Michigan Moped Laws

A two- or three-wheeled vehicle with a motor which has no more than 50cc piston displacement producing two brake horsepower or less. The moped must have a power drive system that does not require shifting gears and cannot have a top speed exceeding 30 mph on level surfaces.

To operate a moped on public roadways and highways, you must have a valid operator or chauffeur license. If you do not have either of these licenses and are above the age of 15, you may apply for a moped at a Secretary of State office.

You must pass a vision, knowledge and traffic sign test to obtain a moped license. You do not have to pass a driver education course or a road skills test. If you are under age 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign your license application. You must give up your moped license if you obtain a regular operator or chauffeur license.

The original moped license fee is $7.50. Applicants who are under 20 years, 6 months old receive a moped license valid until their 21st birthday. Any other moped license expires four years from the applicant’s last birthday. The four-year renewal fee is $6.

Mopeds must be registered at a Secretary of State branch office unless operated solely on private property. You must pay a $15 fee for a three-year registration decal and put it on the back of your moped so it is visible to law enforcement officers. It expires April 30 in the year on the decal. Since a moped is not classified as a motor vehicle in Michigan, it is exempt from the insurance laws.

• All moped operators under the age of 19 must wear a properly fitted helmet.
• Never operate a moped on freeways.
• Never drive side by side with another moped.
• Do not drive between lanes of traffic.
• Never operate a moped on sidewalks or bicycle paths.
• A moped shall not be used to carry more than 1 person at a time.
• A person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, moped, or motorcycle shall not carry any package, bundle, or article that prevents the driver from keeping both hands upon the handlebars of the vehicle.
• Parents or guardians who knowingly allow their children to ride motor vehicles or mopeds illegally on public roadways are subject to fines and persecution.
• A person shall not operate on a public highway of this state a motorcycle or moped equipped with handlebars that are higher than 15 inches from the lowest point of the undepressed saddle to the highest point of the handle grip of the operator.
• A person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, low-speed vehicle, or moped upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction. A motorcycle is entitled to full use of a lane and a motor vehicle shall not be driven in such a manner as to deprive a motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply to motorcycles operated 2 abreast in a single lane.
• A person operating a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle shall not pass between lines of traffic, but may pass on the left of traffic moving in his or her direction in the case of a 2-way street, or on the left or right of traffic in the case of a 1-way street, in an unoccupied lane.
• A person who rides on any bicycle, motorcycle, or moped, coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy vehicle shall not attach the same or himself or herself to any vehicle on a roadway.

• Keep tires properly inflated
• Check the front and rear brakes, the throttle and cables for kinks and broken strands
• Test the horn and all lights including the brake light and turn signals
• Make sure the chain is properly adjusted
• Adjust and clean mirrors