A2 licence: costs, training, requirements

For many, the A2 licence is the springboard into the world of motorcycling. At 18, you finally get the chance to feel the wind rushing past on a 48 hp machine and gain your first – or further – riding experience. I opted for the A2 licence myself and, after weeks of research and countless enquiries to riding schools, I can give you as complete an overview of the A2 licence as possible.

Let's start with the legal basics. In Austria there are essentially four relevant licence categories for motorcycles:

• AM: mopeds and light two-wheelers
• A1: bikes up to 125 cc and a maximum of 11 kW
• A2: bikes up to a maximum of 35 kW
• A: bikes with no power restriction

This report is all about the second-highest motorcycle category – the A2 licence. You can obtain the licence at 18 at the earliest, but you're allowed to start training six months before your birthday. As with the other motorcycle categories, the A2 licence has a few peculiarities.

Anyone who has held an A1 licence for at least two years can move up to A2 via the so-called progressive access scheme. Depending on the route chosen, this step-up is done either through additional riding lessons or a test. But the A2 licence is far from the end of the journey. If you've held the A2 category long enough, you can move up to the unrestricted A licence earlier.

So the A2 licence plays a far from insignificant role in the motorcycling world. The figures for issued licences from Arge2rad confirm this. In 2025, 8,629 A2 licences were recorded, compared with 8,245 in 2024. That's an increase of around 4.7 percent. The long-term trend is also striking: in 2013 the figure stood at 6,544 A2 licences. That puts the 2025 level around 32 percent higher than twelve years earlier.

The A2 licence category allows you to ride bikes with a maximum of 35 kW, or 48 hp. Next to current superbikes with well over 200 hp, 48 hp may sound modest at first. In practice, though, A2 already opens up a surprisingly wide choice: from naked bikes and adventure bikes to sporty models, there's quite a lot on offer.

However, the 35 kW limit isn't the only requirement. In addition, the power-to-weight ratio must not exceed 0.2 kW per kilogram. More powerful bikes can also be restricted for A2 – but only if their original output is no more than twice as high. What does that mean exactly? A bike with a maximum of 70 kW, or around 95 hp, can generally be restricted to 35 kW. With an original output of, say, 80 kW, however, that's no longer possible.

Now that we've covered the legal basics and the decision for A2 has been made, training begins with finding a suitable riding school. It's important not to go for the first offer you come across. Prices, available dates and included services can vary enormously. After all, what counts isn't just the course price stated at first glance. Additional costs for authorities, tests, materials or extra riding lessons can change the actual total price.

Without a prior category B licence, the theory training for the A2 licence comprises a total of 26 teaching units. These are split into 20 units of basic knowledge and 6 units for Module A. Anyone who already holds a car licence (B) has an advantage: the basic knowledge was already covered during car licence training and doesn't have to be attended again. So you're in luck: for B licence holders, the theory part of A2 training is reduced to the motorcycle-specific Module A, which can usually be completed within one to two days. In terms of content, the theory course covers fundamental traffic and safety rules for motorcyclists. The training is supplemented by topics from the areas of vehicle technology and environmental awareness.

The theory training for the A2 licence concludes with a theory test. Module A is tested and – where required – the basic knowledge (GW) as well. Anyone who already holds a B licence and is adding the A2 category only has to complete Module A. The test consists of multiple-choice questions and is taken on a computer. Each test module allows 30 minutes. If both the basic knowledge and Module A are tested, the total test time is therefore 60 minutes. When upgrading from B to A2, it's correspondingly just 30 minutes. To pass the theory test, you must score at least 80 percent of the possible points in each required module. The modules are assessed separately.

The required 80 percent may put some people under a bit of pressure at first. But there's no reason to worry, because you can prepare specifically for the theory test. Many riding schools offer their own study materials and digital learning programmes for this, such as apps or online platforms. Depending on the provider, these usually cost between €30 and €60. With these programmes you can practise the relevant test questions and learn the correct answers step by step. Complete test simulations are often available too, letting you get used to the procedure and the way questions are asked. If you practise regularly, you're well placed to clear the 80 percent hurdle. It's important to note, however, that the paid learning offers from riding schools are not mandatory. If you'd rather prepare for the theory test on your own and save on extra costs, you can use the free learning aids from the ÖAMTC instead. These are available here.

The practical riding training for the A2 licence usually comprises around 14 riding lessons. It starts with the basic exercises: pulling away, shifting gears, braking and cornering safely. After that, you head out into real traffic, where what you've learned is applied and consolidated on road rides. The training concludes with special test preparation lessons in which typical test situations are practised in a targeted way. The aim is to consolidate the routines and go into the practical test as confidently as possible.

After the training, the practical riding test finally awaits. It begins with a technical check of the bike, during which basic knowledge about the vehicle is tested. Then it's off to the training ground. There you have to complete various riding manoeuvres safely, including turning, slalom, the big figure eight, a target stop and an evasive manoeuvre. Once these exercises are done, the final part of the test follows on public roads. For around 25 minutes, you have to show that you can handle the bike safely and apply the traffic rules correctly. If you've mastered the exercises from your riding lessons and stay calm and alert in traffic, you're well set for a successful test. And then, in the best case, all that's missing are the words you've been working towards throughout the entire training: "Congratulations, you've passed the test."

The cost of the A2 licence doesn't just vary from federal state to federal state. An existing licence can also have a considerable impact on the training price. If you already hold a relevant licence, you can get into A2 training significantly cheaper, depending on your starting point.

The cost of complete A2 training without a prior licence is in a similar range in most federal states. The prices I collected range from €1,190.00 to €2,244.00, with an average of around €1,686.12. The regional difference is striking, though: in western Austria, A2 training is considerably more expensive than, for example, in the south-east of the country.

Prices for complete A2 training with a prior category B licence are somewhat cheaper. Here prices range from €1,070.00 to €1,997.00. The average is around €1,506.61. The same regional difference shows up in this variant too. If you already hold a licence, you save the costs for the first aid course you've already completed and for the basic knowledge module of the theory test.

Anyone who has held an A1 licence for at least two years has a clear advantage when moving up to the A2 category. Via the so-called progressive access scheme, the switch is possible with little effort. There are basically two options. If you'd rather avoid tests, you can complete the step-up with seven additional riding lessons. This option costs around €537.56 on average, making it usually somewhat more expensive than the second option. Alternatively, the step-up can be done via a practical riding test. In many cases this option is completed faster and, with an average price of €446.76, it's also cheaper than the additional riding lessons.

If, after looking at the prices so far, you want to march straight to the riding school, hold on a moment: with the A2 licence, the pure training costs aren't the end of it. Depending on the riding school, some extra costs are already included in the package offered, but by no means all. So additional expenses may still be added. That's why it pays to ask exactly, before signing up, which services are included in the price and which costs are billed separately. That way you can avoid nasty surprises on the final bill.

A first aid course is required to obtain the A2 licence. If you've already completed such a course during car licence training or for another reason, you don't have to attend it again. A completed six-hour first aid course is generally valid indefinitely in Austria. For anyone who hasn't yet done such a course, this is where the first additional costs arise. Some riding schools offer their own first aid courses or arrange them through external providers. The cost of the six-hour course is usually between €60 and €90. Alternatively, you can complete the first aid course independently with providers such as the Red Cross or the Samariterbund. For the cost table, the cheapest offer found from an external provider in each federal state was used.

In addition to the first aid course, a medical certificate is also required for the A2 licence. Some riding schools organise the examination directly; otherwise you have to book it yourself with an authorised doctor. The examination is straightforward and serves to determine whether you're medically fit to ride a motorcycle. Injections or blood tests aren't part of the examination, so no need to worry. Among other things, eyesight, lung capacity, heartbeat and joint mobility are checked. Important: the certificate must not be issued by your own family doctor. In most cases, the examination costs around €35.

Alongside the training costs, the A2 licence also involves official fees. Depending on your starting point, these total around €138.50 to €161. They include, among other things, the fees for the theory test. Without a prior licence it costs €11, with an existing licence €5.50. A further €60 is due for the practical test. The fees for the first attempt at the theory and practical tests are already included in the training price at most riding schools and therefore shouldn't be counted twice. If you need another attempt, the additional costs mentioned apply. On top of that come the costs for issuing the licence. A first-time issue costs €90. If, on the other hand, an existing card licence is extended to include the A2 category, the fee is €73.

In addition to the training prices from the first table, the cost table also takes the collected additional costs into account. As riding schools include different services and fees in their offers, the prices aren't always directly comparable. The prices were collected on a sample basis and therefore serve as a guide. It's advisable to ask the respective riding school directly which services are already included in the price and which costs are additional.

So you see: with A2 training, a number of additional expenses can arise on top of the actual training costs. These include, for example, study materials and digital learning programmes, offered by many riding schools as apps or online platforms. Depending on the provider, these usually cost between €30 and €60. However, these paid learning offers are not mandatory. As already mentioned, the ÖAMTC offers free online learning aids that also let you prepare for the theory test and save on extra costs.

As part of the mandatory multi-phase training, after passing the A2 licence test you still have to complete a rider safety training course including a traffic-psychology group session and hazard perception training, as well as a follow-up "perfection ride". Costs vary depending on the federal state and provider. Cheaper offers can be found, for example, at the WIVUS riding school in Vienna, which charges €225 for the safety training and €160 for the perfection ride. At ARBÖ in Styria, the safety training costs €250 and the perfection ride another €140. For comparison: ARBÖ Salzburg charges €270 for the safety training. Prices for this part were only collected on a sample basis and therefore don't reflect all offers in Austria. It's advisable to ask your own riding school directly and check for possible discounts or package prices for the safety training and the perfection ride.

The bottom line: the A2 licence is not a cheap undertaking. Based on the prices collected for this report and the extra costs taken into account, without a prior licence you should expect around €1,884 on average. If you already hold a car licence, you'll end up at around €1,614. On top of that comes the mandatory multi-phase training with safety training and perfection ride. That results in total costs of around €2,284 to €2,334 without a prior licence and €2,014 to €2,064 with a car licence. Depending on the riding school, region and included services, however, the actual bill can differ considerably. And even with the licence in your pocket, the motorcycling budget is far from complete. Our calculation deliberately excludes the bike, protective gear, insurance and other running costs. If you don't yet own any gear, you'll need, for example, a helmet, motorcycle jacket, trousers, gloves and boots. These purchases can also significantly increase the starting budget required. And then the most important thing is still missing: your own bike. Whether it's a used A2 machine, a new 35 kW model or a more powerful bike with an appropriate restriction – the purchase costs depend heavily on which bike you end up going for. Added to that are insurance and other expenses related to owning a motorcycle.

The real financial entry into the motorcycling world is therefore higher than the pure licence bill would suggest. Nevertheless, passing the test opens a pretty big door: up to 35 kW, or 48 hp, are at your disposal, and with them a large number of bikes across various categories. If you plan costs and extras realistically from the start, you'll at least know fairly precisely what budget is needed to get your A2 licence. But you should still leave enough financial leeway afterwards for the bike, gear, insurance and actually getting going on two wheels.

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