urban road safety.
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