Which licence do I need for each type of motorcycle?
AM, A1, A2, A and the car licence: what you can ride with each one, from what age and how to move from one to the next. No confusion.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- For a 125cc
- An A1 licence (from age 16) or the car (B) licence held for more than 3 years.
- The ladder
- AM → A1 → A2 → A. You move up according to your age and the bike's power.
- From A2 to A
- You move up with a 9-hour training course — no DGT exam.
- The shortcut
- At Spartan you can filter the whole stock by the licence you already hold.
Why are there so many motorcycle licences?
In Spain there isn't a single "motorcycle licence": there's a ladder of permits — AM, A1, A2 and A — designed so the bike's power matches your age and experience. And the car licence (B) also lets you ride certain motorcycles. Here we break it all down, without the jargon.
Which licence do I need?
Pick the type of motorcycle you want to ride and we'll tell you which licence you need.
I want to ride…
You need
A1 licence · or B held 3+ years
With a car (B) licence held for more than 3 years you can ride 125cc within Spain.
Minimum age: 16 years (A1)
The permits, one by one
Two- or three-wheeled mopeds up to 50cc (max. 45 km/h) and light quadricycles.
Bikes up to 125cc and 11 kW (~15 hp), with a power/weight ratio of max. 0.1 kW/kg. Also tricycles up to 15 kW.
Bikes up to 35 kW (~47 hp) and a ratio of max. 0.2 kW/kg, not derived from one with more than double the power.
All bikes, with no limit on displacement or power, and tricycles over 15 kW.
Requires 2 years holding the A2.
How to get each licence
- AM: aptitude test, a specific theory exam (20 questions) and a practical test on a closed circuit.
- A1: a specific theory exam and a practical test (circuit manoeuvres + on-road riding).
- A2: specific theory and practical. If you already hold the A1 with 2 years' seniority, you only take the practical.
- A: if you hold the A2 with 2 years' seniority, a 9-hour training course is enough (3 theory + 2 circuit + 4 on-road). No DGT exam.
With the car (B) licence
- If your B licence is valid and held for more than 3 years, you can ride bikes up to 125cc / 11 kW (category A1)… but only within Spain.
- Outside Spain that equivalence doesn't apply: check the rules of the country you're travelling to.
- The B licence already includes AM, so you can also ride 50cc mopeds.
Heads up: a change is coming
The DGT has proposed a mandatory course (around 7 hours) to ride 125cc with a B licence, but as of today it is NOT in force and has no official date in the BOE. It would not be retroactive: anyone already riding 125cc with a B could keep doing so. Check the DGT for the current status.
Myths that can land you in trouble
The B licence works for 125cc all over Europe
False. The B licence → 125cc equivalence only applies within Spanish territory.
With the A2 you just restrict a big bike and you're set
No. An A2 bike cannot be derived from a version with more than double the power, even if you limit it electronically.
Going from A2 to A means sitting an exam again
No. With 2 years' seniority on the A2 you move up to the A with a training course, no exam.
A 125cc needs nothing special
It does: an A1 licence or a B licence held 3 years. And remember: an approved helmet (ECE 22.06) and certified gloves are mandatory.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Neither the A1 nor the B-licence authorisation for 125cc limits carrying a passenger, as long as the bike is approved for two and the passenger wears a helmet.
You need more than 3 years' seniority from when you obtained the B licence. From then on you can ride 125cc in Spain with no extra procedure.
You can restrict a bike to 35 kW while you hold the A2, provided the model allows it and it doesn't exceed double the power at origin. Once you get the A, you ride with no limit.
The licence is renewed periodically like any other (every 10 years until age 65, then more often), subject to a medical check.
Find your bike by your licence
At Spartan Motors you can filter the whole stock by the licence you hold: AM, A1, A2 or A. That way you only see the bikes you can ride right now.
Sources & last updated
Information verified in July 2026 with the DGT (driving licence classes) and RACE. The rules may change — especially the course for 125cc with a B licence — so always check the official sources.
This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.