Hanoi Without a Motorbike Licence: the Scooter You Can Still Ride

The 50cc class, electric in Hanoi, and one weekend rule

In Vietnamese law the 50cc moped sits in the licence-free class, together with an electric scooter rated 4 kW or under with a design speed of 50 km/h or under. Every one Kai quotes in Hanoi is electric.

One rule is Hanoi's own: on weekend evenings the Hoan Kiem walking-street area closes to motor traffic, licence-free electrics included. The questions at the end give the hours and the dates.

Which licences work in Hanoi

Nearly one in five foreign guests of Hanoi's hotels and other lodgings in 2025 came from the US, Australia, Japan or Canada (Hanoi statistics office, 2025 with December estimated; the sum of the four is ours). The US, Canada, Australia and Japan issue only the 1949 permit and have no licence agreement with Vietnam, so a licence from any of them opens no petrol bike over 50cc here, and the licence-free electric is the ride.

Britain, France and Germany sent about 756,000 of those guests (Hanoi statistics office, 2025; the sum is ours), and all three issue the 1968 permit. With a motorbike category on your home licence, bring the permit from home and the petrol bikes open up in the matching category.

China sent the most, 673,900 (same report), and China is not a party to the 1968 Convention, so no permit issued there is recognised here: on a licence from mainland China, the licence-free electric is the ride Kai can offer.

Korean nationals have a separate route under a 2023 agreement between the two countries, with conditions of its own, the category A stamp first; the Korean licence guide below sets them out.

Heading north from Hanoi

We do not recommend the licence-free electric for Ninh Binh, Mai Chau or the Ha Giang Loop: it is a city scooter, and like every motorbike it may not use an expressway. The northern loops want a bigger bike, and a bigger bike means a licence Vietnam recognises.

A passenger needs no licence of their own; the rider of a petrol bike needs one Vietnam recognises, and both wear fastened helmets (Law 36/2024, Art. 33). With category A, Kai quotes the larger bikes the northern loops call for.

What riding without the right licence costs

Riding without a recognised licence is fined VND 2–4 million up to 125cc and VND 6–8 million above, and the bike can be impounded for up to seven working days, longer if the case is escalated (Decree 168/2024). Whoever hands the bike to such a rider is fined too: a private owner VND 8–10 million (Decree 168/2024), a household rental business VND 28–30 million and a rental company VND 56–60 million (Decree 336/2025). Riding illegally can void your travel-medical cover.

Before you ask for a bike

Kai, our AI concierge, tells you what you may legally ride. From 350,000 ₫ a day (≈ $14) all-in, one rate at any length; the deposit is cash on handover, nothing in advance.