Scooter & Moped Insurance in Pennsylvania
What Pennsylvania law requires for gas and electric scooters and mopeds, how e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs differ, and what to do after a crash, from a family-run independent agency in Devon.
Pennsylvania law (75 Pa.C.S. §102) sorts street two-wheelers into three nested classes: motorcycle, then motor-driven cycle, then moped (motorized pedalcycle). A moped has working pedals, an automatic transmission, a maximum design speed of 25 mph or less, and either a gas motor of 1.5 bhp and 50cc or less or an electric motor. Each class is a subset of the one before it. Gas scooters (motor-driven cycles) get license options but must follow the §3525 helmet and eye-protection rules. Mopeds also get exceptions on helmet, eye gear and inspection. Full-size bikes are covered in our Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance overview.
Gas and electric scooters. A seated gas scooter of 5 brake horsepower or less is a motor-driven cycle. It must be registered (it displays a motorcycle plate), inspected and insured to Pennsylvania's minimum liability limits: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 bodily injury per accident and $5,000 property damage. A seated electric scooter without pedals can't be a moped, because §102 requires working pedals. Under the same definitions it's generally classed by motor output: 5 bhp or less makes it a motor-driven cycle, and anything above that is a motorcycle. License rules depend on engine size and transmission; see the FAQ below. Before you buy, look for the manufacturer's label certifying the scooter meets federal motor vehicle safety standards, because a scooter needs one to be street-legal. Our motorcycle insurance requirements page covers the rest.
Mopeds and e-bikes. A moped gets an MP plate and must be registered and insured. PennDOT's micromobility guide, PUB 944 (rev. 8-26), says a moped needs only a Class C license and no helmet or eye gear, and that moped inspection is currently suspended. An e-bike that meets §102's limits on weight, wheels, pedals, motor power and speed counts as a bicycle, so there's no registration or insurance requirement.
Dirt bikes and ATVs. ATVs are registered with DCNR, not PennDOT. Under §7730, an ATV that requires registration must carry liability insurance. An ATV ridden only on land you own or lease still needs a DCNR limited registration, and the insurance rule doesn't apply to that. Two-wheeled dirt bikes generally fall outside the ATV law, which excludes trail bikes. To ride one on a public road, though, it must be street-legal, registered, inspected and insured like any motorcycle.
Coverage and crashes. Insurers say bigger engines typically cost more to insure, so a 50cc moped or a scooter of 5 bhp or less may rate lower than a full-size bike, though your quote depends on you and the bike. Comprehensive is the coverage that pays for theft, so it's worth keeping on a scooter you park outside. Under §1714, if you're hurt riding a motorcycle, scooter or moped, or riding on one as a passenger, you generally can't collect first-party benefits from a car policy, so ask about medical payments coverage on the bike and check its terms. After a crash, the at-fault driver's liability coverage, your own medical payments coverage and your own UM/UIM coverage (included unless you signed a rejection form) may all come into play, depending on who caused the crash and what each policy says. If the crash is your fault, your liability coverage pays the other side, and your scooter and your own injuries fall to your collision and medical payments coverage, if you carry them. Philadelphia police generally don't respond to minor crashes with no injuries, so get the other driver's details yourself. Our claims guide covers the next steps.
We're a family-run independent agency in Devon, PA (see our licenses). In our experience, most motorcycle policies get bound in summer. If you're buying a scooter or moped, line up the policy before you pick it up, because PennDOT won't register it until you certify insurance. Have the bike's year and engine size and your license class ready, then start a scooter or moped quote or call (610) 800-4410, 9 AM to 7 PM ET, Monday through Saturday.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need insurance on a moped in Pennsylvania?
Yes. A moped is registered with an MP plate and has to be insured. PennDOT's micromobility guide (PUB 944, rev. 8-26) applies the motor-driven-cycle registration and insurance rules to mopeds. Under 75 Pa.C.S. §1786(a), a registered moped needs at least $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 liability (bodily injury per person, per accident, and property damage). Moped riders also can't collect first-party benefits from a car policy for injuries on the moped (§1714), so ask about medical payments coverage.
Do I need a motorcycle license to ride a scooter in PA?
It depends on the scooter's power and transmission. A gas scooter of 5 brake horsepower or less is a motor-driven cycle. You can ride it with a Class M license, or a Class M with PennDOT's restriction code 8, which limits you to motor-driven cycles of 5 bhp or less. A Class C license alone is enough for a motor-driven cycle with an automatic transmission and 50cc or less, and a moped needs only a Class C. Anything over 5 bhp is a full motorcycle under §102, so you need a Class M license without the 8 restriction. PennDOT's PUB 944 sets the minimum operating age at 16 and keeps scooters off sidewalks and out of bike lanes.
Does a dirt bike or ATV need insurance in Pennsylvania?
On public roads, a dirt bike needs everything any motorcycle does: street-legal equipment, title and registration, inspection, at least $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 liability and a Class M license. Off-road is different. Pennsylvania's ATV law covers machines on three or more tires and excludes trail bikes, so a two-wheeled dirt bike generally falls outside DCNR's registration and insurance rules. We haven't found a statute that requires insurance on a dirt bike ridden only on private land. That still leaves you exposed if a guest gets hurt or the bike is stolen, so don't assume your homeowners policy covers it. Check with us first. ATVs work differently. Under §7730, an ATV that requires DCNR registration must carry liability insurance and the rider must carry proof. A violation is a summary offense with a $300 fine. That rule doesn't apply to a limited registration, and DCNR sets no minimum coverage amounts.
How much does scooter or moped insurance cost in PA?
It depends on you, the scooter and the coverage you pick. Published Pennsylvania motorcycle averages vary widely by publisher, rider profile and coverage level, and none of them comes from a regulator. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) lists the rider's age, driving record and where they live, the type and age of the bike, miles ridden and where the bike is stored. Insurers add engine size and riding experience. Coverage is one choice you control. Liability-only costs less than adding comprehensive and collision, and a higher deductible lowers the premium but raises what you pay out of pocket when you file a claim. If you park the bike for winter, PennDOT's Seasonal Registration lets you drop insurance for the months you don't ride. If you ride during those months, the bike isn't registered, and your insurer isn't required to cover you if your premium was reduced for the seasonal registration (§1307(a.1)). Our guide to Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance cost explains how to compare quotes.
What happens if I ride my scooter or moped without insurance in PA?
Under 75 Pa.C.S. §1786, operating a registered scooter or moped without the required liability coverage, or letting someone else operate it, is a summary offense for the owner with a $300 fine. PennDOT also suspends the registration for three months and, if you're the owner and you rode it or let someone ride it, your operating privilege for three months too. You pay restoration fees before reinstatement. Instead of serving the registration suspension, you can pay a $500 civil penalty plus the restoration fee and show proof of insurance, no more than once in 12 months. A crash makes it worse: §1714 bars scooter and moped riders from car-policy first-party benefits either way, and without a policy you also have no liability coverage for injuries and damage you cause, no medical payments coverage and no UM/UIM of your own. If you plan to stop riding for the season, don't let coverage lapse; surrender the plate or use Seasonal Registration first.
Do I need insurance for an e-bike in Pennsylvania?
Not if it fits the legal definition. Under 75 Pa.C.S. §102, a pedalcycle with electric assist weighs no more than 100 lb, has two or three wheels over 11 inches in diameter, working pedals and a motor of 750 W or less. It also can't go faster than 20 mph on motor power alone on level ground. PennDOT treats it as a bicycle, so it needs no title, registration, insurance or driver's license, though the rider must be at least 16. An electric two-wheeler with a seat that's outside those limits may be a moped if it has pedals, an automatic transmission and a maximum design speed of 25 mph or less, or a motor-driven cycle or motorcycle under §102 if it doesn't. Each of those brings registration and insurance. A stand-up e-scooter with no seat is a separate case. PennDOT says it can't be registered and can't be ridden on Pennsylvania roads or sidewalks.