AM Driving License Costs, Requirements & What You Can Drive
With the AM driving license, you’ll be on two wheels sooner than with any other driving permit. In many federal states, you can get it at just 15 years old, even before your peers are thinking about a car driving license. For many, it’s the first step towards independence: getting to school, to an apprenticeship, or to friends without relying on buses, trains, or the parent taxi.
Thus, the AM driving license is the earliest entry into motorized two-wheeled driving. On this page, you’ll find out what the two letters stand for, which vehicles you can drive with it, and what requirements you need to meet.
The MYCOVER® team explains!
What is the AM driving license? What does AM mean?
AM is the smallest motorized driving license class in Germany and simultaneously the typical entry point for young people into the world of motorcycle driving license classes. Colloquially, you often hear terms like Scooter driving license or simply “the 50cc license.” They all refer to the same thing: the driving permit for small motorcycles up to 45 km/h.
You can obtain the AM driving license nationwide from the age of 15. This regulation has been in effect throughout Germany since July 28, 2021. Previously, early entry was only possible in individual federal states that had a pilot project running, including Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Depending on the driving school, you can start training several months before your 15th birthday. You can then start driving from your 15th birthday.
What you need for registration:
- Minimum age 15 years
- Eye test at an optician or ophthalmologist
- First aid course (now called “Life-saving immediate measures”)
- Biometric passport photo
- Application to your city’s driving license office
If you later get the car driving license Class B with extension B196, the AM is automatically included. And even if you eventually upgrade to a 125cc with Class A1, your AM license remains valid.
What does the AM driving license cost?
The costs for an AM driving license usually range between 500 and 1,000 euros. This makes it significantly cheaper than the A1 or A2, as fewer mandatory hours are required and no highway driving is involved. How expensive it ultimately becomes depends primarily on how quickly you master driving and in which federal state you live.
| Item | Costs (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Driving school basic fee | 150 to 350 € |
| Theory test (TÜV/DEKRA) | 25 € |
| Practical test | 90 € |
| Driving license office application | 40 to 70 € |
| Eye test | up to 10 € |
| First aid course | 25 to 50 € |
| Passport photo | 10 to 15 € |
| Practical driving lessons (45 min each) | 45 to 80 € per hour |
| Learning materials (books, app) | 50 to 80 € |
| Protective clothing (if not provided) | 500 to 700 € |
What many underestimate are the follow-up costs if you fail an exam. A new exam fee plus additional practice hours can quickly cost you an extra 200 to 300 euros. That’s precisely why good preparation pays off twice.
The theory app is already included in the basic fee at many driving schools. So, ask first before buying anything yourself. If it’s charged separately, the in-house app can quickly cost 50 to 80 euros, while independent apps with official question catalogs are often cheaper. The price isn’t the deciding factor anyway, but rather thorough learning: every saved practice hour directly means 45 to 80 euros less on the bill. Anyone who manages with five instead of ten practice hours can quickly save around 300 euros.
Also, get quotes from two or three driving schools near you in advance, as the basic fees sometimes differ considerably, and some driving schools charge extra for learning materials.
What can you drive with an AM license?
With the AM driving license, you can operate so-called light motorcycles and light four-wheeled motor vehicles. The technical limits are clearly defined: a maximum speed of 45 km/h, a maximum engine capacity of 50 ccm for internal combustion engines, and a maximum continuous rated power of 4 kW, which corresponds to approximately 5.4 hp. For purely electric two-wheelers, the power limit is also 4 kW.
This gives you a decent selection on two, three, and four wheels:
- Scooters up to 45 km/h, i.e., the classic 50cc Scooter
- Scooters up to 50 ccm and 45 km/h, for example a Vespa Primavera 50 or a Piaggio Zip 50
- Light three-wheeled motor vehicles up to 45 km/h
- Four-wheeled light motor vehicles such as microcars, Aixam or Ligier, up to 45 km/h and 425 kg unladen weight
- Electric Scooters with corresponding power limitation up to 4 kW
However, anything that goes faster than 45 km/h, has an engine capacity of more than 50 ccm, or produces more than 5.4 hp is not allowed. A 125cc is therefore taboo; for that, you need Class A1. Larger machines like a Yamaha MT-07 or a Kawasaki Z650 fall into the higher motorcycle classes A2 or A.
With an AM license, you are not allowed on highways or expressways. Your vehicle simply cannot reach the minimum speed of 60 km/h required there. Federal roads, however, are permitted, as long as there is no prohibition sign for motor vehicles.
On the road, the legislator only requires a helmet; everything else is strongly recommended but voluntary. In driving school, it’s different: you may only ride the driving school vehicle in complete protective clothing. This includes a tested motorcycle helmet (ECE standard), motorcycle gloves, a close-fitting motorcycle jacket with a back protector, motorcycle pants, and motorcycle boots with ankle protection. Without this equipment, neither the driving lessons nor the practical test will take place. Many driving schools lend out equipment, so ask beforehand what is provided. And even if you are free to decide after the test: in a fall, protective clothing makes the difference between a scrape and a permanent injury, even at 45 km/h.
Conclusion: Is the AM driving license worth it?
The AM driving license is the cheapest and fastest way to enter the motorized world on two wheels. For 500 to 1,000 euros, you’re in, you can start from 15 years old, and you immediately get a good feel for road traffic. This is ideal if you later want to switch to a 125cc or a proper motorcycle.
Sure, at 45 km/h and 50 ccm, you’re not the fastest, and highways remain off-limits. But the AM is perfectly sufficient to get to school, to the sports club, or to a friend without relying on buses and trains. Anyone getting an AM license should see it for what it is: a practical entry point that makes you independent and simultaneously lays the foundation for anything bigger that comes later. Which class makes sense for you afterward can be found in our overview of motorcycle driving licenses.
Your first Scooter, protected from the start
For many, the AM driving license is the entry into owning their own vehicle, and you want to treat your first Scooter well from the start. Whether outside the house or in the garage, a Cover is worthwhile in both cases. Outdoors, an Outdoor Cover from MYCOVER for Scooters reliably keeps out rain, UV radiation, and road dirt, and in the garage, it protects against dust and scratches. The ventilation openings ensure that no moisture accumulates under the Cover.
You can find the right size in just a few steps using our size finder: enter manufacturer and model, receive a recommendation.
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The most important questions about the AM driving license
What is the difference between AM and AM1?
AM1 is the Austrian designation for a separate subclass of driving license that you don’t need in Germany. Here, the driving license is uniformly called AM and applies to all Scooters and light motor vehicles up to 45 km/h. If you encounter the term AM1, it’s either about Austria or a confusion.
Does the AM driving license cost different amounts in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, or Lower Saxony?
Prices vary significantly depending on the federal state and even from city to city. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, you tend to pay a bit more, while in parts of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, you often get away cheaper. However, the biggest factor is not the federal state, but the individual driving school.
How long does it take to get the AM license?
With good preparation, you can get the AM driving license in four to six weeks. You need at least twelve theory lessons and several practical lessons, followed by theory and practical tests. If you pass both tests directly, it can even go faster.
When should I start getting the AM driving license?
You can register at a driving school approximately three to six months before your 15th birthday. This way, you use the waiting time for theory lessons and can take the practical test directly after your birthday. However, ask your driving school beforehand when they accept minors.
Am I allowed to drive abroad with the AM driving license?
This depends on your age. If you obtained the AM driving license at 15, it carries the key number 195 and is only valid in Germany until your 16th birthday; driving abroad is not permitted during this time. From 16, the license is recognized throughout the EU, so you can then drive Scooters in Austria, France, or Italy. Nevertheless, make sure your insurance covers foreign travel and check the speed and traffic regulations in the destination country beforehand.
Can I later upgrade from AM to a 125cc?
For a 125cc, you need the Class A1 driving license, which you can get from age 16. Your basic theory training from the AM will be partially credited, saving you time and money. The AM license remains valid in parallel for Scooters. If you’re thinking a step further, you’ll find the details in the guide on upgrading from A1 to A2.
Does the two-year probationary period apply to the AM driving license?
There is no probationary period for pure AM driving licenses. The two-year probationary period only applies when you get a driving license of classes B, A1, A2, or A. However, this does not mean that violations remain without consequences, as you will still collect points in Flensburg and fines with an AM license. As soon as you later get your car or larger motorcycle driving license, the probationary period starts from the new license.
Is the AM driving license included in the car driving license (Class B)?
Anyone who holds a Class B car driving license automatically includes Class AM and can therefore drive Scooters up to 45 km/h without obtaining the AM separately. You only need separate AM training if you do not yet have a car driving license.
You can read about which vehicles you can drive solely with a car driving license in the guide Driving a Motorcycle with a Car Driving License. If you even want to drive a 125cc, the way is through the B196 extension.
What is the difference between the AM driving license and the Scooter test certificate?
The Scooter test certificate only allows vehicles up to 25 km/h and only requires a theoretical test, no practical one. The AM driving license goes significantly further: it is valid up to 45 km/h and requires both a theoretical and practical test. The Scooter variant is therefore cheaper and quicker to obtain, but the AM driving license offers you more speed and a wider selection of vehicles.
Am I allowed to drive a quad or a microcar with the AM driving license?
In addition to Scooters, Class AM also includes three-wheeled light motor vehicles and four-wheeled light motor vehicles, colloquially known as microcars. They are permitted as long as they do not exceed 45 km/h and their unladen mass does not exceed 425 kg. You can also drive light quads in this class. However, the AM driving license is not sufficient for faster or heavier vehicles.
