There is no legal age limit for regular pedelecs 25 with pedal assist up to 25 km/h without starting aid because it is classified as a regular bicycle. Therefore neither a driver’s license or a helmet are required and an automobile insurance and a license plate are not necessary. Marked bicycle paths must be used and other bicycle paths may be used. Transportation of kids in a bike trailer is allowed.
Likewise, there is also no legal age limit for pedelecs 25 with pedal assist up to 25 km/h with starting aid up to 6 km/h because it is legally recognized as a bicycle.
Therefore neither a driver’s license or a helmet are required and an automobile insurance and a license plate are not necessary. Damages which are caused by an accident, will be assumed by a private homeowner’s insurance policy. Nevertheless you should ask your insurance company about their regulations because some insurances categorically exclude automotive vehicles. When riding a pedelec with starting aid you must use marked bicycle paths but without using the starting aid. Transportation of kids in a bike trailer is allowed.
With a pedelec 45 you can reach speeds up to 20 km/h purely electrically and with the pedal assist while pedalling you can reach speeds up to 45 km/h. Therefore, they are classified as mopeds and therefore helmets are required. There is a legal age limit of 15 years and the cyclist needs a moped test certificate/ driver’s license if he was born after 4/1/1965. Compulsory insurance requires an automobile insurance and a license plate because damages are not covered by a personal liability insurance. An operating license by the MOT is necessary. You are not allowed to use bicycle paths or to transport kids in a bike trailer. Riding the opposite direction in one-way streets is prohibited even if the street is opened for cyclists.
Since you reach speeds up to 20 km/h purely electrically without pedalling with an e-bike – it is classified as a moped. There is a legal age limit of 15 years and the cyclist needs a moped test certificate/ driver’s license if he was born after 4/1/1965. An automobile insurance and a license plate are required because damages are not covered by a personal liability insurance.
You are only allowed to use bicycle paths if they are opened for mopeds. Use of streets and bicycle paths outside of built-up areas is always possible. Helmets are not required if the engine only assists up to 20 km/h and abates after that. If the e-bike reaches speeds up to 25 km/h purely electrically, a helmet is required. Transportation of kids in a bike trailer is prohibited.
E-bikes which reach speeds up to 45 km/h are classified as mopeds and you need a driver’s license of category M. There is a compulsory insurance for these vehicles and helmets are required. Using bicycle paths is prohibited.
E-bikes which reach speeds above 45 km/h are barely present on the market and are classified – depending on the power - as light motorcycles of the driver’s license category A1 or as motorcycles of category A. There is a compulsory insurance and a tax liabilty for these vehicles.
For a fully powered e-scooter there is a legal age limit of 16 years combined with a driver’s license of category M.
For e-motorcycles there is a legal age limit of 16 years combined with a driver’s license of category A1.