Trong cẩm nang này6
Since 1 January 2025, Vietnam issues three motorcycle licence classes: A1, A and B1, each tied to engine size or vehicle type. Older A2, A3 and A4 licences are no longer issued but remain valid. Separately, bikes of 50 cc or less (and some low-power e-mopeds) do not require any motorcycle licence.
Main motorcycle licence classes
| Licence | What it covers (motorcycles) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Two-wheel motorcycles up to 125 cc (or electric up to 11 kW). Older A1 licences issued before 1 Jan 2025 cover 50 cc to under 175 cc. | Most common licence for everyday scooters and small motorbikes (e.g. Honda Vision, Air Blade 125, SH 125i, many rentals). |
| A | Two-wheel motorcycles over 125 cc (or electric over 11 kW), plus everything A1 covers. | Required on new licences for bikes above 125 cc, from scooters like the Air Blade 160, PCX 160, ADV 160 and SH 160i to larger touring and sport bikes. |
| B1 | Three-wheel motorcycles, plus everything A1 covers. | Three-wheelers and cargo tricycle-type motorcycles. |
The 2025 changes come from Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (No. 36/2024/QH15), which restructured licence categories and aligned them more closely with international standards.
What happened to A2, A3 and A4?
These classes are no longer issued, but licences granted before 1 Jan 2025 stay valid on their original terms:
- A2: two-wheel motorcycles of 175 cc or more (or electric 14 kW or more), plus everything an old A1 covers.
- A3: three-wheel motorcycles, plus everything an old A1 covers. New licences for three-wheelers are issued as B1.
- A4: tractors up to 1,000 kg. This was never a road motorcycle licence.
Key change in 2025: A1 now capped at 125 cc
- For licences issued on or after 1 Jan 2025, category A1 covers motorcycles up to 125 cc (or electric up to 11 kW).
- Older A1 licences issued before 2025 remain valid for two-wheel motorcycles from 50 cc to under 175 cc (or electric 4 kW to under 14 kW), under the law’s transitional provisions. A1 licences have no expiry date.
- To ride a motorcycle over 125 cc on a licence issued from 2025, you need category A. A pre-2025 A1 still covers bikes under 175 cc, and a pre-2025 A2 covers larger ones.
No licence needed for very small bikes (mopeds)
Under the same 2024 law, certain low-capacity vehicles are classed as mopeds (xe gắn máy) and do not require a motorcycle licence.
You can ride without a motorcycle licence if the vehicle meets all of these conditions:
- Petrol engine: capacity ≤ 50 cm³, and design speed ≤ 50 km/h.
- Electric motor: power ≤ 4 kW, and design speed ≤ 50 km/h.
- Rider is at least 16 years old, meets the health requirements, knows the road rules and can control the vehicle.
These rules mean many “50 cc” scooters and some low-power electric scooters can be ridden licence-free, but most common 110–150 cc rentals do not qualify and require an A1 or A licence.
How this affects foreigners
To ride legally in Vietnam, foreigners generally need one of the following for motorcycles over 50 cc:
- A Vietnamese motorcycle licence (A1 or A), open to foreigners living, working or studying in Vietnam: exchange a valid home-country licence if you hold a visa or temporary residence card with at least 90 days of validity left, a permanent residence card, or a diplomatic or official ID card, or pass the Vietnamese test (minimum age 18);
- An International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by a country that is party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, covering motorcycles, carried together with your home-country motorcycle licence; or
- A licence from a country or territory that has a licence-recognition agreement with Vietnam, valid for the type of motorcycle you ride.
Important points:
- Vietnam only recognises IDPs issued by 1968 Vienna Convention countries. The USA, Canada and Australia are not party to that convention, so IDPs they issue are not valid in Vietnam.
- An IDP cannot be exchanged for a Vietnamese licence.
- A car-only licence (category B) does not authorise motorcycle riding.
- Riding without a valid licence carries fines of 2 to 4 million VND for motorcycles up to 125 cc and 6 to 8 million VND above 125 cc, and may void travel or health insurance in case of an accident.
Quick reference: which licence for which bike?
- ≤ 50 cc petrol or ≤ 4 kW / ≤ 50 km/h electric moped: no motorcycle licence required (rider must be 16+).
- 51–125 cc (or electric ≤ 11 kW): A1 (for new licences from 2025).
- Over 125 cc (or electric > 11 kW): A (older A2 licences also remain valid for 175 cc and above).
- Three-wheel motorcycles: B1 (older A3 licences remain valid).
Sources and further reading
- Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety No. 36/2024/QH15 (effective 1 Jan 2025): Article 34 (moped definition), Article 56 (moped riders need no licence), Article 57 (licence classes and validity), Article 59 (minimum age of 16 for mopeds) and Article 89 (transitional rules for licences issued before 2025).
- Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP on penalties for road traffic violations: Article 18 sets the fines for riding without a licence, separately for motorcycles up to 125 cc and above 125 cc.
- Circular No. 108/2026/TT-BCA (in force from 1 July 2026, replacing Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BCA) on licence tests, exchanging foreign licences and international driving permits.
- Practical guides summarising 2025–2026 rules for foreigners, including IDP requirements and common rental scenarios.
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