The Council of Ministers has approved the royal decree establishing the obligation to register personal mobility vehicles such as electric scooters in the National Vehicle Register managed by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), which will affect more than 4 million vehicles.
The implementation of this registration was essential to comply with the new law on civil liability and insurance in the circulation of motor vehicles, which introduced the obligation to insure all scooters and came into force on 2 January, pending the implementation of the registration, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Given that the registration and prior registration of scooters is an essential requirement for obtaining compulsory insurance, the owners (or legal guardians in the case of minors) of the more than 4 million vehicles of this type estimated to be on Spanish urban roads must complete this administrative procedure once the process has been enabled.
According to this regulation, not having insurance will be punishable by a fine of between €202 and €610, and riding a PMV without insurance will be punishable by a fine of between €250 and €800, depending on whether it is considered a light personal vehicle or a motor vehicle (weighing more than 25 kilograms and travelling at more than 14 kilometres per hour).
Registration can be done online at the DGT website, and the 060 telephone number will offer users assistance in the process of registering and enrolling their PMV if needed. There are currently two types of personal mobility vehicles on the road: those with a certificate of circulation, which meet the requirements of the PMV Characteristics Manual, which establishes a series of minimum quality and durability guarantees as well as safety for both the rider and other road users.
From 22 January 2024, only this type of PMV can be sold, and citizens can consult the certified brands and models on the DGT website. To register this type of vehicle, in addition to the owner’s details, the certificate number and serial number, which are shown on the marking plate and the technical specifications sheet, must be provided, and the corresponding administrative fee must be paid.
Once the registration has been requested, the DGT will issue the digital registration certificate.
As for PMVs that do not have a roadworthiness certificate because they do not meet the requirements, they are allowed to continue circulating until 22 January 2027 even if they do not have a roadworthiness certificate, but they must also be registered and obtain compulsory insurance.
For these scooters, in addition to a series of personal details of the owner, only the invoice or technical specifications or a photograph of the scooter must be attached. Their identification will be temporary and will cease to be valid on 22 January 2027, after which date these vehicles will not be allowed to circulate.
For both types, once the registration certificate has been obtained, which will contain the owner’s information and the unique identification number, the identification label can be purchased and must be placed in the identification holder provided for this purpose on the vehicle. In the case of non-certified PMVs, it may be placed in a visible location.
Registration may also be carried out through insurance agents at the time of taking out the insurance policy or through administrative agents who already carry out electronic procedures with the Administration. In addition, the DGT is working to ensure that, in the coming months, this can be done at the same time as purchasing a new PMV at an authorised establishment.