In one of the previous articles, we found out whether you need a license for a scooter in Ukraine. Russian officials have adopted a bill in which perhaps the most important innovation is the introduction of category M in a new driver’s license. Officially, the initiators of innovations in the Road Safety Rules explain the ban on riding a scooter without a license by the large number of accidents involving motor scooters.
Read on to find out what it means, how and in which driving school you can open or buy category M, as well as how much training costs in 2021.
What does category M mean in driving license?
Category M in the license means the ability to drive vehicles provided for it. The open category M gives the right to ride a moped, scooter, light ATV, the internal combustion engine capacity of which does not exceed 50 cubic meters or the maximum electric motor power of up to 4 kW. Driving any type of vehicle based on this category is prohibited. Also, according to the Road Traffic Regulations, such vehicles should not be structurally capable of exceeding a speed of 50 km/h.
If we speak in simple Russian, then in 2021 you do not have the legal right to drive fifty dollars Honda Dio and similar scooters without an M class driver's license. But there are some nuances here, which are discussed below.
Features of passing the exam
A driver's license for a moped is issued in the same official manner as documents for other vehicles.
In other words, a person who seeks to obtain them must undergo special training at a driving school. This is a legal basis, the violation of which is quite severely punished, and not a formality.
If an applicant for a license does not pass the theoretical part or practice, he is automatically redirected to retake. The secondary exam takes place no earlier than 7 days from the first attempt.
If a person fails the exam a second time, he will be sent to the next attempt only after a month.
After successfully passing all parts of the exams, that is, practice and driving, the driver receives a license, which is valid for 10 days from the date of issue.
How to get category M
To help you avoid trouble when meeting with police officers (the fine for riding a scooter without a license in 2021 is 5-15 thousand rubles), we will tell you how to pass for category M.
To obtain a category M license, the following conditions must be met:
- You need to undergo a medical examination and receive a certificate with a mark in the appropriate category field
- Complete training and pass an internal exam at a driving school
- Pass the theoretical and practical exam for category M at MREO
- You must be at least 16 years old at the time of taking the exam.
If you have never had a driver’s license for the right to drive any vehicle, then we recommend stamping the medical certificate in the category A column, and if you are already 18 years old, then in the group B and even C cells.
Why? Having received category A, you will be able to drive all types of motorcycles, mopeds and scooters, regardless of engine capacity. Having opened rank B and (or) C, category M opens automatically “as a gift”.
Driving schools teaching category M must have a state license and permit. The result of the training is an internal test in theory (tickets) and practice (driving).
To be allowed to take the exam at any traffic police department throughout Russia, you need:
- Present a certificate issued by a driving school
- To write an application
- Pay the state fee
The traffic police exam is analogous to a test in a driving school: first tests with 20 questions (no more than 2 mistakes are allowed on the ticket), and then practical driving (snake and figure eight, going into the city on a moped is not provided). Each exam can be retaken up to three times. If you fail the tests, you will not be granted access to the next stage.
Let us add that you can start studying at a motorcycle school before the age of 16 and pass your license after reaching the specified age.
Now let’s talk about whether category M is needed if there is A or B. This question is not so clear.
On the one hand, the Law of the Russian Federation “On Road Traffic Safety” clearly states that a driver’s license of any category or subcategory gives the opportunity to drive a type M vehicle. But some traffic police officers require owners of a new type of license to have an open class M. We advise you to replace the license in advance open category M or you will have to carry excerpts from the law of the Russian Federation with you. In disputes with representatives of the traffic police, you can also be helped by a court decision on this matter, which can be viewed here.
Let's summarize: if you have an old-style driver's license, then you do not need to specifically obtain category M in order to drive a moped up to 50cc. When receiving new rights, it is better to immediately open this category to avoid unpleasant moments in the future.
In any case, always wear a scooter helmet and obey traffic rules.
Main purpose of the document
So, the basis for the introduction of a driver’s license was the difficult current situation associated with a high proportion of road accidents. Moreover, accidents occurred solely due to drivers driving mopeds and scooters.
It was to minimize such situations that specialized driving licenses were introduced.
Here are the main advantageous innovations that were automatically derived from the new legal provisions:
- The legislator has established a minimum age for drivers under 16 years of age. Previously, younger people were often seen driving mopeds.
- Mopeds and scooters have become full-fledged vehicles; accordingly, they are subject to standard registration with automatic assignment of a state number.
- Modern moped drivers receive the right to drive only if they have a special driver's license, which in turn is issued only after passing an exam.
Previously, mopeds, as means of transportation, were “impersonal”; they did not have numbers, and therefore they could not be identified in emergency situations.
This led to quite serious problems, and also to the fact that traffic violators, who often caused accidents, could simply escape from the traffic police with impunity.
Modern moped drivers have the right to drive vehicles on regular public roads . They meet all the important requirements that automatically apply to other road users.
Tuition price
Several years ago, when the new law on traffic safety was adopted, even in Moscow it was very difficult to find a driving school that provided training for category M. In 2021, the situation is much better, but still, if you want to open a category for a scooter not in a metropolis (such as St. Petersburg or Rostov-on-Don), prepare to go for motorcycle driving training (A/A1).
The price of passing for a category M license depends on the region (the cost in Kaliningrad and Orenburg will be different) and the “package of services” of the driving school, so it is difficult to say exactly how much it costs to pass for a category M license.
On average, tuition prices range from 7 to 34 thousand rubles:
- From 7,000 to 12,000 rubles for a theoretical course consisting of 16 lessons
- From 16,000 to 26,000 rubles for a theoretical and practical course (18 hours of driving)
- From 20,000 to 34,000 rubles for a theoretical course, driving training, passing a medical examination, registration with the traffic police and support, equipment for a scooter, plus other services.
It is worth considering that the cost of the license is affected by the price of fuel, medical certificate, state duty, availability of your own moped, etc.
Who can get the license?
To obtain rights you must:
- To obtain a license, a citizen must be 16 years old (contrary to popular belief, at 14 you will not be able to obtain a license);
- To obtain a certificate you must successfully pass the exam;
- Before the examination, the candidate must undergo a full medical examination;
- If there are any deviations or contraindications, then it will not be possible to obtain a license. This rule applies to licenses of any driving category.
How much does it cost and where to buy a category M license?
We will not go into detail about the reasons why you need to buy a license for a scooter. This could be due to loss of documents or lack of time. The only thing we strongly advise is not to buy a driver’s license if you do not have experience driving mechanical vehicles or are not confident in your knowledge of traffic rules.
Buying category M licenses in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Novosibirsk is not difficult. This service costs from 10 to 30 thousand rubles, depending on the availability of a certificate from a medical institution, a certificate from a motorcycle school and other open categories. Companies selling driver's licenses online promise privacy, quality and delivery, but you need to be careful because buying, making and selling fake documents is a criminal offense.
We hope that we have clearly explained how to get a license for a category M scooter and there will be no problems during training and passing the exam.
Who takes driving tests?
Only an official of the State Traffic Inspectorate who is over 25 years old and who also has:
- Higher education.
- Five years of driving experience.
- A driver's license of the vehicle category for which he is taking the test.
A selection for you!
Download forms and sample documents for motorists to a safe place.
Choosing a driving school
Driving school reforms were carried out not so long ago, so in order for you to be allowed to take exams in the future, you should take your choice of institution seriously.
When choosing a driving school, you should be guided by the following criteria:
- Cost of education. The price for training cannot be low; this is due to the costs of improving the race track, improving the fleet and other related expenses. Therefore, you should not immediately submit documents to an institution with a low cost, you may simply be deceived.
- Availability of mandatory documentation. A driving school cannot operate without a license for educational activities and a curriculum in the area agreed with the traffic police. You should also pay attention to the validity period of the license.
- Condition of the vehicle fleet. All vehicles must be in good condition. All necessary types of transport must be available.
- Availability of a training ground equipped with the necessary equipment for practical training.
- The number of students should not exceed the capacity of the institution.
- Availability of computer equipment for passing various test tasks.
The process of learning to operate a scooter is a simplified variation of learning for other categories; it should take place in rooms equipped with computer equipment. The duration of training should not be less than two weeks, during which time the student must learn the rules of the road regarding the operation of a scooter and obtain the necessary thematic theoretical and practical knowledge.
general information
When a person already has a driver’s license, category “M” is considered open automatically. There is no need to take an additional training course or pass certification.
Category “M” allows you to drive mopeds, as well as scooters with an engine capacity of fifty cubic meters. If the vehicle volumes are higher, you will have to open other categories - subclass A.
Driver knowledge and skill requirements
Considering that vehicles falling under this category have every right to move on public roads, a number of skills are required from the driver.
The moped driver is obliged
- know the rules of the road and follow them;
- know the basics of legislation governing legal relations that arise while driving, including liability for violating the rules;
- know and be able to competently use in practice the basics of moped control and be able to act firmly and confidently in any critical situation;
- know the technical structure of the vehicle in order to sensibly assess the serviceability and technical condition;
- have the skills to carry out minimal maintenance of your vehicles;
- know and be able to apply in practice first aid measures to victims;
- be able to avoid conflict situations that often arise on the road.
The driver candidate learns all this in special courses at a driving school, and confirms his skills by passing the driving license exam.
