E-Scooter Insurance in Spain: Mandatory Since January 2026

Since 27 January 2026, e-scooters in Spain must be insured. Anyone riding without liability cover since then, or who has not registered their scooter with the traffic authority DGT, risks a fine and having the vehicle immobilised. So e-scooter insurance in Spain affects you even if you only ride to the bakery twice a week. In this post you will read what Ley 5/2025 requires, how registration works, what a policy costs and which deadline runs out in January 2027. The basics for all road users are in our overview of traffic rules in Spain.

What Ley 5/2025 requires of e-scooter riders

The new obligation is based on Ley 5/2025 of 24 July 2025, which brings Spanish motor liability law into line with EU Directive 2021/2118. For e-scooters, the insurance and registration requirements have applied since 27 January 2026.

A VMP (Vehículo de Movilidad Personal) is a single-seat electric vehicle with a design top speed between 6 and 25 km/h, typically an e-scooter. In Spain, VMPs do not count as motor vehicles, but since 2026 they still need liability insurance and an entry in the DGT register.

The policy must cover personal injury with at least EUR 6.45 million and property damage with at least EUR 1.3 million per claim. That sounds like a lot, but it is the usual minimum cover under the EU directive. For you as a rider, the annual premium is manageable: pure liability cover for a private e-scooter costs roughly EUR 20 to 100 a year depending on the insurer and cover. If you also have a car registered, take a look at our guide to car insurance in Spain, because many insurers offer better prices when you hold several policies.

Registration with the DGT: how it works

Alongside the insurance requirement, on 27 January 2026 the DGT launched the Registro de Vehículos Personales Ligeros, a dedicated register for light personal vehicles within the national vehicle register. The legal basis is Real Decreto 52/2026, and the details are in the DGT press release on the launch of the register. Registration costs EUR 8.67 and is done online through the DGT's Sede Electrónica.

To register you need:

• your NIE number and a Cl@ve or digital certificate login for the Sede Electrónica
• the invoice or technical data sheet for the scooter, or failing that a photo of the device
• the Certificado de Circulación, if your model has one
• payment of the EUR 8.67 fee

Transition period until January 2027 and fines

Newer e-scooters carry a plate with the Certificado de Circulación, which confirms the technical approval. Older devices without this certificate may continue to be ridden for a transition period, but only until 22 January 2027 and only if they are registered and insured. After that they are no longer permitted in public spaces.

Riding without compulsory insurance is penalised under insurance law just like with other vehicles: the fine is between EUR 601 and EUR 3,005, and the police can also immobilise the scooter. Missing registration costs money too, with fines in the low three figures. Measured against an annual premium of EUR 20 to 100, that is a bad trade.

What applies in Palma and which rules are still to come

On Mallorca, the municipal by-laws come on top of the national rules. In Palma, pavements are off limits for e-scooters; you ride on cycle lanes and on roads with speed limits. A helmet requirement has applied in Palma for some time through the municipal by-law. From 1 October 2026 the rest of the country follows: from then on helmets are mandatory on e-scooters across Spain, together with a minimum age of 15. All the details are in our post on the new traffic rules in Spain from October 2026.

For families, that means in practice: from October 2026 a 13-year-old may no longer ride an e-scooter to school, even if it is insured and registered. Until then, municipalities set the minimum age differently; in Palma it is also 15.

Do rental scooters from sharing providers need insurance too? Yes, but the operator takes care of that. As a user you do not need to register anything or take out your own policy. The obligation only applies to you with your own device.

If the new rules have you thinking about getting rid of the scooter: for many trips on the island the bus is a workable alternative. Our guide to public transport on Mallorca gives an overview.

Conclusion

Since 27 January 2026, e-scooter insurance in Spain is no longer a recommendation but a requirement, just like the entry in the DGT register. Together they usually cost under EUR 110 in the first year and can be sorted in an afternoon. It only gets expensive if you skip it: fines from EUR 601 without insurance, plus possible immobilisation. Also check in good time whether your device has a certification plate, because without one its road approval ends on 22 January 2027. And if you use the scooter regularly, set yourself a reminder for 1 October 2026: from then on nobody in Spain rides without a helmet.