Moped laws in Massachusetts

1. What counts as a moped in Massachusetts

Massachusetts law calls a moped a “motorized bicycle.” It can be a pedal bicycle with a helper motor, or a non-pedal bicycle with a motor. To be a moped rather than a motorcycle, the vehicle must meet every one of the following:

• —A cylinder capacity of no more than 50 cubic centimeters.
• —An automatic transmission.
• —A maximum speed of no more than 30 miles per hour.
• —Compliance with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.

2. Who is allowed to ride

• —No one under 16 years of age may operate a moped on any way in the Commonwealth.
• —The operator must hold a valid driver's license or a learner's permit. You do not need a motorcycle license to ride a moped.
• —Moped operators are subject to all Massachusetts traffic laws, rules and regulations.
• —A moped is not a license-free vehicle: riding without a valid license or permit is a violation.

3. Helmet and passengers

• —Every person operating a moped, and every passenger on one, must wear protective headgear meeting the minimum standards set by the Registrar — in practice, a US DOT standard helmet.
• —You may not carry a passenger on a moped unless that passenger is wearing the required headgear.

4. Speed limits

• —A moped may not be operated at more than 25 miles per hour on any way.
• —The vehicle itself may not be capable of more than 30 miles per hour.
• —Motorized scooters may not be operated at more than 20 miles per hour.

5. Where you can ride

• —You have the right to use all public ways in the Commonwealth, except limited access or express state highways where signs prohibiting bicycles have been posted.
• —You may use bicycle lanes next to the roadway, but you are excluded from off-street recreational bicycle paths.
• —You may keep to the right when passing a motor vehicle that is moving in the travel lane.
• —You must signal your intention to stop or turn by hand.

6. Registration

• —Mopeds must be registered with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Mopeds are not issued a Massachusetts Certificate of Title.
• —The fee is $40 and is valid for up to two years. All moped registrations expire on March 31.
• —Registration is done in person at an RMV Service Center with a completed Motorized Bicycle (Moped) Registration Application, plus the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin and bill of sale for a new moped, or the bill of sale for a used one.
• —A converted bicycle needs a signed Bicycle Conversion to Motorized Bicycle (Moped) Affidavit of Owner.
• —You will receive a license plate and an expiration decal. The plate must be mounted at the rear, facing rearward and clearly legible. No plate may be affixed to the front of a moped.

7. If the vehicle is reclassified

These rules change the moment the vehicle stops being a moped:

• —If a moped no longer has its restrictor plate — the mechanical part that limits its speed — it is reclassified as a motorcycle. It must then be registered, titled and insured as a motorcycle, and the operator must hold a motorcycle license.
• —If a vehicle can exceed 30 miles per hour but stays under 40, and is certified to federal safety standards as a motorcycle, it may qualify as a Limited Use Motorcycle instead.
• —Registering a motorcycle as a moped can leave you operating an unregistered, uninsured, uninspected and untitled vehicle. The vehicle may be towed and stored at your expense.

8. Penalties

• —First offence: a fine of up to $25.
• —Second offence: a fine of $25 to $50.
• —Further offences: a fine of $50 to $100.

9. How this applies on Twizted Liftz

• —Riders booking a Moped must be 16 or older and must hold a valid driver's license or learner's permit, as state law requires.
• —A US DOT standard helmet is required for the rider and for any passenger, on every moped booking.
• —The mopeds listed here are the 50cc, automatic-transmission, 30 mph class. A vehicle whose restrictor plate has been removed is legally a motorcycle and cannot be listed on Twizted Liftz.
• —City and town ordinances can be stricter than state law — for example on sidewalks, parking and where mopeds may be left. Check with the city or town you're riding in.
• —Owners are responsible for keeping their moped registered, and riders are responsible for riding within these limits. A booking that breaks state law may be cancelled.