Which motorcycles and scooters can use Italian motorways?

The general motorway thresholds are 150 cc for petrol motorcycles and 11 kW for electric ones. Since 14 December 2024, an exception allows motorcycles from 120 cc or 6 kW, respectively, but only when ridden by an adult.

The general thresholds in Article 175

Article 175 of the Highway Code governs access to motorways and main extra-urban roads. For motorcycles, the general rule excludes petrol models below 150 cc and electric models below 11 kW. Check the vehicle’s approved technical data, rather than guessing from the model name.

Engine capacity and power are different measurements. For a petrol motorcycle, the relevant figure is engine capacity in its documents; for an electric motorcycle, the threshold is stated in kilowatts. The licence category is a separate check: meeting the road-access threshold does not replace the licence required to ride the vehicle.

The exception introduced in 2024

Law 177/2024 came into force on 14 December 2024 and added paragraph 2-bis. By way of exception to the general threshold, motorcycles with at least 120 cc if petrol or at least 6 kW if electric may use these roads, but only when ridden by an adult. The rule also covers the main extra-urban roads referred to in Article 175.

A 125 cc petrol motorcycle or a 10 kW electric motorcycle therefore clears the technical threshold of the exception, but a minor cannot use it to enter a motorway. The exception does not cover mopeds, AM light quadricycles, or every vehicle with similar power: the vehicle category and approved data must match.

Check the road section as well

Before travelling, check the registration document, the rider’s age, and the entrance signs. An authority may also restrict traffic on a particular motorway or section where the law allows it. Temporary or local signs apply even if the vehicle meets the national threshold.

For current rules, use the consolidated text of Article 175 and the law published in the Official Gazette. Older pages may show the pre-2024 thresholds without the exception. Keep road access, the right licence, and the vehicle’s technical limits as separate checks.

To review road rules and vehicle categories, Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers chapter-based study, exam quizzes, and error review.