What YOU need to ride in Europe | Essential checklist

Whether you’re planning a quick hop across the channel or several weeks riding through Europe, our checklist will guide you through, so before you book your tickets, let's have a look at what you need to sort out before you go, and what paperwork you'll need from the time you roll off the ferry (other means of cross-channel travel are available)…

European motorcycle riding - ten essential things to check

Here's the stuff you need to stay legal on the continent, regardless of where you're headed – we’ll look at the specific needs of France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland further down the page.

Incidentally, most countries will require originals of documents not photocopies, but you might want to photocopy them anyway and keep the copies to hand for casual checks; if they want originals, you can dig them out if needed.

1: Passport: And make sure it's valid. That doesn't mean just 'not expired yet'... The EU/Schengen requirement is that your passport must have been issued less than ten years before your outward travel date, AND that it has three months' validity on your planned return date.

The ten year rule may be an issue for some UK passport holders; if you last renewed your passport well in advance and had the remaining months of your old one added, then you might have plenty of validity left but still fall foul of the 10-year rule, so double check... If you need a new one, don't delay – normal applications should only take a couple of weeks (online is faster than on paper or in person at the Post Office, incidentally), but at peak times that can go up to months...

2: Licence: There’s no need for an International Driving Permit (IDP) as your UK Licence is still valid. The exceptions are if you're still holding an old-style paper licence rather than a photocard, or if your licence was issued in Gibraltar, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. In those cases, you will need a 1968 IDP to ride legally in most EU/EEA countries (including France and Germany, but not Spain). For information on global IDP requirements, visit the government website here.

3: Bike documents: You need to carry the bike's V5c (log book) and MoT certificate at all times. If you're not the legal owner (for example if the bike's on finance) then you may need a form V103 to prove you have permission from the owner to take it out of the country. If you don't have the V5c at all you'll need a V103B as well to show in its place. Contact the finance company well in advance if in doubt.

The above assumes you're riding the bike yourself – if you're taking it in a van, or on a motorhome or trailer, you may need extra paperwork. See the National Motorcyclists Council's latest advice here: https://www.uknmc.org/news/motorcycle-transportation-and-the-eu-border-nmc-publishes-advice

4: Insurance: You no longer need a Green Card to ride in the European Union, but you will need your insurance certificate (again, not a copy, though if it’s supplied digitally, you can print it out).

5: GB sticker: The old GB sticker is no longer valid for travel in Europe – you now need a UK one, unless your number plate already has the ‘UK’ identifier and Union flag on it. However, if your number plate says ‘GB’ with the Union flag, the Euro symbol, the England, Scotland or Wales flags, or has no flags at all, then you do need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of the vehicle. Whether anyone actually checks this, or cares whether you still have a GB plate, is another matter – if anyone's been pulled up for this, please let us know! The change from GB to UK, incidentally, is nothing to do with Brexit – it was planned before then.

In Spain, Cyprus or Malta you must display a UK sticker regardless of what’s on the number place, and if you have a GB sticker, you need to cover or remove it before driving outside the UK. You don’t need a UK sticker to ride or drive in Ireland.

For the latest information, check the government site here.

6: Travel/breakdown insurance:

Also check restrictions on pre-existing medical conditions, and double-check the small point on duration of cover – we've heard of cases where riders have been refused claims because they purchased cover from the time they landed abroad, when the small print said they needed cover from the moment they left home...

7: EHIC/GHIC: The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card, which gave access to essential medical care within the EU and EEA) is a thing of the past now for UK residents having disappeared post Brexit. We thought that was likely to be the end of it, but new agreements have been signed so it's back, now rebranded as the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). It's still free, it's valid for five years and it still works across Europe exactly as the old card did, as well as in Australia and a few other territories. It's worth pointing out though that this is strictly for emergency and essential care, and doesn't cover any private consultations or repatriation to the UK if needed.

Again, it's not compulsory to carry one, but you'd be daft not to, given that medical bills can get scarily big, scarily fast. Even a couple of days in hospital with a few minor tests could see you owing several grand when you're discharged – and you usually have to pay on the spot. If you simply forget to take your card or are eligible for one but haven't actually got one yet then you CAN make a claim in retrospect – but you're unlikely to get a full refund and it could take a long time for your claim to be approved, if at all.

Apply for your GHIC card here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

9: A calendar: Or at least an eye on dates if you're a frequent traveller. Post-Brexit, UK bikers are under the same rules as other non-EU citizens. That means you're limited to 90 days in the Schengen area in any 180-day period. Maybe not a problem for most visitors nipping over for a holiday, but if your work takes you abroad a lot AND you want to holiday in the EU as well, it can quickly add up.

Bear in mind it's a rolling 180 days too, so if in doubt you need to to work back from your return date to 180 days before that, then add up how many days you've been in Schengen between the two (your passport should have been stamped going in and out, so it shouldn't be hard). Then subtract that number from 90 to give how many days you're allowed in this time.

9: ETIAS Visa Waiver/EES monitoring – but not yet... At some point, third country nationals who don't need an actual visa to visit the EU or Schengen Area (that includes us Brits) will need an electronic visa waiver before travel. It's called ETIAS, which stands for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, and it's similar to the ESTA system for travel to the USA. In theory the system came into force in November 2023, but it's already been put back several times, is now expected to be rolled out at the end of 2026 at the earliest, and even once in place there will almost certainly be at least a six month grace period before it becomes mandatory. Applications will be made online or via an app on your phone and are fairly simple – you'll need a scanned copy of your passport and a biometric digital photo to hand – and it will cost 7 euros from the official site (beware third party sites charging extra). You'll also be asked questions about your travel intentions, criminal record and health status amongst other info. Under 18s and over 70s will get their ETIAS for free. Once approved you will get a confirmation email, but you don't need a hard copy – your ETIAS will be electronically linked to your passport.

You should get approval almost straight away (ETIAS say 95% of applications will be decided 'within minutes') but it might take up to four days if extra checks are concerned, and up to four WEEKS if they need to come back to you for extra information. It's valid for three years but if your passport runs out before that, then so does ETIAS, so you'll need to reapply as soon as you renew your passport.

At time of writing (May 2025) the ETIAS application portal and app weren't live, but you can sign up to be informed of developments here.

Along with the ETIAS scheme, the EU is working on a Europe-wide electronic monitoring system, called EES (Entry/Exit System). This should be introduced alongside ETIAS and will replace manual checking and stamping of passports with automated systems recording movements in and out of the EU and Schengen areas. EES doesn't require any action on your part, but it will mean you have to be even more careful not to overstay your 90 days. It also means that if you've been refused entry to any European country, for whatever reason, that will be flagged as you try to enter any other EU country from outside the EU.

Note: ETIAS is only available for those with full British Citizenship. If you are a British Subject, British Overseas Citizen or British Protected Person you need to apply for a full Schengen Visa instead.

10: Tools/spares/puncture kit: Not compulsory, but potentially useful. It’s up to you whether you carry any spares – you'll be the best judge of what might go wrong on your bike AND whether you can fix it yourself – but a small toolkit is always handy, even if it's only so you can tighten up the odd loose sat-nav mount or trim a frayed luggage strap. Additionally, it's always worth having a selection of cable ties and some seriously sticky tape – takes up very little room and can make the difference between being stuck by the roadside or being able to make it to your next stop.

A puncture kit is well worth having too, but completely pointless unless you know how to use it, so make sure you practice a couple of times on an old tyre before you go. Sticky string kits are good, cheap and easy to use, but should be viewed as strictly temporary. Mushroom/plug kits are better for simple holes at 90° to the contact patch, and should get you all the way home, but worse for objects that have penetrated at a sharp angle. As for re-inflating, C02 cylinders are small and easy to use but might struggle to fully inflate a large rear tyre. A small 12v compressor is a useful addition if you have room under the seat, and can also allow you to put up with a slow puncture for a few days if necessary. There are also combined power bank/compressors which are good but usually bulky.

One useful tip - if you have a bike with a single-sided swingarm with one big nut on the hub, it's worth carrying a suitable socket with you; it's easy enough to get a puncture fixed or a new tyre fitted, but not every tyre place or bike shop will have the right socket for your particular bike.

Other things you might need when riding in Europe

Depending on which countries you're visiting, you may need extra paperwork, equipment and/or knowledge. Here's a start for the most popular destinations for Brit bikers…

FRANCE

Even if you're not actually going to France, you’ll probably be passing through and you need to be legal while you're there.

In addition to the main requirements for the EU, France has a few extras:

• You should carry a reflective/hi viz jacket or gilet at all times, in case of emergencies.

• Some sources still say you need to carry an in-date alcohol tester at all times, but that's no longer the case (there was never any fine for it anyway...)

• In theory you should also have approved reflective stickers on your helmet, although no one ever does (including the locals), and we've never heard of anyone being nicked.

• It's now illegal to ride without gloves, and officially they should be CE-approved gloves. In practice so long as they're obviously bike gloves you'll be fine, but bare hands are a no-no.

• Contrary to popular wisdom you do NOT need to carry a spare bulb kit… although it's not a bad idea anyway.

• France has recently seen a proliferation of ZFEs (Zones à Faible Èmissions  or Low Emissions Zones). It's all a bit complicated, so see our specific guide to riding in France for more details here.

• In-ear speakers for comms, music or sat-nav are not allowed (speakers in the helmet are fine). You're also not allowed any kind of radar detector, and sat-navs must not warn you of speed camera locations.

• Speed limits on normal A-roads have changed again recently. From a blanket 90km/h originally, it changed to a blanket 80km/h a few years back, but now some departments are changing back to 90km/h. Signage is often confusing and satnav mapping can't always keep up, so keep your eyes peeled. Speed limits on motorways are usually 130kph unless signed otherwise, but that drops to 110km/h in wet weather.

Probably the most important thing to know before riding in France is how the Priorité à Droite rule works – you'll find a full explanation in our guide to riding in France here.

Make sure you understand Priorité à Droite. Image by Yodaspirine

SPAIN

Spain's one of our favourite places to ride as there’s little traffic away from the towns, plenty of accommodation, and great food in busy coastal resorts. But head a couple of miles inland and you might not see a soul all day.

And then there's the roads... we can't think of anywhere you get such a variety of tarmac, and so much opportunity to get into an all-day bend-swinging groove. Generally, the list of required papers/kit is the same as for the rest of the EU, but you also need…

• Spare glasses (if you're a specs wearer)

• You should have a reflective/hi viz jacket or gilet with you on the bike in case of emergencies.

• Loud pipes are frowned upon and can get you an on-the spot fine.

There are quite a few other peculiarities and things to watch out for in Spain, including new urban speed limits and rules – see our full guide to riding in Spain here.

Whatever country you visit, always respect the locals

GERMANY

A very popular destination for UK bikers with great scenery, fine roads, excellent beer and the opportunity to go as fast as you want, legally. What's not to like? Well, not that much, but as you might expect those high speeds come with a warning…

• Not all Autobahnen are unrestricted - only about half of the total.

• Even derestricted motorways still carry an advisory limit of 130km/h (80mph) – if you ride faster, you accept the consequences if it all goes wrong, and you also expose yourself to prosecution for even minor driving faults.

• Often the motorways are too congested to go fast anyway. If traffic comes to a stop you'll generally find drivers will move to left and right to create a lane down the middle. This is for emergency vehicles to pass, not an invitation for you to blast past the queue – filtering's illegal in Germany.

• Depending where you go, noisy pipes can get you into hot water, and some roads are sometimes closed to motorcycles completely at certain times as a result of noise problems.

• Despite some advice to the contrary, motorcycles don't need special stickers to enter low-emissions zones in German cities.

See our full guide to riding in Germany – including advice about the Nürburgring – here.

ITALY

Italy's a great place to ride – we really must do a full guide on it soon. From the mountains and lakes in the north, through the industrial belt and down to the agricultural south, it's got a bit of everything. Basic paperwork/equipment rules are the same as elsewhere in the EU, with a few additions…

• You need a reflective/hi-viz gilet on board.

• Speed limits are 50km/h (30mph) in town, 90km/h (55mph) on A roads, 110km/h (68mph) on dual cabbageways and 130km/h (80mph) on motorways.

• If it's raining, those last two drop to 90km/h (55mph) and 110km/h (68mph) respectively.

• Be wary of filling up on motorways – fuel can be frighteningly expensive, and if you accidentally choose an attended pump, that rises from frightening to terrifying...

• Also terrifying is the general standard of driving – be very, very wary approaching junctions, overtaking slower traffic in town, out of town… well, just everywhere. All the time.

IRELAND

The Emerald Isle is in the EU, and we're not, so most of the same advice applies as elsewhere in the EU. But bizarrely you don't necessarily need a passport – your photocard driving licence should suffice. We'd take a passport anyway, just in case.

Once there, you'll find beautiful scenery, friendly people, lovely winding roads (but beware wildlife, farm animals and agricultural vehicles – it's not a place to go fast) and good beer. Well worth the trip.

Check out our guide to riding in Ireland here.

We didn’t have any photos of someone having fun riding in Switzerland, so here’s another one from Spain

SWITZERLAND

Right in the heart of the Alps, pretty much wherever you go there's astounding scenery and some great roads. It shouldn't come as a surprise though, that Switzerland's possibly the most law-abiding place you can ride, so if you have trouble sticking to speed limits and other restrictions you might be best to avoid it altogether. If you're heading from the UK though, it is the easiest way to get to Italy, Austria or places further East (speaking of which, have a look at our guide to riding in Croatia here).

Although it's not part of the EU (or the EEA for that matter), Switzerland has signed treaties that mean riding there is pretty much the same as in the EU. Be aware that Switzerland operates a Prorité à Droite rule, like France, which can catch out the unwary. For a full explanation see our guide to France here.

Apart from that, the main thing is to get a Vignette for the motorways if you're planning to use them; you can get one at most garages or at the border, or online in advance for around 40 euros. Get stopped on the motorway without one and it's a big fine. Speeding fines are also big – around 200 quid for a minor offence – so be careful. Also, don't park up on the pavement - more big fines... In fact, let’s refer you back to Spain…