If you have bought — or are thinking about buying — a Class 3 mobility scooter, the one that can do 8 mph and go on the road, you need to register it with the DVLA before you use it on the road.
People put this off because it sounds like taxing a car. It is not. There is no fee, no test, no licence and no number plate. It is a single form and a stamp.
Do I actually need to register?
Class 3 (8 mph, road legal): yes. Registration is required before road use.
Class 2 (4 mph, pavement only): no. Nothing to fill in at all. If your scooter is limited to 4 mph and you only use pavements and pedestrian areas, you can stop reading here.
Not sure which you have? Our guide to Class 2 versus Class 3 explains the difference.
The form you need: V55/MV
The form is called V55/MV — "Apply for first vehicle tax and registration of a mobility vehicle". Use it for a new or used mobility vehicle that has never been registered before.
Download form V55/MV from GOV.UK
It comes with a guidance leaflet called INF304 — Registering a mobility vehicle, which walks through the form box by box. It is worth having open beside you; it answers most of the questions people ring us about.
Check your scooter qualifies first
This is the part that catches people out. You cannot use the V55/MV if your vehicle:
- can travel faster than 8 mph
- is wider than 0.85 metres
- weighs more than 150 kg — or 200 kg if you need extra equipment attached to it
- has more than one seat
Every Class 3 scooter we sell is within these limits. If you are registering something bought elsewhere and it is over them, ring the DVLA before you post anything.
What to send
The form has a document checklist on it. Send the form together with everything on that checklist — if anything is missing the whole application comes back to you, which is what turns a two-week job into a two-month one. Typically that means your proof of purchase and evidence of the vehicle's identity.
Post it to:
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1BE
What happens next
- There is no fee to pay.
- Your V5C (the registration document, what people still call the logbook) is issued within 4 weeks.
- You do not need to display number plates.
- You do not pay vehicle tax once it is registered with the DVLA as a mobility vehicle. It still has to be in the tax system — it is just taxed at nil.
While you are waiting
You can use your scooter on pavements straight away, at 4 mph, exactly as you would a Class 2. Every Class 3 has a speed limiter for this. It is road use that waits for the paperwork.
A few things worth knowing
- You must be 14 or over to use a Class 3 on the road.
- A Class 3 must be switched down to 4 mph on the pavement.
- Motorways are not permitted. Cycle lanes and bus lanes are not for mobility scooters.
- Insurance is not a legal requirement, but it is inexpensive and we would recommend it — damage to someone else's property is the risk most people overlook.
- Keep the V5C safe. If you ever sell the scooter, it goes with it.
We will help you with it
If you buy a Class 3 from us, ask and we will go through the V55/MV with you and tell you exactly which documents to put in the envelope. It takes a few minutes on the phone and saves the form coming back.
Ring free on 0800 593 0400.
The DVLA sets these rules and can change them. Always check the current form and guidance on GOV.UK before you apply: Using mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs.