Riding quad and scrambler bikes

Scramblers and quads are motorised leisure vehicles designed for off-road use. You mustn't drive one on a public road unless you’re at least 16 years old and have a driving licence. You can only drive one on private land if the landowner allows you to drive there.

Off-road vehicles

Quads, scramblers, electric scooters, buzz boards and minibikes (also known as mini-motos) are powered by a 22.5cc stroke engine. These motorised vehicles can do fast speeds. Motorised vehicle driving is restricted to off-road.

Driving an off-road vehicle

If you own one of these vehicles, you mustn’t drive it on public roads or in public places such as:

  • footpaths
  • forests
  • parks
  • sports grounds
  • car parks
  • housing estates
  • beaches

When you’re driving off-road for example on a private lane or in a field, you should pay attention to:

  • other off-road vehicles
  • walkers
  • animals

Driving motorised vehicles on public roads

To drive a scrambler, electric scooter, buzz board, quad or mini-moto on a public road, you must be at least 16 years old and have:

  • a driving licence
  • third party insurance
  • number plates
  • vehicle tax
  • lights
  • reflectors
  • a crash helmet

Driving licence for a quad

It’s an offence to drive a motorised vehicle on a public road without a driving licence. The minimum driving licences that allow you to drive a quad on a public road are:

  • category AM for a 16-year old
  • full category B for 17 years+ in a larger quad

Children and young people driving off-road vehicles

Off-road vehicles aren’t toys. But you don’t need a licence to drive an off-road vehicle on private land. If your child has an off-road vehicle, it’s important you teach them about safe driving off-road. To stay safe on a quad or scrambler, your child should wear a helmet and strong, protective clothing.

You should also make sure the landowner allows them to drive the vehicle on their private land.

To ask about children's beginner coaching, contact:

Reporting off-road vehicles in public places

If you see people driving scramblers or quads in parks, forests or other public places, you should contact the police.

If an off-road vehicle driver causes distress or alarm, or you’re concerned about unsafe driving:

  • telephone 999

To report off-road vehicle drivers causing nuisance or annoyance:

The police can investigate an off-road vehicle being driven on a public road.

They can :

  • seize the vehicle
  • prosecute or fine the driver
  • prosecute or fine the child's parent or guardian

Using a quad for agriculture

If you want to use a quad for farming and need to go on the public road, you must have a driving licence. Before driving the quad, you must have one of the licences below:

  • category AM  for a 16-year old
  • full category B for over 17 years old

You'll also need a Lantra certificate if your job involves driving. To find out about courses for agricultural drivers, go to:

More useful links

 

 

Share this page


What do you want to do?
What is your question about?
Do you want a reply?
Your email address
To reply to you, we need your email address
Your feedback

We will not reply to your feedback.  Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

This feedback form is for issues with the nidirect website only.

You can use it to report a problem or suggest an improvement to a webpage.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly as we don’t have access to information about you held by government departments.

You must be aged 13 years or older - if you’re younger, ask someone with parental responsibility to send the feedback for you.

The nidirect privacy notice applies to any information you send on this feedback form.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.
Plain text only, 750 characters maximum.

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

What to do next

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

What to do next

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

What to do next

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

What to do next

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

What to do next

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

What to do next

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

What to do next

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

What to do next

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

What to do next

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

What to do next

For queries about:

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

What to do next

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

What to do next

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

What to do next

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

What to do next

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

What to do next

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

What to do next

For queries or advice about rates, email:
rating@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about property valuation, email:
valuation@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about land registry, email:
CustomerInformation.LandRegistration@finance-ni.gov.uk

For mapping queries, email:
Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk

What to do next

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.