Mexico City Expands A1 and A2 Licences to Personal Electric Vehicles, Fees Start at 572 Pesos

Mexico City has approved a change to its driver licensing system that brings personal electric motorized vehicles, known as VEMEPE, within the scope of A1 and A2 licences. The new rule does not yet have a fixed effective date. It will take effect on the day after publication in the Gaceta Oficial de la Ciudad de México, the city’s official gazette. Information attributed to the Mexico City Congress and the Mexico City Secretariat of Administration and Finance states that users of personal electric vehicles will need to meet the applicable licensing requirements once the measure becomes effective. The fees cited are 572 pesos for an A1 licence and 1,142 pesos for an A2 licence. The central point is the legal classification. The measure does not create a separate licence category for electric scooters. Instead, it expands the existing A1 and A2 categories to cover VEMEPE. This differs from the simplified description used in some headlines, which presents the measure as the creation of a new scooter licence in Mexico City. VEMEPE refers to personal electric motorized vehicles, including electric scooters and similar urban transport devices. Bringing these vehicles into the licensing framework is intended to update traffic regulation as electric personal mobility becomes more common across the capital. The A1 licence is cited at 572 pesos and is associated with motorcycle operation. Its scope would now include VEMEPE. The A2 licence is cited at 1,142 pesos and applies to people driving cars and motorcycles, while also covering personal electric vehicles under the amended framework. The fees already appeared in Mexico City’s 2026 fee schedule. Therefore, the available information does not indicate the creation of a completely new charge designed specifically for scooter users. The amounts are described as administrative rights for issuing or renewing a licence, rather than an impuesto, or tax, imposed on ownership or use. That distinction has become important in the political explanation of the measure. Some critics have described the change as a new tax on electric scooter users. Representatives associated with Morena have argued that the amounts are administrative fees connected with licensing procedures and were already present in the city’s fee structure. The effective date remains the main unresolved issue. Approval by the Mexico City Congress alone does not tell residents when enforcement begins. The amendment must first be published in the Gaceta Oficial de la Ciudad de México. It will become effective the day after publication, meaning users should monitor the official gazette and subsequent guidance from the relevant authorities. Practical questions remain open. Users need to know which licence category applies to their vehicle, where applications will be processed and whether additional examinations or technical requirements will be introduced. The available information does not fully answer those questions. Residents should also distinguish between legislative approval and formal entry into force. From an administrative perspective, extending A1 and A2 may allow Mexico City to avoid creating a separate licensing system. The approach could reduce duplication, use existing government procedures and provide a more unified framework for electric personal mobility. Its effectiveness, however, will depend on implementation guidance, roadside enforcement and the clarity of public information. A rule may be clear in legislation but confusing in practice. If users do not know whether their VEMEPE falls under A1 or A2, fees and procedures will remain sources of uncertainty. Likewise, using the expressions “scooter licence” and “expanded A1 and A2 licences” interchangeably could lead people to believe that a third licence category exists. The available material does not identify a dedicated penalty system for VEMEPE users. It also does not provide complete details about transition periods, recognition of previously issued licences or the treatment of people already using electric vehicles without the relevant permit. Those matters may be addressed through further instructions after publication. The figures of 572 pesos and 1,142 pesos are directly relevant because they are linked to the 2026 fee schedule of the Mexico City Secretariat of Administration and Finance. Residents should still verify the official amount when applying, since administrative fees may be revised through later regulations or implementation guidance. For media coverage, the phrase “scooter licence in Mexico City” is attention-grabbing but legally imprecise. A more accurate description is that Mexico City is expanding the scope of A1 and A2 licences to include personal electric motorized vehicles. The difference matters because one phrase suggests a new product, while the other explains an amendment to the existing system. The next signals to monitor are the publication date in the official gazette, detailed instructions from the Mexico City Congress and the Secretariat of Administration and Finance, and continued political debate over whether the amounts should be described as fees or taxes. Once publication occurs, the effective date will be fixed and procedural questions should become easier to answer. For users, the most practical step is to identify their vehicle type, review the applicable licence category and wait for official instructions before making any payment. The reform may help Mexico City bring traffic regulation closer to the growth of electric personal mobility, but its real test will come on the streets, where legal terminology matters only when residents understand it and authorities apply it consistently.