Málaga regulates scooters in its Mobility Bylaw, in force since 20 January 2021: it sets the minimum age at 16, requires lights to be on at all times and lets privately owned scooters into the old town, but not rental ones. National law adds to this: DGT registration has been compulsory since 30 January 2026 (Royal Decree 52/2026) and, from 1 October 2026, the rules of Royal Decree 518/2026 apply.
| Topic | What applies in Málaga | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration and insurance | DGT registration compulsory since 30/01/2026. The bylaw only recommended insurance for private owners; it is now compulsory under Law 5/2025, and the DGT fines €250 to €800 for riding without it. | RD 52/2026; Bylaw, art. 37; Law 5/2025 |
| Minimum age | 16 under the bylaw; riding under that age carries a €60 fine. From 1/10/2026 the national minimum is 15. | Bylaw, art. 37 and annex I; RD 518/2026 |
| Helmet and vest | The bylaw recommends them and makes them compulsory when riding on the general carriageway with no cycle lane; there, riding without them carries a €90 fine. From 1/10/2026 the helmet is compulsory everywhere under national law; without one, a serious offence with a €200 fine. | Bylaw, art. 37 and annex I; RD 518/2026 |
| Carrying a passenger | Banned: only one person may be on the scooter. €90 fine. | Bylaw, art. 37 and annex I |
| Lights and equipment | Lights must be on at all times of day. The scooter must have brakes, a bell, a front and rear light and reflectors; if anything is missing, €90. | Bylaw, art. 37 and annex I |
| Minimum height | In 30 zones and streets limited to 30 km/h or less, the scooter with its rider must be at least 1.40 m tall; if not, a safety flag up to 1.50 m is required. | Bylaw, art. 40 |
| Phone, headphones and alcohol | Headphones and phones are banned: €200 each. Alcohol or drugs, €500. You also cannot cross a pedestrian crossing while riding (€200), except in cycle lanes. | Bylaw, art. 39 and annex I |
| Pavements and pedestrian areas | Riding on pavements, promenades and pedestrian areas is banned: €200. | Bylaw, art. 40 and annex I |
Where can you ride a scooter in Málaga?
The bylaw divides the city into zones, each with its own maximum speed:
- Cycleways (segregated cycle lanes, pavement cycle lanes, cycle tracks and cycle paths), always in the signposted direction: 15 km/h on pavement cycle lanes and 25 km/h elsewhere.
- 20 zones, residential streets and single-platform streets: up to 20 km/h, giving way to pedestrians.
- 30 zones and streets limited to 30 km/h or less: up to 25 km/h, in the direction of traffic.
- The old town and other restricted-access areas: privately owned scooters may enter, at up to 20 km/h and giving way to pedestrians; rental ones may not.
- Other carriageways: only where there is no alternative cycleway and they are not part of the city's core road network (except right-hand lanes signposted at 30 km/h), up to 25 km/h and with a helmet and vest.
You cannot ride on pavements, promenades or pedestrian areas. Where you share space with pedestrians, leave at least 1 metre (1.80 m from building fronts on single-platform streets) and, if it's crowded, get off and carry on on foot.
Where can you park a scooter in Málaga?
Only in the spaces signposted for it: the bylaw does not allow parking anywhere else. If it is badly parked or abandoned, the Local Police can report it and take it to the municipal pound. According to Diario Sur, since February 2022 the tow service has charged €23.15 for each scooter it removes, plus €3.83 per day in the pound.
Does Málaga have a municipal scooter register?
No. The bylaw allows the City Council to create a scooter register to find out how many there are in the city, but the register you need in order to ride is the DGT one, compulsory since 30 January 2026, which is the one we handle. Non-certified scooters, sold before 22 January 2024, can also be registered and may be ridden until 22 January 2027 (what to do with a non-certified scooter).
Can you take your scooter on the bus, the metro or Cercanías trains in Málaga?
It depends on the service. On the Málaga metro and on Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano (the metropolitan transport consortium) buses, no: the Junta de Andalucía (the regional government of Andalusia) banned it temporarily from 1 January 2024, over the fire risk from batteries, and there is no record of the ban being lifted. On the EMT (the city bus operator), the City Council has banned scooters that do not meet DGT rules since 13 May 2024; according to La Opinión de Málaga, certified ones can board if the owner can prove it. Cercanías trains, however, have accepted them since 7 September 2026, subject to conditions.
| Transport | Scooters allowed? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Málaga metro | No | Temporary ban by the Junta de Andalucía since 1/01/2024. |
| Consorcio buses (intercity) | No | Temporary ban by the Junta de Andalucía since 1/01/2024. |
| City buses (EMT) | Only if it meets DGT rules | Since 13/05/2024, banned for scooters that do not meet DGT rules (a temporary measure). Press reports say you must be able to prove certification. |
| Renfe trains (Cercanías, Media Distancia and Larga Distancia) | Yes, since 7/09/2026 | Only certified scooters, registered with the DGT, with the label visible and insured; folded, switched off, in the luggage area and not charged on board. |
What does Royal Decree 518/2026 add from 1 October?
Mainly, helmets everywhere: the bylaw only required them on the general carriageway, and from 1 October 2026 they are compulsory at all times, approved or certified and fastened. Lights, which the bylaw already required to be on at all times, will be compulsory in daylight across Spain from 1 October 2027; at night or in poor visibility, you also need a light or reflective item visible from 150 metres. Turns must also be signalled with your arm. All the changes from 1 October.
On age, the bylaw says 16 and national law says 15. If someone aged 15 is going to ride the scooter, check with the City Council which age applies.
How do we register your scooter from Málaga?
Everything is done remotely: you fill in the registration form, upload your documents and the scooter's (which documents you need) and we file the registration with the DGT. You pay €35 with the DGT fee (€8.67) included and receive the registration certificate in PDF in under 24 hours once your documents are complete, with no appointment at a traffic office. It works the same whether you live in Málaga or anywhere else in the province.
You need legal residence in Spain and your DNI or NIE, and the DGT requires you to identify yourself with one of these three methods: Cl@ve PIN, a digital certificate or a Spanish driving licence. If you have a Spanish driving licence, you don't need Cl@ve or a digital certificate: we identify you with your licence and handle the whole procedure for you. The licence is only used to identify you; you don't need one to ride a scooter (more about registering without Cl@ve).
Registration does not include the identification plate (the identification label the DGT requires, which many people call a number plate or sticker). You can order it separately for €15 + €4.95 shipping or choose the registration + plate pack for €45 + €4.95, and we send it to your home in 3 to 7 working days; we make it ourselves as an authorised plate manufacturer. With the certificate you can take out insurance: we send you a partner's link, from €44 (compulsory insurance). And if you're ever in Barcelona and would rather do it in person, book an appointment at our office at Calle Rosselló, 216, 6th floor (Eixample), Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00, on WhatsApp (+34 634 434 485) or by email (patinetes@ntcars.es).
Sources
- Royal Decree 52/2026 (BOE, 30/01/2026): the obligation to register your scooter and the deadline for non-certified models (in Spanish).
- Royal Decree 518/2026 (BOE) and DGT press release of 23/06/2026: helmets, age, lights and pavements across Spain from 1/10/2026 (in Spanish).
- Law 5/2025 and DGT press release of 27/01/2026: compulsory insurance and the fines for riding without it (in Spanish).
- Málaga Mobility Bylaw (Málaga Official Gazette (BOP) no. 11, 19/01/2021), articles 36 to 43 and annex I on fines: age, lights, helmets, zones and speeds, parking and registration (in Spanish).
- Diario Sur (7/02/2022): the tow charge for removing a scooter (in Spanish).
- Málaga City Council (12/05/2024) and La Opinión de Málaga (13/05/2024): scooters on EMT buses (in Spanish).
- Resolution of 20 December 2023 of the Junta de Andalucía (BOJA no. 247) and Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga: the temporary ban on the metro and Consorcio buses (in Spanish).
- Renfe (4/09/2026): which trains accept scooters from 7/09/2026 and on what conditions (in Spanish).