Can I take a passenger or a child on the back of my motorbike or moped?
In short
Under certain conditions. The passenger must have a seat and keep their feet on the footrests. Children under 3 may not be carried at all, and children under 8 may not be carried on a motorbike over 125 cc.
Video transcript
You want to put your two-year-old on the back of your motorbike for a short ride. It depends: A child under 3 can't be carried; on a motorbike over 125 cc, no child under 8. To carry a passenger on a moped, the rider must be at least 18. The right way: The passenger needs a seat, feet on the footrests and a helmet. Sitting sideways is forbidden. Traffic fine: Child-carrying rule: 191 € + 10,67 €; Passengers, footrests: 64 € + 10,67 €; In court (3rd degree): 300 € – 5.000 €.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- You may not carry more people than there are seats. The passenger must keep their feet on the footrests (voetsteunen / repose-pieds).
- The passenger must not sit side-saddle (amazonezit / position en amazone), and the rider must not allow it either.
- Carrying a child under 3 on a moped or a motorbike is forbidden.
- A child aged 3–8 may only be carried on a motorbike of up to 125 cc or on a moped in a suitable child seat (kinderbeveiligingssysteem / dispositif de retenue). Children under 8 may not be carried on a motorbike over 125 cc.
- To carry a passenger on a moped, you must be at least 18. A moped rider aged 16–17 may only carry a driving instructor or examiner.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- The rules on carrying children: 3rd-degree offence, on-the-spot fine 191 € (+10,67 € administrative costs). The rules on the number of passengers, footrests and sitting side-saddle: 1st-degree offence, 64 € (+10,67 €).
Legal basis:KB 30.9.2005, art. 3, 20°/1 (Justel)KB 30.9.2005, art. 1 (Justel)
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence. In court, a 3rd-degree offence can lead to a fine of 300 € – 5.000 €; a driving ban of 8 days to 5 years is also possible.
Legal basis:wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad
What does this level mean? Traffic offence, degree 3: On-the-spot payment €191; in court €300 – €5,000; the court may suspend the licence for 8 days – 5 years. All penalty levels →
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- The passenger must also wear a helmet; on a motorbike, the rule on gloves, jacket, long trousers and boots also applies to the passenger.
Legal basis:KB 1.12.1975, art. 36 (Justel)
- If you are convicted again within three years, the fine in court is doubled.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 29 §4 (Justel)
- A small child cannot protect themselves in a fall, and the injuries can be very serious.
What do these terms mean?
- On-the-spot payment
- A fixed amount offered by the police. If you pay, the case is closed and does not go to court. If not, the prosecutor takes over; the amount can rise and the case can go to court.
Why does this rule exist?
A passenger, especially a child, can fall off a motorbike if they cannot hold on tightly. Footrests and a child seat help them stay balanced. Age limits protect very young children from the risks of powerful motorbikes.
Where can you go?
- Municipal driving licence serviceExchanging a foreign driving licence and other licence matters
- Free first-line legal adviceIf you have been summoned to the police court (juridische eerstelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de première ligne)
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 14 / 14 statements in an official source
- Checked: 16.10.2026
- Last checked
- 16.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 14 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Oturak sayısından fazla kişi taşınamaz (bromfiets, motorfiets)
KB 1.12.1975 art. 44.4 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yolcu ayakları ayak dayama yerinde
KB 1.12.1975 art. 44.5 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yan oturuş yasak; sürücü izin veremez
KB 1.12.1975 art. 44.5 (Justel) - Found in an official source
3 yaş altı çocuk mopette/motosiklette taşınamaz
KB 1.12.1975 art. 35.1.1, achtste lid (Justel) - Found in an official source
3–8 yaş: 125 cc'ye kadar motosiklet/mopette uygun çocuk koltuğu
KB 1.12.1975 art. 35.1.1, zevende lid (Justel) - Found in an official source
125 cc üstü motosiklette 3–8 yaş taşınamaz
KB 1.12.1975 art. 35.1.1, achtste lid (Justel) - Found in an official source
Mopette 16 yaş yalnız yolcusuz; aksi halde genel 18 yaş
KB 1.12.1975, art. 8.2, 3°, a) (Justel) - Found in an official source
Çocuk kuralları (35.1.1 lid 7-9) 3. derece
KB 30.9.2005, art. 3, 20°/1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
44.4 / 44.5 derece almamış → 1. derece
KB 30.9.2005, art. 1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Tutarlar 191 € / 64 € + 10,67 €
wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad (derece ve anında ödeme tutarları Justel KB 30.9.2005 ve KB 19.4.2014 ile karşılaştırıldı, 16.10.2026; 10,67 €, uzlaşma ve mahkeme tutarları bekliyor) - Found in an official source
3. derece mahkeme 300–5.000 €; men 8 gün–5 yıl mümkün
wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad (derece ve anında ödeme tutarları Justel KB 30.9.2005 ve KB 19.4.2014 ile karşılaştırıldı, 16.10.2026; 10,67 €, uzlaşma ve mahkeme tutarları bekliyor) - Found in an official source
Yolcu için kask ve motosiklette koruyucu kıyafet
KB 1.12.1975, art. 36 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Tekrar halinde ceza iki kat
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 29 §4 (Justel) - Corrected according to the source
Mopette yolcu taşıyan sürücü en az 18 yaşında; 16 yaş yalnız eğitmen/sınav görevlisi dışında kimse yoksa
KB 1.12.1975, art. 8.2, 3°, a) (Justel)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?