AM licence: is it required to drive a light quadricycle in the UK?
Short answer: yes, always. In the UK, a category AM licence, from age 16, covers both 50cc mopeds and light quadricycles (a full car licence also covers it). There is no exemption based on your year of birth. Here is what you need to know. To go further, see our complete light quadricycle guide.
Who needs a licence, and which one?
From age 16
AM licence for mopeds
A category AM licence lets you ride a 50cc moped capped at 45 km/h from age 16, after completing Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and passing the DVSA theory and practical tests.
From age 16
AM licence for light quadricycles
A four-wheeled light quadricycle (L6e/L7e) is also covered by a category AM licence from age 16; a full category B car licence covers it too, if you already hold one.
These rules apply across the UK, whatever the vehicle's power or the road taken. Check the current DVSA guidance for your specific vehicle before you buy or drive one, as quadricycle categories can be treated differently depending on registration.
What is the drink-drive limit in a light quadricycle?
The legal alcohol limit does not depend on the vehicle: it is the same behind the wheel of a light quadricycle, a moped or an ordinary car. What changes is which UK nation you are driving in.
80 mg/100ml
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath), the same for every driver regardless of how long they have held their licence.
50 mg/100ml
Scotland
Scotland sets a stricter limit of 50 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood (22 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath).
Unlike some other countries, the UK does not set a lower alcohol limit for newly licensed drivers. However, under the New Drivers Act, a new driver who reaches 6 penalty points within 2 years of passing their test has their licence revoked and must retake both tests. Behind the wheel of a vehicle capped at 45 km/h, alcohol also clearly raises the risk ( THINK!).
How do you get an AM licence?
The AM licence is obtained through Compulsory Basic Training followed by a theory test and a practical test set by the DVSA.
Compulsory Basic Training (CBT)
A one-day course covering road safety and basic vehicle handling, delivered by an approved training body. It ends with an on-road assessment.
Theory test
A DVSA multiple-choice and hazard-perception test covering the Highway Code and the rules specific to mopeds.
Practical test
An on-road test with a DVSA examiner assessing vehicle control. Passing it, alongside CBT and the theory test, leads to a full category AM licence.
AM licence versus a full car (category B) licence
A category AM licence and a full category B car licence both cover the light quadricycle in the UK; a full car licence also lets you drive an ordinary car. Note: in French content about "voiturettes" you may see the term "BSR", the old French name for a licence that predates 2013; it has no equivalent and is not used in the UK.
Both routes are prepared through an approved instructor or training body registered with the DVSA.
What can you drive with each licence?
A category AM licence covers light two-wheeled vehicles as well as light quadricycles; a full car licence covers a quadricycle too, if you already hold one. If you are 16, discover the models available in our light quadricycles from 16 guide.
Light quadricycles (L6e)
Four-wheeled microcars, 45 km/h max, 45 cm³ max or electric ≤ 4 kW, driven on a category AM licence from age 16 (a full car licence also covers it).
50cc mopeds
Scooters and motorcycles under 50 cm³, capped at 45 km/h, ridden on a category AM licence.
Light tricycles
Three-wheeled vehicles in category L2e (under 50cc, 45 km/h max).
A category AM licence does not let you drive an ordinary car above the light quadricycle category, a motorcycle above 50cc, or a commercial vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
What alcohol limit applies in a light quadricycle in the UK?
The same as for any vehicle: 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 50 mg per 100 ml of blood in Scotland. The limit does not change with how long you have held your licence, unlike in some other European countries.
Can you get an AM licence at 14?
No. In the UK the minimum age for a category AM licence, which covers light quadricycles, is 16, with no exception based on year of birth. (Age 14 applies in other countries, such as France or Italy, for their own equivalent licence.)
What is the average price of getting licensed?
Prices vary between training providers and driving instructors, since this is an open market. Compare several quotes, including CBT, theory test booking fees and practical lessons.
What does "BSR" mean in French content about light quadricycles?
BSR ("brevet de sécurité routière") is the old French name for a licence that predated the AM licence before 2013. It is a term specific to France and has no direct UK equivalent; the UK uses category AM for mopeds and category B for cars.
Can you drive in the UK with a foreign AM licence?
Rules for exchanging or using a foreign licence in the UK changed after Brexit and depend on the country that issued it. Check the current GOV.UK guidance for your specific licence before driving in the UK for an extended period.
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