Austria's Delivery Riders Are Losing Their E-Mopeds — and Thousands of Private Owners Are Caught in the Same Net
Published on 09/30/2026 at 18:01 | Editorial boerse-global.de
A regulatory reclassification quietly passed in spring 2026 has turned Austria's familiar e-moped into a small motorcycle in the eyes of the law. For the couriers who deliver for platforms such as foodora and Lieferando, that means the machines they have ridden for years are effectively off the menu. Bicycles and e-bikes are the new baseline.
The change reaches well beyond the delivery sector. Anywhere between 20,000 and 30,000 people are affected by the second amendment to the Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsordnung), at least 20,000 of them private individuals.
What actually changed
Until now, an e-moped without pedal assistance sat in the same legal category as an ordinary bicycle, provided it topped out at 25 km/h and its rated continuous output stayed at or below 250 watts. That equivalence is gone. Single-track electric vehicles in class L1e-B — up to 45 km/h and a rated continuous output of no more than 4 kW — now fall under the rules written for conventional mopeds.
The dividing line under EU Regulation 168/2013 is the so-called R-point. If it sits no higher than 540 millimetres above the ground, the vehicle is not classed as L1e-B and remains an electric bicycle capped at 250 watts and 25 km/h.
For everything that is captured, the obligations stack up: registration, compulsory third-party motor insurance, a periodic inspection sticker and a helmet requirement. Riders must hold at least an AM-category licence. Cycle paths and other cycling infrastructure are closed to these vehicles — they belong on the carriageway.
The blood-alcohol limit drops from 0.8 to 0.5 per mille at the same time. Periodic inspections under Paragraph 57a currently follow a three-, two-, one-year interval, before a new rhythm of four, two, two, two and one years takes effect from 17 May 2027.
Penalties for riding without the necessary entitlement are steep. Breaches of the Driving Licence Act (Führerscheingesetz) carry fines of €363 to €2,180. Riding without proper registration or liability cover exposes offenders to statutory penalties of up to €10,000 depending on the offence, on top of possible recourse claims from insurers.
Paperwork, and a club that calls it a de facto ban
Registration requires either a COC document or an individual approval issued by the relevant provincial government. Entering a COC into the approvals database costs an average of €120 to €130 depending on the province. Where the technical papers are missing, a separate expert assessment becomes necessary.
The motoring club ÖAMTC has argued that the new rules amount to a de facto ban for thousands of vehicles, since registration is often impossible for want of documentation. It wants simplified procedures for the existing fleet and European-level solutions modelled on Germany and Italy.
What riders know, and what they don't
A survey of 100 e-moped riders conducted by the Austrian Road Safety Board (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit) in summer 2026 found that nearly all respondents were aware of the changes — yet roughly one in six felt poorly or very poorly informed. A third reported having been involved in a crash at some point.
Inspectors at vehicle testing centres point out that cheap imported models without documentation can no longer be used and will have to be scrapped. Recycling operators are bracing for a growing stream of discarded vehicles, which can be handed in free of charge.
Exemptions exist. Three- and four-wheeled mopeds, wheelchairs and senior mobility scooters up to 10 km/h, and multi-track vehicles up to 250 watts are outside the prohibitions, provided multi-track bicycles are no more than 100 centimetres wide.
Cities cheer, fleets scramble
Urban centres such as Vienna, Graz and Linz will feel the shift most acutely. Judith Schwentner, deputy mayor and transport councillor in Graz, welcomed a step the city and the Austrian Association of Cities had pushed for years in the name of safety for cyclists and pedestrians on cycle paths.
An IFDD poll for the broadcaster W24 found 91 per cent of Vienna's residents back the new rules. Transport Minister Peter Hanke called the provisions a huge step for road safety, explaining the timing by saying delivery services needed enough time to adapt their fleets.
Platforms are responding with sweeping overhauls, since continuing to let couriers use e-mopeds counts as a breach of contract that can lead to termination. foodora is converting its fleet entirely and investing several million euros through 2027.
Alongside a partnership with fleet provider Cycle, which supplies rental bikes including repair and maintenance, the company is running road-safety training with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Mobility. Taking part earns a €50 bonus.
An Oxford Economics study commissioned by foodora found 71 per cent of riders agree the company takes sufficient measures for their safety. Its couriers are employed on regular contracts or work as freelance contractors under the General Social Security Act (Allgemeines Sozialversicherungsgesetz).
Lieferando also works with Cycle. Active freelance contractors in its network who choose a branded bike get €40 off the subscription each month. The bikes offer ranges of up to 120 kilometres and can be cancelled monthly or half-yearly, with pickup currently available in Vienna and Graz.
Lieferando provides free helmets and safety jackets and subsidises safety training at €50 per course through a five-figure total budget. Wolt likewise intends to support training programmes.
The ergonomic bill for all that pedalling
Shifting deliveries onto bicycles and e-bikes raises fresh occupational-health questions. A joint study by the Vienna Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer Wien) and the General Accident Insurance Institution (Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt) shows that carrying loaded transport boxes on the back puts considerable strain on the lumbar spine. Because that load persists throughout a shift while riding, long-term damage to the musculoskeletal system is a real risk.
Worker representatives want concrete relief from employers. Beyond mounting the boxes firmly on luggage racks, they are calling for suitable bikes to be provided and maintained free of charge, protective clothing for all weather, and binding rules for extreme conditions such as storms or heat. The organisations also want targeted inspections by the labour inspectorate to effectively safeguard couriers' working conditions.
