Scooter and Moped Insurance UK: 50cc and 125cc Costs and Rules

Moped or scooter: what’s the difference?

The words are often used loosely, but for licences and insurance the engine and top speed decide which rules apply.

• Moped (category AM). The Highway Code defines a moped as a two-wheeled vehicle with a maximum design speed of 45 km/h (28mph). GOV.UK says AM mopeds are up to 50cc and below 4kW. These are often called 50cc scooters.
• 125cc scooter or motorbike (category A1). Up to 125cc with a maximum of 11kW. A learner can ride one on a CBT and provisional licence from 17.
• Bigger scooters. Maxi-scooters over 125cc need an A2 or A licence, just like a motorbike of the same power.

Insurers price small-engined bikes in their own way. Compare the Market says the larger the engine, the more you’ll pay, and Confused.com says the same of scooters.

How much is scooter and moped insurance?

Source: Confused.com moped and scooter insurance pages (updated July 2026); Compare the Market moped and scooter insurance (reviewed June 2026). Checked October 2026.

The two sites measure different things. Confused.com reports what customers paid; Compare the Market reports quotes. Both point the same way: a 16- or 17-year-old pays far more than the typical moped rider, and 125cc scooters cost more to insure than 50cc mopeds.

Which licence do you need for a moped or scooter?

Riding a 50cc moped at 16

GOV.UK says you can ride a moped from 16 once you have completed CBT. You can apply for a provisional licence from 15 years and 9 months, according to Confused.com and Compare the Market. On a provisional licence you must display L plates (D plates in Wales) and can’t carry a passenger. To get a full AM licence you also need to pass a theory test and a practical test. GOV.UK says you must pass your full moped test within 2 years of CBT, or take CBT again or stop riding.

Is a full AM licence worth it? Confused.com says you must display L plates unless you hold a full moped or motorcycle licence, and Compare the Market says you can’t take a passenger on a provisional licence. Passing the full test removes both limits. It also changes the licence details you give your insurer, so ask for a fresh quote when you pass.

Riding a moped on a car licence

Your car licence date matters. GOV.UK (updated September 2026) says:

Source: GOV.UK – CBT motorcycle and moped training: if you have a car driving licence (updated 9 September 2026).

Confused.com adds that riders in the second group can also carry passengers on a 50cc moped once they have done CBT. Neither route lets you ride a 125cc scooter without L plates – for that you still need CBT and L plates, or a full A1 licence or above.

Riding a 125cc scooter on a CBT

From 17, the Highway Code lets you ride a motorcycle or scooter up to 125cc and 11kW on a CBT and provisional licence for up to two years, with L plates, no pillion and no motorways. After two years you must pass your full test or retake CBT. Our learner motorbike insurance guide covers CBT, licence categories and young rider costs in more detail.

Using a scooter for commuting

Lots of people use a moped or scooter to get to work, so check your class of use. Confused.com lists leisure, commuting, business and delivery as separate uses that affect your price. Tell the insurer how you will really use the bike, including whether you ride to work.

Delivery is listed as a separate use again, so it needs to be declared too. See our delivery rider insurance guide.

Keep in mind that mopeds can’t use every road. Highway Code rule 253 bans riders of motorcycles under 50cc (4kW) from motorways, so plan a commuting route without them.

What else affects the price?

• Age. Confused.com’s 16-year-old median of £666 is more than double its median for all moped riders.
• Theft risk and storage. Compare the Market lists moped theft as one reason young riders pay more. It suggests keeping the bike on a driveway overnight rather than on the street.
• Security. Compare the Market suggests Thatcham-approved alarms and immobilisers. Quotezone mentions tagging your bike and keeping it in a secure garage.
• Mileage and excess. Lower mileage and a higher voluntary excess can both reduce the premium, according to Compare the Market.
• How you pay. Confused.com says paying annually rather than monthly is one way to cut the cost.
• Cover level. Comprehensive is not always the dearest option, so quote for all three levels.

Other running costs

Insurance isn’t the only cost. Confused.com puts vehicle tax for a scooter under 150cc, or a 50cc moped, at £27 a year (2025/26 rates). A moped also needs an MOT once it is three years old. Add-ons such as pillion cover, helmet and leathers cover, breakdown cover, legal expenses and personal accident cover are available from many insurers at extra cost.

E-scooters are not mopeds

Electric scooters follow different rules. GOV.UK (updated September 2026) says it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter in public, including on roads, pavements and in parks. You can only ride one on private land with the landowner’s permission. Breaking the rules can mean a fine, penalty points and having the scooter seized.

The only legal way to ride an e-scooter on public roads is through an official rental trial. GOV.UK says trials run in more than 20 areas, including London, Leeds, Bristol and Cambridge. You need a full or provisional UK licence with category Q entitlement, and the rental operator provides third-party motor insurance. You can use roads and cycle lanes, but not pavements or motorways.

So a moped or scooter policy will not make a private e-scooter road-legal. For pedal cycles and e-bikes, see our bicycle and e-bike insurance guide.

How to compare scooter and moped insurance

1. Check your licence first. Confirm whether you need CBT, L plates or a full licence for the bike you want.
2. Give the right engine size and use. 50cc and 125cc are priced differently, as are leisure and commuting.
3. Say where it is kept overnight. Be accurate about storage and any security devices.
4. Quote for all three cover levels. Then match the excess across quotes.
5. Look at the extras. Decide whether you need helmet cover, breakdown or legal expenses.

For cover levels, insurance groups and more on pricing, see our main motorbike insurance guide, or browse all insurance guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Confused.com – Moped insurance (14 Jul 2026)
• Confused.com – Scooter insurance (17 Jul 2026)
• Confused.com – Motorbike insurance (Sep 2026)
• Compare the Market – Moped and scooter insurance (Jun 2026)
• Compare the Market – Young rider insurance (Oct 2025)
• GOV.UK – Bike categories, ages and licence requirements (Jan 2025)
• GOV.UK – CBT if you have a car driving licence (Sep 2026)
• GOV.UK – CBT motorcycle and moped training (Sep 2026)
• GOV.UK – Highway Code Annex 2 (Oct 2025)
• GOV.UK – Highway Code: motorways, rule 253 (Oct 2025)
• GOV.UK – Riding an electric scooter: the rules (Sep 2026)
• GOV.UK – E-scooter trials: guidance for users (Jul 2026)
• Quotezone – CBT motorbike insurance (May 2026)

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