What insurance does my child need for a moped, scooter or e-scooter in Germany?
In short
In Germany your child needs separate motor liability insurance for a moped, scooter or e-scooter, shown by an insurance plate (Versicherungskennzeichen) or, on an e-scooter, a sticker (Versicherungsplakette). Your family liability policy does not replace it. Young riders usually pay about EUR 30 to 80 a year, and the cover always runs from 1 March to the end of February.
Published annual premiums for insurance plates and stickers in Germany.
Example
Typical range
E-scooter, liability, rider under 23
about EUR 30 to 60 a year
E-scooter, liability and partial cover
about EUR 40 to 90 a year
Mofa or moped, insurance plate
usually about EUR 30 to 80 a year
Partial cover, deductible per claim
about EUR 25 to 150
Guide values as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariffs.
When partial cover or accident insurance pays off is a guide value from quoting practice.
Your premium depends on vehicle, age and cover; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Daughter, 15, new scooter up to 45 km/h
She has a class AM licence and rides to school. Her parents take out the policy and name her as the rider.
Motor liability with insurance plate
about EUR 30 to 80
Partial cover for the new scooter
extra, depending on tariff
Ride to school
statutory accident insurance
Ride at the weekend
covered only by private accident insurance
Only liability is compulsory, at about EUR 30 to 80 a year. Partial cover and accident cover are optional and make most sense for a new scooter and lots of leisure riding.
Which vehicle needs which cover
Under German law a Mofa, a moped, a scooter up to 45 km/h and an e-scooter are all motor vehicles. The keeper must take out motor liability insurance. You can see it on the small insurance plate at the back, or on the sticker on an e-scooter.
A bicycle and a pedelec that only assists while pedalling, up to 25 km/h, count as bicycles. They need no plate, and the family liability policy (Privathaftpflicht) your child is usually included in is enough.
Vehicle
Minimum age
Insurance
E-scooter with type approval
14
motor liability with insurance sticker
Mofa up to 25 km/h
15, test certificate
motor liability with insurance plate
Moped or scooter up to 45 km/h
15, class AM licence
motor liability with insurance plate
Pedelec up to 25 km/h with pedal assist
counts as a bicycle
family liability policy
Why family liability does not cover the scooter
Many parents assume their family policy protects their teenager on the road. For a moped, scooter or e-scooter it does not: the law requires separate motor liability insurance, and using the vehicle without it is prohibited.
Motor liability pays for damage your child causes to others, such as a dented car or an injured pedestrian. It does not pay for the scooter itself or for your child's own injuries.
The insurance year starts on 1 March
Plates and stickers are valid for a traffic year from 1 March to the end of February. The colour changes every year: blue in 2024, green in 2025, black again in 2026. From 1 March your child may no longer ride with last year's plate.
If your child buys the moped in summer, cover can start at any time, but it still ends in February. Order the new plate before then.
Who signs the contract and why age matters
For a minor the parents usually take out the policy. Name your child as the rider: many tariffs charge a surcharge for riders under 23, and leaving a young rider off the policy can cause trouble after an accident.
When your child later buys a car, that is a new contract. Ask whether the insurer takes the years on the moped into account, as rules differ between tariffs.
Partial cover and accident cover: when they make sense
Partial cover (Teilkasko) against theft and fire pays off for a new scooter parked in town or at the station. For an old Mofa worth little you do not need it.
If your child is hurt on the way to school or to the training company, statutory accident insurance applies. In leisure time it does not. Private accident insurance closes that gap and is worth considering for young riders.
Step by step
Check the vehicle papers: e-scooter, Mofa or moped.
Check that your child is old enough and has the test certificate or licence.
Take out liability with insurance plate or sticker and name your child as rider.
Consider partial cover only for a new or expensive vehicle.
Order the new plate in February for the next traffic year.
Checklist
Valid plate or sticker in this year's colour
Your child named as rider on the policy
Mofa test certificate or class AM licence
Partial cover only for a new scooter
Leisure accident cover considered
Common mistakes
Believing family liability covers a moped, scooter or e-scooter
Riding on with last year's plate after 1 March
Leaving your child off the policy to avoid the surcharge
Paying for partial cover on an old Mofa
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
From what age may my child ride an e-scooter in Germany?
From 14.
No licence is needed, but the e-scooter must be type approved and carry a valid insurance sticker.
What does my child need to ride a Mofa?
From 15, a Mofa test certificate (Prüfbescheinigung) is enough for a Mofa up to 25 km/h.
A moped or scooter up to 45 km/h needs a class AM licence, also from 15.
Is a rental e-scooter covered?
The rental company provides the compulsory liability cover.
Read the terms, though: your child may be liable for damage to the rental scooter itself.
What about a pedelec?
A pedelec up to 25 km/h that only assists while pedalling counts as a bicycle.
It needs no plate, and family liability is enough.
Do I need to cancel the plate?
Usually not.
Cover ends with the traffic year at the end of February if you do not order a new plate.
