Iranian authorities have officially clarified traffic regulations to allow women to obtain motorcycle riding licenses, according to local media reports on Wednesday.
Until now, the country’s laws did not expressly ban women from riding motorcycles or scooters. In practice, however, licensing authorities routinely refused to issue permits to female applicants, leaving many women without legal protection on the roads.
Because they were unlicensed, female riders were often held responsible in traffic accidents, even in cases where they were not at fault.
The new policy follows a resolution signed on Tuesday by Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, aimed at removing ambiguities in existing traffic laws. The resolution, which received cabinet approval in late January, directs traffic police to provide official riding training for women, conduct licensing tests under police supervision, and issue motorcycle licenses to qualified female applicants.
The clarification comes at a time of heightened social and political tension in Iran. Protests that began over economic issues have expanded into broader demonstrations challenging government authority. Authorities in Tehran have reported more than 3,000 deaths linked to the unrest, saying most were security personnel and civilians not directly involved in the protests.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian women have faced strict legal and social restrictions, including enforced dress codes that made riding motorcycles difficult and discouraged official recognition of female riders.
Despite these limitations, more women have begun riding motorcycles in recent months, increasingly defying enforcement of dress regulations. This trend accelerated after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died following her detention by morality police over an alleged dress code violation—an incident that sparked nationwide protests and renewed calls for expanded rights for women in Iran.
