The legal minimum age depends on the machine, not on how experienced a teenager looks. Under Article 59 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (No. 36/2024/QH15), which took effect on 1 January 2025, a person must be at least 16 years old to ride a moped (xe gắn máy) and at least 18 years old to hold a class A1 motorbike licence — the licence that covers anything above moped level, up to and including 125 cc.

The two age thresholds

Sixteen is the age for mopeds only. A moped means an engine of 50 cc or less, or an electric motor of up to 4 kW, with a design speed of no more than 50 km/h. No licence is needed for this category, but the age floor still applies, and traffic police do check.

Eighteen is the age for everything above the moped category. From 18, a rider can obtain the A1 licence and legally ride standard scooters and motorbikes such as 110–125 cc automatics — the types most tourists and expats rent in Hanoi.

What happens if the age rule is broken

Riding a motorbike before turning 18 has a specific penalty. Under Article 18(4)(a) of Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP, a person aged 16 to under 18 who rides a motorbike of 50 cc or more, or an electric motorbike of 4 kW or more, is fined 400,000–600,000 VND.

Decree 238/2026/NĐ-CP, effective from 15 August 2026, rewrote this clause to make its meaning unmistakable after social-media claims spread that all 16-year-olds would be banned from every kind of two-wheeler. That is not what the rule does. People of 16 and above may still ride mopeds; the fine targets only under-18s on licence-required machines.

For riders under 16, penalties are handled more leniently for mopeds, but a vehicle owner or parent who handed over the bike can face their own penalty for letting an unqualified person ride.

Why it matters when renting

Rental shops in Hanoi apply the same thresholds. A 16-year-old visitor cannot legally rent a 110 cc scooter even with a parent present, because no Vietnamese licence class exists for that combination. A moped-style 50 cc — where no licence is required — is the only category open at 16, and shops may still set their own minimum age above the legal line.

Anyone renting on behalf of a younger rider should understand that the adult who supplies the motorbike carries separate legal exposure, not just the teenager.

Information, not legal advice. Verified against Law 36/2024/QH15, Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP and Decree 238/2026/NĐ-CP on 2026-09-22.