Vienna police start checking new electric moped rules Thursday
From Thursday, 1 October, electric mopeds (E-Mopeds) are banned from bike paths across Austria. The City of Vienna and the police announced on Monday that they will check the new rules together, with no grace period. Riders who break the rules will be stopped, not allowed to continue their journey and reported. The fine depends on the offence.
Until now, these light electric scooters with a seat were treated like bicycles. From 1 October they count as motor vehicles, like petrol mopeds. That means they must be registered with a number plate and insured, need a regular safety inspection (Pickerl), and may only be ridden on the road. Riders need a driving licence of at least class AM and must wear a motorcycle helmet.
In Vienna, electric mopeds are often used by food delivery riders. According to the motoring club ÖAMTC, many of these vehicles cannot be registered in time or at all. Unusable electric mopeds can be dropped off for free at Vienna's waste collection centres (Mistplätze).
What to do: if you ride an electric moped for work or privately, check now whether it can be registered. You need an EU certificate of conformity (CoC) from the manufacturer or an individual approval, which in Vienna is issued by the MA 46. To register it, take your photo ID, proof of ownership, proof of liability insurance and the vehicle papers to a registration office. A car licence (class B) already includes class AM. If your vehicle cannot be registered, do not ride it on public roads from Thursday. If you work as a delivery rider, speak to your employer or platform now about a legal alternative, such as an e-bike with pedal assist.