Buying an electric scooter in Spain in 2026: what to check before you pay

What must a scooter meet to be allowed on the road?

It must be a personal mobility vehicle (VMP, vehículo de movilidad personal) and it must be certified. A VMP is a single-seat electric vehicle with a maximum design speed of between 6 and 25 km/h, a power output of up to 1,000 W (2,500 W if it is self-balancing) and a weight of under 50 kg. If it exceeds those limits, it is not a VMP: it cannot be registered as a moped and cannot be ridden.

Being certified means that the model has passed the tests of an authorised laboratory. The VMP Characteristics Manual requires, among other things, a white light at the front and a red one at the rear, reflectors, an audible warning device, two independent brakes and, at the back, a space for the identification label: the rear label holder (porta-identificador). Every scooter also carries a manufacturer's plate with its certificate number.

Before you buy, look at the technical data sheet: the power, maximum speed and weight must be within those limits.

How do I check that the model is certified?

Ask for the certificate number before paying and look it up on the DGT's list. It is a letter and 4 digits (for example, B1134; for an individual certification, the laboratory letter, a U and 4 digits) and it is in the «Nº certificado» (certificate number) field of the manufacturer's black plate and on the technical data sheet.

1. Ask for a photo of the manufacturer's plate or the technical data sheet. The plate must show the make and model, the serial number, the certificate number, the maximum speed and the year of manufacture.
2. Look up the number or the model in our certified scooter finder, which reproduces the DGT's list (393 models, as listed by the DGT on 22/09/2026).
3. Check the version. Each number corresponds to one make, model and version (Pro, Lite, Max…), and some models have two.

If the seller can't give you the number or it isn't on the list, don't buy it until it's cleared up. An approval from another country isn't enough: the number has to come from an authorised laboratory. We explain it in more detail in what the certificate number is and where to find it and in how to check if a scooter is certified.

What are the risks of buying online?

That the model isn't certified or isn't even a VMP. Since 22 January 2024 the models on sale must be certified, but online you can still find non-certified scooters and others that go faster than 25 km/h or have more than 1,000 W.

• If it isn't certified: only scooters sold before 22 January 2024 can be registered as a «vehículo no certificado» (non-certified vehicle), and in any case they can no longer be ridden from 22 January 2027. One sold after that date without certification can't be registered that way: make a claim against the seller. More in what to do with a non-certified scooter.
• If the number isn't genuine: some imported scooters carry numbers that don't match any certificate. Always look it up on the list.
• If it goes faster than 25 km/h or has been tampered with: it is no longer a VMP and cannot be ridden. If there is an accident, the insurer pays the victim but can claim back what it paid from the rider who tampered with it.

If the ad says «homologado DGT» (DGT-approved), still ask for the certificate number and check it.

What if it's second-hand?

Check the same things and its paperwork too. Ask for the registration certificate PDF and check that the registered owner is the person selling it to you, that the serial number matches the scooter's and that the M number (format M 0000 AAA) is the same as the one on the label. How to check whether a scooter is registered: is my scooter registered with the DGT?

If it is already registered, it isn't registered again: a change of owner is done with the DGT. The buyer starts it within 30 days, the seller authorises it within 72 hours and the fee is €8.67; the M number doesn't change. If it isn't registered, you register it in your name.

NT Cars doesn't handle changes of ownership for now. We explain how to do it yourself on the DGT's online office in second-hand scooter: change of owner step by step, including what the contract should say.

Checklist before you pay

Keep it handy in the shop, when looking at an ad or when meeting the seller:

What do you have to do after buying it?

Register it with the DGT, put the label on it and take out insurance. To be ridden on the road, a scooter must be registered with the DGT, carry the identification label and have third-party liability insurance (Law 5/2025). Registration has been compulsory since 30 January 2026 (Royal Decree 52/2026), for new scooters too.

And whoever rides it must wear an approved or certified helmet, fastened, and be at least 15: Royal Decree 518/2026 requires it from 1 October 2026, and the fine for riding without a helmet is €200. Bear it in mind if it's a present. All the rules are in the new scooter rules and in scooter fines.

You can order the identification plate (the identification label the DGT requires, which many people call a number plate or sticker) on its own if the scooter is already registered, or together with the registration in the registration + plate pack. We print it ourselves: NT Cars is an authorised number-plate processor (manipulador de placas habilitado) registered in Spain's National Vehicle Register (no. 038001272).

OCU prices as of 18/09/2026. We don't sell insurance: once the registration is done we send you a partner's link, with policies from €44. What it covers is in compulsory scooter insurance; the breakdown for the first year and the following ones, in how much it costs to register a scooter; and where else you can get the plate, in where to get the label.

To register it, with your Spanish driving licence you don't need Cl@ve or a digital certificate. And if you want to go over all the obligations, they are together in electric scooter laws in Spain.

Frequently asked questions before buying a scooter

How do I know if a scooter is DGT-approved before buying it?

Ask for the certificate number shown on the manufacturer's plate (a letter and 4 digits, such as B1134) and look it up on the DGT's list or in our finder. If it doesn't have one or it isn't listed, the model isn't certified.

Can I buy a scooter that isn't certified?

Since 22 January 2024, the models on sale must be certified. If you still buy a non-certified one, you can only register it as non-certified if it was sold before that date, and it can no longer be ridden from 22 January 2027.

Is a 1,000 W scooter legal?

Yes, if the model is certified and meets the other VMP limits. The maximum power is 1,000 W (2,500 W if self-balancing), with a design speed of 6 to 25 km/h, a single seat and a weight of under 50 kg.

What happens if the scooter goes faster than 25 km/h or has been tampered with?

It is no longer a VMP: it cannot be registered as a moped and cannot be ridden. If there is an accident, the insurer pays the victim but can claim back what it paid from the rider who tampered with it.

Do I have to register a scooter I've just bought?

Yes. Registration in the DGT Vehicle Register has been compulsory since 30 January 2026 (Royal Decree 52/2026), and to be ridden the scooter also needs the identification label and third-party liability insurance.