HB494: HB494 Motor vehicles; require mopeds to be covered by a form of minimum financial responsibility for accident damages

Currently, Georgia law regulates who can operate a moped on public highways, including age and license requirements, but does not require moped riders to carry insurance or another way to pay for accident damages they might cause. This bill changes that by adding a new requirement to the existing moped law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-351). The bill keeps the existing rule that no one under 15 may operate a moped, and that riders must hold a valid driver's license, instruction permit, or limited permit. It adds a new rule that no one may operate a moped on Georgia highways unless the moped is covered by a form of financial responsibility, such as insurance, that can pay for damages from accidents in amounts matching the minimum liability coverage already required for other vehicles under Georgia's insurance law (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11). The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a separate effective date beyond standard enactment.

• Adds a new requirement that mopeds operated on Georgia highways be covered by a form of financial responsibility, such as insurance, for accident damages.
• Ties the required coverage amount to the minimum liability limits already set for vehicles under Georgia insurance law (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11).
• Keeps the existing minimum age of 15 to operate a moped on Georgia highways.
• Keeps the existing requirement that moped operators hold a valid driver's license, instruction permit, or limited permit.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with the new insurance requirement for mopeds.

Moped owners and riders in Georgia, who would need to obtain and maintain insurance or another form of financial responsibility, and law enforcement officers who would need to check for this coverage when enforcing moped laws on Georgia highways.

If enacted, moped riders who currently operate without any insurance requirement would need to obtain coverage or another approved way to pay for accident damages, similar to car owners. This could raise costs for moped owners while giving people injured in moped accidents a way to recover damages.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-6-351 and keeps the existing minimum age of 15 for operating a moped on Georgia highways.
• Section 1 keeps the existing requirement for a valid driver's license, instruction permit, or limited permit to operate a moped.
• Section 1 adds a new subsection (c) requiring mopeds to be covered by financial responsibility that can pay for accident damages up to the amounts set in O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(1)(A).
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the new requirements.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
3. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
4. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
5. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Dewey McClain (D, HD-109)Primary sponsor
• Lynn Heffner (D, HD-130)
• Gabe Okoye (D, HD-102)
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)
• Rhonda Taylor (D, HD-092)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   160 yea, 14 nay (2 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #212

• moped insurance
• motor vehicle law
• financial responsibility
• traffic safety