How to get a driving license category M

Getting a Category M Driver’s License

Driving a moped or scooter is easier than driving a car. But to get behind the wheel, you will have to get a category M license. This category is provided for vehicles with low power. For vehicles with a classic engine, the volume should not exceed 50 cubic centimeters, and for electric ones, the power is up to 4 kilowatts. Another requirement, is the maximum speed limit of 50 km/h.

Category M vehicles include:

• Mopeds;
• Scooters;
• Minibikes;
• ATVs;
• Bicycles with an electric motor, etc.

Important: Driving these vehicles without a driver’s license with an open category M is prohibited. For motorcycles, category M is not suitable – this requires an A or A1 license.

For young people who want to get a driver’s license for a scooter, the issue of age restriction is relevant. According to current legislation, a person of at least 16 years of age may obtain a category M driver’s license.

Order of obtaining category M

In order not to get a fine from traffic police inspectors for driving a scooter without a driver’s license, any citizen must obtain a license with an open category M. To do this, you need to gather a package of documents and go through the procedure of obtaining the right to drive a vehicle.

List of documents

The full package of documents, which must be submitted to the territorial department of the traffic police, is as follows:

1. Application for the issuance of a driver’s license with the obligatory indication of the required category (filled out on the form, which can be downloaded from the Internet or obtained in the department of the traffic police).
2. Certificate confirming that you have been trained to drive the appropriate type of vehicle in a driving school.
3. Medical card with the marks of doctors, at whom it is necessary to pass a medical examination according to requirements of the legislation.
4. Receipt confirming payment of the driver’s license fee.
5. Passport of a vehicle owner.

Requirements for obtaining a license

There are a number of requirements for obtaining an M-category driver’s license:

1. Passing a medical examination at an accredited medical facility. Doctors must give conclusions about the state of health, on the basis of which a general opinion will be issued.
2. Training at a driving school that has a license to teach how to drive an appropriate vehicle. At the end of the training, the trainee takes an internal test and receives a certificate confirming that he or she has passed the training and may be allowed to take the driver’s license exam.
3. Submission of documents to the traffic police department at the place of training with the payment of state duty.
4. Passing the exam at the traffic police.

The exam at the traffic police consists of theoretical and practical parts. The list of theoretical questions will include:

• The basics of the traffic rules;
• peculiarities of driving;
• The order of communication, allowed when driving this type of motor vehicle;
• degree of responsibility for offenses and scooter driving in the absence of permits.

When passing “theory”, the cadet is “allowed” to make not more than two mistakes. After that, he will be allowed for the practical part of the test, which includes:

• movement within a restricted area, acceleration, braking and turning;
• the basics of maneuvering and driving in a figure of eight;
• Other requirements of the inspectors.

If you do not pass the test at once, you are allowed a second and third attempt (each with a 7-day break). In the case of three times “failure”, the next admission to the practical test may be obtained only in a month.

Whether it is necessary to open the category M if the category A or B is open

Training in a driving school is the main way to get a category M driving license. But, according to the law “About road safety”, if the driver has a license with open category A or category B, it is not required to open an additional M category to drive a scooter or moped.

If, however, instead of category B, the driver has a category B1, the traffic police inspector may require a mark M in the license.

Conclusions

A person, who drives a moped or scooter, becomes a full-fledged participant of the road traffic, and must be responsible for his actions and safety. Therefore, to drive a light two-wheeled vehicle with a speed limit of 50 km/h, he must be trained in a driving school, pass the exam in the traffic police and obtain a driving license category M.

Getting a license with a valid category M, which allows you to drive a moped or scooter is allowed from the age of 16. It is not possible to get a driver’s license at the age of 14 or 15. Studying and passing the test at the traffic police for applicants for this driving category is done in the same manner and according to the same rules as for other categories.

How do I get a Category M license for a scooter and moped?

Scooters and mopeds have always seemed to be one of the most accessible means of transportation for a full ride. They can be started earlier than a car, there are fewer requirements to them and they are banal cheaper. But with the new changes in the law, the use of scooters has become more complicated, which has raised many questions. For example, how to get the right of category m?

Legislative innovations.

In 2019, changes were made to the Federal Law on Road Safety. They touched on the category M.

Before that, to ride mopeds, scooters with a small engine volume was possible for both adult and minor citizens. Since this category of transport did not require training, passing exams and getting a permit. Many people took advantage of this, and as a result, it was very common for people to get on scooters while drunk.

In 2019, changes were made to the Federal Law on Road Safety

Now, it is possible to ride a moped or scooter, if a driver’s license category M was issued. The driver will have to pass a medical commission, learn in a driving school and pass an exam in the department of the traffic police. And if you drive drunk, you will be punished by the same articles, as drivers of cars. Also, in order to drive, you need to issue an OSAGO policy.

What does category M mean?

Today, the M category refers to low-power vehicles. The engine volume of such vehicles is less than 50 cubic centimeters. As for vehicles with electric motors – their capacity is less than 4 kilowatts.

These vehicles include scooters, mopeds and other similar two- and three-wheeled vehicles, including bicycles with electric motors. Category M also indicates another restriction – the speed of the vehicle must not exceed 50 kilometers per hour.

How to get a scooter license

How to get the category M and is it possible now? Yes, because the government has already compiled and approved a program for training and obtaining a category M license, and all driving schools with the appropriate license have the right to train citizens.

You can get the M category on a scooter of up to 50 cubic meters.

Where and how you can get one

To understand how to get a license for a scooter up to 50 cubic meters, it is enough to familiarize yourself with the algorithm of getting the license of other categories.

For scooters will have to do about the same thing:

1. To begin with – to pass a medical commission. Doctors must draw up a conclusion that a person does not have any diseases that interfere with driving. Among the specialists who must be examined include a psychiatrist and a narcologist.
2. Choose a driving school and sign up for training.
3. Pay for all classes and receive all necessary knowledge – theory and practice.
4. Take an exam at the driving school.
5. Pass an attestation in traffic police department.

If you fail the exam, you can retake it. The next attempt becomes available not earlier than in 7 days. If the candidate exhausts three attempts in this way, the next attempt will be available only after 30 calendar days.

You may retake the exam if you fail it

Conditions for passing

What do I need to get a scooter license? After completing training before the exam in the traffic police need to collect a package of documents and submit them to the department of the traffic police.

The list of documents is as follows:

• Application for a driver’s license. It is filled out according to the standard form, the sample of which you can always find on the website of the traffic police, or get already in the department.
• The certificate on successful completion of training course, issued by a driving school.
• The card of medical examination of the driver with the marks of each of the doctors-specialists.
• Receipt about payment of state duty.
• Russian passport or other ID with proof of residency address.

Admission to M-category Examination

To be admitted to the exam you need:

• Pass a medical commission.
• Receive a document on passed training in a driving school.
• Submit application and documents to the State Traffic Police and pay state duty according to received details.

How much does it cost to obtain a scooter driver’s license? For a regular license the state duty is 500 rubles, for a laminated card you will have to pay 2,000 rubles.

To be allowed to take the exam, you need to gather a package of documents

Features of receiving and passing the exam

To obtain the right of category M, it is necessary to demonstrate the following knowledge at the exam:

• Traffic rules.
• Safety equipment of driving vehicles of category M.
• Ways to communicate while riding.
• Responsibility for operating a moped without a permit.

You also need to demonstrate the ability to operate a scooter, as well as knowledge in the maintenance of the vehicle in case of breakage during the trip.

Theoretical part passed with the help of a computer. The maximum allowed number of mistakes is 2. After passing the theory, the candidate takes a practical part on the motor transport platform.

He must perform the following maneuvers under the supervision of instructors:

• Passing through the corridor of established cones with the performance of acceleration, stopping and turning.
• Maneuvering on “snaking”.
• Driving on the “rutting board.
• Riding at low speed – to pass 10 meters for more than 5 seconds without touching the ground with your feet.
• Directions on the “figure of eight”.

Pass the theoretical part of exam with the help of a computer.

How to choose a driving school

The choice of school should be taken responsibly. Otherwise the driver risks wasting his time and money. The ideal option will be already proven driving school, which has a license for the issuance of the license of category M.

At a choice it is necessary to pay attention to the following factors:

• The price of training. It should not be very high, but you should also not pay attention to very low prices. It is not cheap to maintain a driving school, so if they offer training at a low price, the quality of training will obviously be just as low.
• What is the condition of the school’s fleet and transport area. All necessary types of vehicles that are in proper condition should be available. The training site should be equipped with the necessary props for training.
• Documentation. The driving school must have a Category M driver training license that is not yet expired. The training program must fully comply with the requirements of the traffic police.

Possible penalties

If you ride a moped without a Category M license, you will be fined at Article 12.7 of the Traffic Violations Code. The amount of fine – from 5 to 15 thousand rubles. If it will be a repeated violation, the amount of fine will increase up to 30 thousand rubles. In addition, the driver may be required to perform corrective work.

It is necessary to treat with responsibility the choice of educational institution

Rules of riding a moped

The following rules apply when operating a category M moped or scooter:

• Always carry a driver’s license.
• Citizens who are at least 16 years old may drive a vehicle.
• If the offender is detained while intoxicated, he will be deprived of his license.
• Movement of mopeds and scooters must be carried out on the right edge of the roadway or on the bicycle path.
• It is allowed to move on the side of the road without disturbing pedestrians.
• It is allowed to overtake streetcars and trolley buses.
• During daylight hours it is necessary to turn on dipped beam headlights.

The following actions are also prohibited:

• Hold the steering wheel with only one hand while driving.
• Driving without a helmet or with one unbuckled.
• Carry children under the age of 7 without safety equipment.
• Drive across the road in a crosswalk.
• Carry large objects that protrude from the scooter.
• Make a U-turn or a left turn across the streetcar tracks.
• Participate in towing.

Do I need an M-category if I have an open B?

How do I open category M if I have a B and do I have to? Category B allows you to drive vehicles weighing up to three and a half tons. It can only be issued to adult citizens. The B-category automatically includes the M-category, which means there is no need to open anything else.

The B-category can also be understood as a subcategory of the B1. As opposed to B, it allows driving only ATVs and tricycles. That is three or four-wheeled motor transport for public roads with the PTS.

Approximate cost of training

Not all driving schools specialize in training category M drivers.

Those schools that are able to do so provide three types of training programs:

1. Only theoretical classes. The cost of training ranges from 7 to 12 thousand rubles, and the period of full training – from one to two months.
2. Theory + practical scooter driving lessons. Such a course will last at least two and a half months, and will cost from 15 to 25 thousand rubles. The program will not include any additional services.
3. The most advanced program will cost from 25 to 35 thousand rubles. In addition to theoretical lectures and driving lessons, the program will include a package of additional services. There will be assistance in preparing for the exam in the traffic police and a trial exam within the driving school. In addition, the school staff themselves will pay the costs of the medical commission and the state fee.

How much does a moped license cost

How do I get a scooter license another way? Some drivers wondering about this question will find an easier way to get a Category M license – to buy one directly. It is not difficult to buy a ready-made license in major Russian cities, but you need to be prepared to pay ten to thirty thousand for them. It may be necessary to provide a certificate of passing the medical commission or the completion of driving school (to reduce the cost).

But it is necessary to keep in mind that purchase, manufacture or sale of forged documents is a criminal offence. Therefore, it’s better not to address to doubtful companies, even if they promise full confidentiality and quality of the document. It is better to spend more time, and get a driver’s license the standard way – through the traffic police.