Routes to Your Licence

Routes to Your Licence

19th January 2013 will see the introduction of the 3rd Driving Licence Directive (or 3DLD). The 3DLD will see several changes to the way the motorcycle licence system works, most notably the changes to age restrictions in each licence category, but more importantly the fact that licences WILL NOT automatically upgrade after a period of 2 years, as they have done in the past. For more details, see the table as below:

STEP ONE	STEP TWO	STEP THREE
Provisional Licence	CBT	Theory Test
Either included in your full car licence or as part of a provisional licence.	You must complete Compulsory Basic Training before you ride on the road.*	This is required even if you have a car licence. The Pass Certificate lasts 2 years.
STEP FOUR
Licence If you are 16+ and you just want to ride a moped, you have the option to complete an 'AM' moped-specific licence. You will be limited to a 50cc moped & 28mph. If you are 17+ and you want to ride larger motorcycles, you have 3 possible routes:

A1 Licence Age: 17 + Test motorcycles: No sidecar / min. 120cc - max. 125cc / max. output of 11kW (15 bhp). Passing grants a restricted Category A1 motorcycle licence. You can ride any motorcycle up to 11kW (15 bhp)†. You can carry a passenger and use motorways and don’t need L plates. *A1 licence WILL NOT automatically convert into a full Category A2 licence, you will be required to complete a Category A2 licence test.  †Not exceeding 0.1kw/kg power-to-weight
A2 Licence Age: 19 + Test motorcycle: No sidecar / min. 395cc / min. 25kW (33.0 bhp) - max. 35kW (46.6 bhp). Passing grants a restricted Category A2 motorcycle licence. You can ride any motorcycle up to 35kw (46.6 bhp)†. You can carry a passenger, use the motorways and don’t need L plates. *A2 licence WILL NOT automatically convert into a full Category A licence, you will be required to complete a Category A licence test. *Upgrading from an A1 licence DOES NOT require a CBT & Theory Test re-take. †Not exceeding 0.2kw/kg power-to-weight
A2* Licence Restrictor kits will be available for these models to comply with the A2 licence category.
A Licence Age: 24 + (21 if upgrading from an A2 licence, with minimum 2 years experience) Test motorcycle: No sidecar / min. 595cc / min. 40kW (53.6 bhp). Passing grants a full Category A motorcycle licence. You can ride a machine of any size, carry a passenger and use motorways. *Upgrading from an A2 licence DOES NOT require a CBT & Theory Test re-take. *Upgrading directly from an A1 licence requires a Theory Test re-take.

If you have a full car licence issued before 1st February 2001 you may ride a restricted 50cc moped on the road without L plates (and carry a passenger), but you still need to pass your CBT test to ride any motorcycle over 50cc.