New Rules for Scooters, Motorbikes, and Overtaking Cyclists
The Spanish government has officially approved a major update to the General Traffic Regulations (Reglamento General de Circulación). Aimed at protecting what the DGT describes as “vulnerable road users”, the reform introduces significant changes to everyday traffic rules.
Before going into the details, it is important to note that although the Council of Ministers approved this legislation today (23rd June 2026), it has not yet been published in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado, or BOE). As a result, the proposed start date of 1 October 2026 remains provisional until officially published. There will be an official adaptation and information period once the text is formally printed.
The first major change concerns electric scooters (patinetes), known in Spain as Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMPs). The DGT is cracking down on unregulated use by introducing a strict minimum age of 15 to ride these scooters. Riders must also keep their lights switched on at all times, day and night. Safety equipment is becoming compulsory too, with all riders required to wear a homologated helmet, according to the final published text, rather than simply basic, uncertified headgear. Alongside the homologated helmet, riders must wear a reflective vest at night or in poor visibility. For commercial delivery riders (riders), the helmet and reflective vest requirement applies throughout the day, regardless of the light conditions. As for roads, patinetes are generally not allowed on interurban roads, except where the specific circumstances make it clear that it is acceptable — for instance, if there is a dedicated lane. Failure to comply with these helmet, age or visibility rules will be treated as a serious offence, carrying a €200 fine.
Motorcyclists and moped riders also face changes to both their legal road space and their mandatory equipment. Under the new rules, motorbikes will be legally permitted to use the hard shoulder (arcén) to keep moving in heavy traffic congestion, provided they do not exceed 30 km/h and they respect the priority of cyclists who have the legal right of way there. In terms of safety equipment, riders must wear approved protective gloves, and the DGT has explicitly banned open-toe footwear. Motorcyclists must wear fully enclosed footwear on every journey, meaning flip-flops and sandals are now officially prohibited on a bike. In addition, any helmets used by moped and motorbike riders must also be properly homologated and meet the relevant legal safety criteria. For professional delivery riders on motorbikes, wearing a reflective vest is now mandatory at all times.
Crucially, “approved” or homologated equipment means that the item must carry a specific legal label stitched inside. For motorcycle gloves, riders should look for the EN 13594 European safety code, together with a small motorcyclist pictogram and a protection level of 1 or 2. Ordinary fashion, gardening or ski gloves do not have this certification and would not pass a roadside DGT inspection. Riding without properly certified gloves on interurban roads, or wearing open footwear on any road, will result in a €200 fine, although no licence points are lost for those particular offences.
Finally, the regulations significantly change how drivers must overtake cyclists, although the exact rule depends on the type of road. On conventional roads outside towns, drivers must reduce their speed by at least 20 km/h below the posted limit before passing a bicycle. If the road has multiple lanes in the same direction, the driver is legally required to change lane completely in order to overtake. On single-lane rural roads, drivers must still maintain the mandatory 1.5-metre lateral safety distance.
The penalties for getting this wrong are severe. Performing a dangerous passing manoeuvre, failing to give a cyclist the required space, or ignoring the speed reduction rules can carry a serious fine of €200 and a hefty point deduction from your driving licence — depending on the circumstance, that may be 4 or 6 points.
On a city street with a 30 km/h limit, drivers are not expected to reduce their speed to 10 km/h. The 20 km/h reduction applies only on roads outside town limits, where it is intended to prevent dangerous high-speed overtaking. In urban “Zone 30” areas, cyclists are expected to ride in the centre of the lane. Because of this, drivers generally cannot overtake them on single-lane town streets and must remain behind them, as they would behind any other vehicle. Squeezing past a cyclist dangerously on these streets will result in a standard €200 fine and can cost up to 6 points if the manoeuvre is considered to have put the cyclist at risk. Additionally, local councils may now officially allow bicycles to travel both ways on single-lane 30 km/h streets, provided it is explicitly signposted.
Beyond vulnerable users, the update introduces general road safety changes. In heavy traffic or standstills, drivers are now required to pull to the edges of their lanes to create a central emergency corridor (carril de emergencia) for emergency vehicles. Furthermore, overtaking is completely prohibited on motorways (autopistas and autovías) when driving conditions are complicated by snow or ice, forcing drivers to stay in the right-hand lane to leave the left free for gritters and emergency services. Lastly, new rules regulate campervans (autocaravanas), stipulating that when parked, they cannot extend any structures (like awnings or stabilising legs) beyond the vehicle's standard perimeter, nor discharge any greywater.
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