Motorcycle licence categories: A1, A2 and A at a glance

Three classes exist for motorcycles – each of which includes the smaller ones:

A2 is the most popular entry route. Unlike B196, A1 is valid throughout the EU. Legal basis: Sections 6 and 10 FeV.

Furthermore B196not a separate driving licence, but an endorsement on category B for 125cc motorcycles – all the details can be found in the B196 guide. Whoever holds category A is automatically permitted to drive A2, A1 and AM as well (§ 6 FeV).

Yes – A1, A2 and A are independent driving licence categories, a car driving licence is not a prerequisite. Many people get their A1 at 16 as their very first driving licence – and unlike accompanied driving for cars, you don't need no accompanying person. As a first-time buyer you go through the full programme: 12 double lessons of core material plus 4 double lessons of motorcycle supplementary material in theory, the theory test with 30 questions, practical lessons as needed and the 12 special journeys. With your first driving licence your also starts two-year probation period. That pays off later: if you add category B at some point, it counts as an extension – with half the basic theory syllabus and no new probationary period.

With an A2 licence you can ride motorcycles up to 35 kW (48 hp) and a maximum of 0.2 kW per kilogram of unladen weight. What is important is the second rule, which many overlook: A restricted motorcycle is only permitted for A2 if the unrestricted power output not exceeding 70 kW (approx. 95 PS) is (§ 6 FeV). Restricting a 120 hp motorcycle down to 48 hp is therefore not permitted for A2 – anyone who rides like that is riding without a valid licence. Therefore, always check when buying: How many horsepower does the machine have openMany popular entry-level machines (e.g. with a native 48 hp design) are built for this and don't need a restrictor at all.

No – there is no statutory minimum size, no weight limit and no strength test. A few honest answers to the questions many people don't dare to ask: Even at 1.60 m you can ride a motorbike – it's enough if you can safely touch the ground with the balls of your feet, and many machines have low seat heights. Even at over 100 kg, the payload capacity of modern motorbikes is practically never a problem. And strength? Technique beats muscle: A motorcycle isn't held up, it's balanced, and even picking it up uses leg technique, not arms. Honestly, you'll know whether it feels right for you after two or three riding lessons.

No. The eye test can be done with glasses or contact lenses – you just need the required prescription values with reach visual aid. Then in the driving licence is the Code 01 (Corrective lenses required): You are required to wear glasses or contact lenses while driving – including in driving lessons and tests. In practice, this is straightforward: many helmets are suitable for glasses wearers (with channels in the cheek pads) – simply try on with glasses when buying a helmet. Pinlock inserts help against misted-up visors. Some riders prefer to wear contact lenses on the motorcycle – both are allowed, the main thing is that you can see properly.

No – on the contrary: Late starters and returning riders make up a large proportion of all motorcycle learners. There is no upper age limit, and anyone who has been driving a car for years brings a real advantage: traffic experience, anticipatory driving, hazard assessment – precisely what young learner drivers often lack. In return, the body might need a few more hours for the basic driving manoeuvres. The learning pace is individual, not a competition. Besides, you won't be sitting in the driving school „among a bunch of 18-year-olds“ – in practice, the age range for motorcycle classes is broader than in any other category.

Yes – and it's actually the smartest way. Registration, theory lessons and riding lessons can all take place before you reach the minimum age. Statutory early-start rules apply to the tests: you may take the Theory test at the earliest 3 months before your birthday (§ 16 FeV), and the practical test at the earliest 1 month before (§ 17 FeV) – if you go to the licensing office on your birthday, you could in theory hold your driving licence on the very day you reach the minimum age. Important: submit your driving licence application early (up to 6 months in advance is common – each authority handles this slightly differently), because without an approved application there is no theory test.

Yes – that is one of the most persistent misconceptions. Any vehicle is allowed on the motorway if, due to its design, faster than 60 km/h can ride – a 125cc with 11 kW (15 hp) reaches around 100 km/h depending on the model and easily manages that. The confusion comes from mopeds and 45 km/h scooters (category AM), which are indeed not allowed on the motorway. What's more: during A1 training, the 4 mandatory motorway rides – so you learn under guidance what matters there: consistently driving with foresight, overtaking decisively, and taking the slipstream of lorries seriously. For long-distance stretches, a 125cc on the motorway is no marvel of comfort – it is still permitted, though.

The code 80 appears on your licence if you passed category A before your 24th birthday – that is, at 21, 22 or 23. Its wording in Annex 9 FeV: “Only for holders of a licence for three-wheeled motor vehicles of category A who have not yet reached the age of 24.”

Don't be fooled by the wording: Training and testing take place on a normal Class A machine (Annex 7 FeV: at least 50 kW and 600 cm³). Until 24 you ride category A2 motorcycles with it (up to 35 kW or 48 hp), because category A includes A2.

On your 24th birthday the restriction ends automatically – with no upgrade test and no application. The 80 stays on your licence; from then on, category A applies without restriction.

If you are 21, 22 or 23 and want to start riding anyway, this is often the best route: one course of training, one practical test on the big bike, and from day one you ride the kind of bike you want to ride later. Only if you start at 21 would you be unrestricted one year earlier via A2 and an upgrade – with one more practical test and one more application.

A80 at FAHRPLAN in Frankfurt: Training, tests and costs at a glance

That depends on the key date 1 April 1980: Was your old category 3 licence before issued, when exchanging it for the photocard driving licence you will get Category A1 with code 79.05 – so you're allowed to ride 125cc bikes, even without the otherwise applicable 0.1 kW/kg limit, plus trikes. Was class 3 from 1 April 1980 granted, there is no A1 included – then the way leads through B196 (from 25, without a test) or the real A1. When compulsorily exchanging old paper and card driving licences, the authority automatically checks which acquired rights you are entitled to – you can find the current exchange deadlines at the ADAC or Federal Government.

Good to know: with A1 and code 79.05 from the old class 3, you can get A2 with just one practical test – without compulsory training and without two years of prior possession (Section 15(4) FeV). This does not apply to A1 with codes 79.03 or 79.04.

No – that is one of the most common misconceptions. After two years of holding an A2 licence, you are not simply given the unrestricted class, but rather the heavily shortened route to it: all that is required is the practical upgrade test (60 minutes) – no theory test, no mandatory theory lessons, no compulsory special training rides (§ 15 para. 3 FeV). Without this test, you stay at the A2 limit of 35 kW (48 hp) permanently, no matter how many years pass. To prepare, a few practice lessons on the unrestricted motorcycle make sense – you plan these individually with your driving school. If you have not yet held A2 for two years, you can instead take the regular extension from the age of 24 – with a reduced number of special training rides and both tests.

Yes – the A two-year probationary period applies when acquiring a driving licence for the first time., so also for A1, A2 and A (§ 2a StVG). Anyone who gets their A1 at 16 starts their probationary period with it. The good news for anyone with a car driving licence: Anyone who has already completed (or is completing) their probationary period with category B will, through the motorcycle category no new one Probationary period – the upgrade from A2 to A does not trigger one either. Furthermore, during the probationary period and generally under 21, the zero alcohol tolerance limit – on a motorbike the only sensible number anyway.

Both are allowed – what matters is the 70 kW basic ruleFor A2, only bikes with an unrestricted power output of no more than 70 kW (approx. 95 PS) may be restricted. There are many arguments in favour of starting with a native 48 hp motorcycleno restriction kit installation and no registration, full factory specification, mostly cheaper insurance – and a huge second-hand market, because these models are run en masse as entry-level bikes. The restricted variant is more worthwhile if you want to ride a specific machine that you will continue to ride unrestricted after upgrading to the open A licence – then factor in the restriction kit, registration and subsequent removal. Buying tip without the sales pitch: finish your driving licence first, then, with some riding experience, sit on a few bikes and start with a second-hand one – the first motorcycle is rarely the last.