E-scooters on Renfe: DGT requirements and 2027 regulations

Since 7 September 2026, Renfe has once again allowed electric scooters on certain Cercanías, Media Distancia and Larga Distancia services, following the ban introduced in 2023.

But this time, there is an important difference: not every electric scooter is allowed on board.

Renfe has established a series of requirements regarding vehicle certification, registration, identification and insurance. In addition, this change comes just a few months before another particularly important date for electric scooter users in Spain:

22 January 2027.

From that date, according to the DGT, only Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMPs) with the corresponding certification will be allowed to circulate.

If you use an electric scooter for your daily journeys, here is what you need to know.

Can you take an electric scooter on Renfe trains again?

Yes, but under certain conditions.

Since 7 September 2026, Renfe has once again allowed electric scooters to be transported on:

• Cercanías
• Media Distancia
• Larga Distancia

However, Rodalies de Catalunya and Cercanías Euskadi are currently excluded from this measure.

This last point is particularly important: the fact that Renfe has changed its general conditions does not automatically mean that you can travel with your electric scooter on every train or railway network in Spain.

Before travelling, we recommend always checking the specific conditions of the operator and service you intend to use.

What does your electric scooter need to travel on Renfe?

Renfe states that only electric scooters that are approved or certified and comply with the applicable legal requirements and its transport conditions will be allowed on board.

These requirements include:

✓ Approved/certified electric scooter
The scooter must comply with the corresponding technical requirements.

✓ Registration in the DGT Vehicle Register
The VMP must be properly registered.

✓ Identification
It must display the corresponding visible identification label or plate.

✓ Mandatory third-party liability insurance
The insurance policy must be valid.

✓ Certificate of circulation
This certifies that the vehicle complies with the required technical standards.

Renfe may refuse access to a VMP when the established conditions are not met or when occupancy or safety circumstances make it necessary.

How should the electric scooter be transported on the train?

Meeting the administrative requirements is not enough. There are also rules regarding how the scooter must be transported.

Once on board, the scooter must remain:

Folded. Switched off. And properly stored.

Charging the battery during the journey is not permitted, and the scooter must not block aisles, doors, emergency exits or priority areas.

Renfe states that scooters must be placed in the designated areas or in locations where they cause the least possible disruption to other passengers.

This makes it possible to once again use a particularly convenient combination for certain urban journeys:

Electric Scooter → Train → Electric Scooter

Always, of course, provided that the railway service you are using allows VMPs on board.

Electric scooter + train: a solution for the first and last mile

One of the main challenges of public transport occurs before and after the train journey itself.

You may have a train station relatively close to your home, but still far enough away to require another means of transport to reach it.

The same can happen once you arrive at your destination.

This is commonly known as the first- and last-mile problem.

For some users, an electric scooter can cover precisely these shorter sections of the journey:

Home → Station → Train → Final destination

This makes it possible to combine different forms of transport instead of relying on a single mode of mobility for the entire journey.

Renfe itself presents the readmission of electric scooters as a measure designed to encourage this type of intermodal mobility and make everyday journeys easier for workers, students and other passengers.

But there is another date every electric scooter user should know: 22 January 2027

Renfe's new policy comes at a particularly important time for electric scooter regulations in Spain.

The DGT has established a key date:

22 January 2027

VMPs sold up to 21 January 2024 were able to benefit from a transitional period that allows them to continue circulating even if they do not have a VMP certificate.

But that transitional period is coming to an end.

From 22 January 2027, only VMPs that comply with the requirements established in the DGT Manual of Characteristics for Personal Mobility Vehicles and have the corresponding certificate number will be allowed to circulate.

This means that owning an electric scooter that is currently allowed to circulate under the transitional rules does not guarantee that you will be able to continue using it on public roads after 22 January 2027.

What happens to older non-certified electric scooters?

The DGT has established a transitional system for these vehicles.

VMPs without certification can currently be registered in the National Vehicle Register and obtain the required insurance. However, their identification is temporary.

The DGT specifies that this identification will cease to be valid on 22 January 2027, after which these non-certified vehicles will no longer be allowed to circulate.

It is therefore important to distinguish between two concepts:

Being allowed to ride today does not necessarily mean being allowed to ride after 22 January 2027.

If you are considering buying a new electric scooter for use in Spain, checking whether the model has the corresponding DGT certification is becoming increasingly important.

Registration, identification and insurance: the new regulatory landscape for VMPs

Spanish regulations governing electric scooters have evolved considerably.

Royal Decree 52/2026 created the Personal Light Vehicle register within the National Vehicle Register and established the procedure for registering VMPs. According to the DGT, VMPs must have a certificate of circulation, be registered in the Vehicle Register and display their identification label in accordance with the regulatory framework applicable to each vehicle.

In addition, Law 5/2025 introduced mandatory third-party liability insurance for personal light vehicles falling within its scope.

The result is a regulatory environment in which it is increasingly important to consider not only an electric scooter's specifications and performance, but also its legal and documentation status.

Buying a new electric scooter? Check that it is DGT certified

Since 22 January 2024, new VMPs sold in Spain must be certified in order to be used as Personal Mobility Vehicles.

And from 22 January 2027, this certification will be essential in order to continue riding on public roads.

That is why, when buying an electric scooter for use in Spain, you should not only consider:

range, power, suspension, comfort or price.

You should also ask:

Is this model DGT certified?

At Joyor, we offer a dedicated range of DGT-certified electric scooters, designed to comply with the applicable requirements for use as VMPs in Spain:

Models such as the Joyor T-PRO DGT, S-PRO DGT, Y10 DGT, T6D DGT, C10 DGT and LiteGo DGT offer different options depending on the range, performance and type of journey you need.

→ DISCOVER JOYOR DGT-CERTIFIED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

Source: Grupo Renfe