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Maryland Scooter Laws

While slightly different Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. all make it simple by defining in law only two classes of two wheeled vehicles: motorcycles and scooters/mopeds (try reading New York and Ohio laws with their four tiers each of two-wheelers, yikes!). Here are the MARYLAND laws, all annotations denote the section of the MARYLAND CODE (§) that the law can be found in.

DEFINITIONS:

As of 2001, Maryland is the only one of the three local states to actually define what a scooter is in law (§ 11-134.4). A scooter is a two-wheeled vehicle 50cc or less and that goes no more than 30 mph or has an automatic transmission or that produces no more than 2 bhp (this means 50cc automatic scooters don't need to be registered, the rider doesn't needs neither a license nor a helmet). Maryland still defines mopeds as a 50cc or less two-wheeled vehicle that goes no more than 30 mph, has an pedals, and produces no more than 2 bhp (§11-134.1). A derestricted 50cc auto is a scooter, a 50cc scooter with a 70cc kit is a motorcycle. A Vespa ET4, Genuine Stella, or Bajaj Chetak are all motorcycle.

DRIVERS LICENSE:

You must have a driver's license with an class M endorsement to drive a motorcycle. Anyone 15 3/4 or older may get a motorcycle learner's permit. Anyone who is 16 years old or older, who has held a motorcycle learner's permit for a minimum of 14 days may get a full motorcycle license.

Maryland offers Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses for both beginner's and advanced riders. Riders under 18 must complete the beginner's course, http://mva.state.md.us/MVAProg/MOTO/default.htm or 800-638-1722.

You must have a valid driver's license to operator a scooter or moped.

REGISTRATION:

All motorcycles must have a title, registration, and license plates in Maryland. Scooters and mopeds and mopeds need plates if you intend to ride in the City of Baltimore (which has a separate ordinance requiring ALL vehicles ridden on city streets to have plates) or if you intend to ride in another state that requires plates.

Motorcycles over 25 years old, or that are over 20 years old and are of a model no longer sold, may display antique historic plates. Historic vehicles are not meant as daily drivers.

INSURANCE:

All motorcycles are required to carry a liability insurance.

Mopeds and scooters do not require insurance.

INSPECTION:

Motorcycles must pass a vehicle safety inspection before Maryland will title a vehicle, except historic vehicles do not need to be inspected.

Mopeds and scooters do not require inspection.

HELMETS:

Motorcyclists must wear helmets and eye protection unless they are riding in a parade.

Moped and scooter riders do not need a helmet, but they do need eye protection.

OPERATION:

Motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters are all subject to the same rules of the road as cars. Mopeds and scooters may use bicycle lanes, but not bike paths. Vehicles registered as mopeds and scooters may not travel faster than 30 mph.

PARKING:

As a general rule, all parking regulations are local ordinances and not state code, thus the regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

FREEWAYS:

Any motorcycle that can travel the Maryland minimum speed of 40mph is allowed on a freeway or interstate. Whether you choose to travel at 40 mph on a freeway is your own insanity.

Mopeds and scooters are not allowed on freeways.

Those are the laws. Whether the police choose to enforce them or you choose to obey them is a different story. If you don't like the laws fine. Act on everything you learned in your high school civics class. Write your councilmembers, delegates, senators, and representatives and ask to change the laws.