Do You Need a Licence for a Microcar? UK Quadricycle Rules

Short answer: yes, you always need a licence to drive a microcar in the UK - the licence required depends on the vehicle’s speed and power. The rules are much more relaxed than for a normal car, explaining the appeal of microcars (legally known as quadricycles) to younger and licence-free drivers. Here is the full breakdown.

The two types of microcar

Microcars belong to one of two legal classes, and this classification is the single factor that determines your licence:

• L6e - light quadricycle. Restricted to 28 mph (45 km/h), with a 4-6 kW motor and a mass in running order of up to 425 kg. Examples include Citroen Ami, Fiat Topolino, Ark Zero.
• L7e - heavy quadricycle. Up to 56 mph (90 km/h), and 15 kW (around 20 hp) and a higher weight allowance. Examples include the longer-range Microlino and the faster Silence S04.

What licence you need

For an L6e (28 mph): category AM - the same entitlement as a moped - which you can hold from age 16. A full car licence (category B) also covers it. This is why light quadricycles are pitched at teenagers and at people who never took a car test.

For an L7e (up to 56 mph): category B1 or a full car licence, from age 17. A moped entitlement is not enough for the faster, more powerful heavy quadricycles.

The provisional-licence catch

On a provisional AM entitlement you cannot carry a passenger unless that passenger holds a full car licence and meets the rules for supervising you. If you plan to give friends or family a lift, this matters.

Myths worth clearing up

• "You can drive one with no licence." False in the UK. Some European marketing says this, but here the minimum is an AM entitlement.
• "A microcar needs the same as a full car." Also false - an L6e needs only AM, which is well short of a full category B test.

What else is required to drive one legally

Alongside the licence, using a microcar on public roads requires the usual essentials:

• Insurance - compulsory, just as for a car. Some quadricycles require specialist insurance, so obtain a quote before buying.
• Road tax (VED) - quadricycles have different tax treatment from cars and are often misclassified by online checkers; verify the correct class on the V5C or with the DVLA.
• MOT - light L6e quadricycles under 25 years old are exempt from the standard MOT (you must still keep them roadworthy); heavier L7e quadricycles are tested.

Ready to explore the models themselves? Find them all in our micro-EV hub, read our complete UK micro-EV buyer's guide, find out whether a 16-year-old can drive a Citroen Ami, or see where to buy a micro-EV in the UK.