The Government has launched a Mandatory registration for electric scooters and other Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) This completely changes how these vehicles are used in Spain. Once the new system comes into effect, anyone who owns a scooter that meets certain weight and speed requirements will not be able to use it legally unless it has been registered and insured.
This measure comes after years of growth in this type of urban mobility, with millions of users and regulations that had fallen short. With the new registration and the compulsory civil liability insuranceThe Executive seeks to provide coverage for accident victims, regulate the fleet of personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), and equip authorities with tools to clearly identify each vehicle.
Who is affected by the mandatory registration of electric scooters…
The regulations are aimed at all owners of electric scooters considered VMPas well as their legal guardians when they are minors. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is new or old, or whether it has a registration certificate or not: if it falls within the definition of a Personal Mobility Vehicle (PMV), it must be registered and insured.
They are especially affected Scooters that weigh over 25 kilos and can travel at more than 14 km/hThese are the vehicles that fall within the categories regulated by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), either as light personal vehicles or as motor vehicles, according to their weight and speed characteristics.
In practice, this means that Millions of electric scooters are used daily in Spanish cities They are now fully integrated into the new system. The Ministry of the Interior and the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) estimate that there are more than 4 million personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) circulating on urban roads, all of which are required to register if they wish to continue being used legally.
Relationship with the new mandatory insurance law…
The regulations are not an isolated whim, but the missing piece needed to fully implement the Law 5/2025, which amended the regulations on civil liability and insurance in the circulation of motor vehiclesThis law introduced, among other things, the obligation to insure all electric scooters that fall under the category of VMP (Personal Mobility Vehicle).
The legal reform has technically been in effect since January 2but it could not be effectively implemented because there was no official mechanism to to uniquely identify each electric scooterWithout that census, insurers could not associate a specific policy with a specific vehicle under any guarantees.
With the new Register of Light Personal Vehicles, managed by the DGT within the National Vehicle RegistryThis completes the process: no scooter can obtain mandatory insurance without prior registration. The administrative procedure of registration thus becomes an essential prerequisite for legal operation.
Where and how to register an electric scooter…
VMP registration will be carried out primarily by via electronically at the DGT's electronic headquartersThe DGT emphasizes that the procedure will be relatively simple, designed so that any user can complete it from home without major complications. The process is accessible through the official website (sede.dgt.gob.es).
Anyone needing additional help can turn to 060 phonewhere assistance is offered to answer questions and provide step-by-step guidance through the registration process. This telephone channel has already become a standard tool for other traffic-related procedures and is now being strengthened for personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) as well.
In addition to the direct electronic channel, the regulations open the door to other channels: insurance agents, mediators, administrative managers and collaborators accredited by the DGT can process the registration on behalf of the owner, usually taking advantage of the moment when the insurance is contracted or another related procedure is carried out.
The DGT is also working to ensure that authorized electric scooter retailers In the coming months, users will be able to register their vehicle at the time of purchase. This way, they could leave the store with the scooter already registered and ready to be insured.
Documentation required for registration…
To register an electric scooter, it will be mandatory to provide details of the owner and identifying data of the VMP itselfIn the case of minors, the legal owners will be their guardians, whose personal data will be included in the registration file. For vehicles already adapted to current regulations, it will be essential to indicate the serial number and circulation certificate number, information that appears on the factory marking plate and in the technical data sheet.
These identifiers allow the scooter to be linked to the certified model listed by the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic). Registration is associated with the specific administrative feeAlthough the Administration has not yet definitively published the official amount, the sector—for example, the Spanish Federation of Personal Mobility Vehicles—points to an approximate figure of around 8 Euros, a figure that would be clearly below other more complex traffic procedures.
Two main groups of scooters: with and without certification…
The regulations establish a clear difference between VMP with circulation certificate and VMP without certificateThis distinction is key, because it determines both the documentation that must be provided and the length of time that each vehicle can continue to be used.
On one side there are the electric scooters with circulation certificateThese are the models that meet the requirements of the VMP Characteristics Manual —minimum quality, durability, technical performance and safety features— and that incorporate a unique, permanent, and legible factory marking plate with the essential vehicle data.
From the January 22, 2024 Only scooters that comply with this manual and have a circulation certificate can be sold in Spain. The DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) maintains a list on its website with Certified brands and modelsso that any user can check if the vehicle they are going to purchase complies with current regulations.
On the other hand, there are VMP without circulation certificateThat is, older scooters that do not meet current technical specifications and They do not have a factory marking plateDespite not meeting the new standard, a transitional arrangement has been established that allows them to continue operating for a limited time.
Moratorium until 2027 for uncertified scooters…
Electric scooters that do not have a circulation certificate can continue to be used until January 22, 2027provided they comply with the new obligations. That date marks the end of the moratorium: from then on, these vehicles will no longer be allowed to circulate on public roads.
That temporary authorization does not mean they are exempt from procedures. Even though they lack a marking plate, They must also register in the National Vehicle Registry and take out mandatory liability insurance. The difference lies in the documentation required for registration.
Instead of the vehicle registration certificate, it will suffice to Provide the purchase invoice, the technical specifications, or a photograph of the scooter. that allows the model to be identified. With that information, the DGT will assign a temporary registration, which will cease to be valid on January 22, 2027, the date from which these VMPs will no longer be allowed to circulate.
Registration certificate and identification label…
Once the registration process is complete, the DGT will issue a digital registration certificate for each registered scooter. That document will collect information about the owner, the type of vehicle, and a unique identification number which will function, in practice, as a kind of alphanumeric license plate.
With that number, the owner will be able to acquire a specific identification label for VMP in an authorized license plate reader. This sticker is the physical element that must always be affixed to the scooter and will allow officers to quickly verify if the vehicle is correctly registered.
In the case of certified models, the label will be placed on the identifier holder provided by the manufacturerintegrated into the vehicle's design. For uncertified personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), the obligation is to place it in a clearly visible locationso that it can be easily read from the outside.
Mandatory civil liability insurance for all VMPs…
The other major pillar of the reform is the obligation to take out liability insurance This applies to all electric scooters included in the VMP category. Without this insurance, the vehicle cannot legally be driven on public roads, regardless of whether it has been registered or not.
The mandatory insurance will cover, above all, damages to third parties in case of accidentboth personal and material. The aim is to ensure that the victim of an accident has clear financial support and that the scooter user does not have to personally bear potentially high compensation costs.
Once the scooter is registered and has its identification number, the owner can freely choose the insurance company with which to take out the policyThe market already uses price ranges that, depending on the coverage, are usually located approximately between 20 and 100 euros per yearHowever, the specific amounts will vary depending on the insurer and the type of VMP (Vehicle for Personal Mobility).
Fines for not registering or insuring your electric scooter…
The new regulatory framework is accompanied by a specific penalty regime For those who ignore these obligations, the costs are significant, so driving without complying with the requirements can be costly. The absence of mandatory insurance can lead to a a fine of between 202 and 610 eurosThe penalty depends on the severity of the infraction and the specific circumstances of each case. These penalties are applied when the vehicle should be insured but the owner has not taken out the corresponding policy.
If, in addition, the scooter is being used without being properly secured —that is, it is detected in use on public roads— the penalties can rise to between 250 and 800 euros, varying depending on whether the VMP is considered as a light personal vehicle or as a motor vehicle, according to the categories provided for in the Insurance Law.
Meanwhile, other official information from the DGT itself also points to fines of up to 600 euros for owning an uninsured scooter, already having penalties within the range of 250 to 800 euros for driving without the required documentation corresponding. In any case, the message is clear: not registering and not insuring the vehicle poses a considerable financial risk to the owner.
Changes of ownership and permanent deregistration of the VMP…
Registration is not only for the initial registration of the scooter, but also regulates What to do when the vehicle changes hands or reaches the end of its useful life. As with cars and motorcycles, these movements must be reflected in the DGT's systems.
If the scooter changes ownership and It was already registered and has a valid circulation certificateThe parties involved have a period of thirty days to report the change of ownershipThey must submit the official form, accompany it with the necessary documentation —except for the general characteristics sheet, which is already in the possession of the Traffic Department— and provide both the identification number of the vehicle and that of the new owner.
Once the application is processed, the Traffic Department will issue a new digital registration certificate registered in the new owner's name, while keeping the vehicle's unique serial number. This way, the scooter's administrative history remains linked to the same identifier, even if ownership changes.
When the VMP reaches the end of its useful life, the The final deregistration must be done at an authorized vehicle processing centerThese establishments will be responsible for destroying the scooter and will electronically notify the National Vehicle Registry of its deregistration, thus closing its administrative history.
A digital census to monitor more than 4 million scooters…
DGT estimates that in Spain over four million Personal Mobility VehiclesMost of them are electric scooters. Until now, much of this fleet operated in a kind of administrative limbo, with disparate municipal ordinances and no unified state system for identifying them.
With the new registration, each vehicle will have a unique identity, associated with a unique alphanumeric codeThis type of "license plate" will facilitate the work of the Police and the Civil Guard, who will be able to check in real time if the scooter is registered, if it has valid insurance and, if necessary, who its owner is.
The creation of this digital census also seeks reduce accidents and improve safety This applies to both personal mobility vehicle (PMV) users and other people who share public roads, especially in urban environments. By requiring all owners to register and insure them, the aim is to discourage reckless behavior and ensure that, in the event of an accident, there is clear financial support.
With this new system of Mandatory registration, third-party insurance, and visible labelingThe use of electric scooters in Spain is entering a much more controlled phase, in which keeping up with the paperwork will no longer be an option but an essential condition to continue riding without legal or economic surprises.