This article was published in 2011. The procedure for registering mopeds and scooters, the list of documents and the fees have changed since then, so please check the current information with a service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVS).
Many riders, especially owners of small-displacement scooters, are worried about the confusion around scooter registration. After all, their moped was bought before the changes to the law and the traffic rules. Scooters up to 50cc didn't require any documents or a driver's license at all. Apparently too many underage kids were zipping along the roads without knowing the rules and risking their lives. Anyway, owners of these scooters (up to 50cc) now also need a set of documents: a category A1 driver's license, a vehicle registration certificate or a temporary registration coupon (in some regions they issue an open-ended temporary coupon instead of a registration certificate), license plates accordingly, and third-party liability insurance. It doesn't sound like much, but getting all these documents takes a great deal of time and nerves.
That's why many prefer to ride with no documents at all, as long as they have cash on them. When registration first started, it was possible to have an expert examination done to check the engine displacement. But many owners don't have, and never had, any documents for their scooter.
Here is the information as of April 2011. To register a scooter, you need to provide the buyer's coupon or a certificate-invoice (for scooters bought after January 1, 2010). If you don't have the coupon, you write a statement declaring that there is no sale and purchase record (for scooters bought before January 1, 2010). Approximate cost:
- Temporary registration coupon — 45 UAH;
- License plates — 25 UAH;
- Vehicle inspection by an expert — 11 UAH;
- Processing of registration documents — 15 UAH;
- Expert examination of the scooter — 148 UAH;
- Transport fee — 1.5 UAH (for 50cc)
- Roadworthiness test (coupon) — 80 UAH;
- Carrying out the roadworthiness test — 52 UAH;
- Vehicle condition check — about 100 UAH (at a private service station)
That's about 470 UAH in total. If you want to add category A1 to your license, you will need:
- Your passport;
- A medical certificate;
- A driving school completion certificate, or a driver's card (if you don't have a driver's license);
- a driver's license with higher categories already open (A, B, C),
- a driver's card or a certificate from the traffic police (DAI) confirming that the license was issued (if you already have a driver's license, so you don't have to take the theory test);
If you have a driver's license, you also need a document confirming your driving experience over the last 12 months: the registration certificate of your own car or a certificate from your employer. Cost:
- Driving school course — about 1000 UAH;
- License form (the license itself) and taking the exam at the traffic police (DAI) — 500 UAH.
Once you've sorted all this out, you can ride anywhere, not just in villages, without fearing every police officer, a fine or even having your bike confiscated.