On the evening of July 4, the Traffic Police Department (CSGT) of Hanoi City Police informed that the information circulating on social networks that from August 15 to 2026 people aged 16 to under 18 years old riding all types of motorbikes will be fined is not in accordance with the law.
Accordingly, through grasping the situation in cyberspace, the Hanoi Traffic Police Department discovered that some accounts and social networking sites posted and shared information that from August 15, 2026, when Decree No. 238/2026/ND-CP dated June 26, 2026 of the Government (amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP) takes effect, people from 16 years old to under 18 years old will not be allowed to drive motorbikes or electric motorbikes.
Through studying current legal regulations, the Traffic Police Department of Hanoi City Police affirmed that this is false information, causing misunderstanding for people.
According to the Hanoi Traffic Police Department, in Article 6 of Decree No. 238/2026/ND-CP, the Government amended point a, clause 4, Article 18 of Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP from the regulation: "People from 16 years old to under 18 years old driving motorbikes with a cylinder capacity of 50 cm3 or more or having an electric motor power of 04 kW or more" to "People from 16 years old to under 18 years old driving motorbikes and similar vehicles.
This is a regulation on administrative sanctions, aiming to unify the way to identify violators for the act of driving a motorbike when not old enough according to the provisions of law.
This is not a regulation prohibiting people from 16 years old from driving motorbikes," Hanoi Traffic Police Department affirmed.
According to Law No. 36/2024/QH15, dated June 27, 2024 - The Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety classifies motorbikes and mopeds as two different types of vehicles.
In which, motorcycles are vehicles with two or three motorized wheels, designed to operate on roads, excluding motorbikes.
For motorbikes, the law stipulates that vehicles have a design speed not greater than 50km/h; if using a thermal engine, the capacity is not greater than 50 cm3, if using an electric motor, the power is not greater than 04 kW.
In addition, Article 56 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety stipulates that motorbike drivers participating in traffic must meet the conditions of understanding traffic rules, driving skills, age and health according to the provisions of law.
In particular, point a, clause 1, Article 59 of the Law clearly stipulates: People aged 16 and over are allowed to drive motorbikes.
Thus, Decree No. 238/2026/ND-CP only amends a number of regulations on administrative sanctions in Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP, does not amend the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety; does not change regulations on vehicle classification and also does not change the conditions and age allowed to drive motorbikes according to the provisions of law.
Therefore, the information that from August 15, 2026, students from 16 years old to under 18 years old are prohibited from driving motorbikes and electric motorbikes is not true," the Hanoi Traffic Police Department affirmed once again.
The Traffic Police Department of Hanoi City Police recommends that people should proactively verify information from legal documents and official information channels of state agencies before sharing it on social networks; do not post or spread false information that causes public confusion.
At the same time, parents and students need to continue to strictly comply with the provisions of law on traffic order and safety; only drive vehicles in accordance with age and conditions according to regulations and always wear standard helmets, strictly comply with traffic rules to ensure safety for themselves and the community.
