Women in Iran can now officially obtain licences to ride motorcycles and scooters, following a new government resolution that ends decades of legal uncertainty and discriminatory enforcement in the country’s traffic laws.
Local media reported on Wednesday that Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, signed the resolution on Tuesday, giving formal backing to a policy approved by the cabinet in late January. The decision obliges traffic authorities to begin issuing motorcycle licences to women nationwide.
Although Iranian law had never explicitly banned women from riding motorcycles, authorities in practice consistently refused to issue licences to female applicants. This informal restriction created a legal grey area in which women riders were often penalised or held legally responsible in road accidents, even when they were victims.
According to the Ilna news agency, the new resolution mandates traffic police to provide practical riding training for female applicants, organise examinations under direct police supervision, and issue motorcycle driver’s licences to women who meet the requirements.
The move is being widely interpreted as a significant, though limited, step toward easing long-standing gender-based restrictions in Iran, particularly in public spaces and mobility.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian women have faced numerous social and legal constraints, including strict dress codes and limitations on public behaviour. These restrictions have historically made motorcycle riding especially contentious, given requirements for women to wear headscarves and loose-fitting clothing in public.
Despite these challenges, the number of women riding motorcycles and scooters has increased in recent years, particularly in major cities such as Tehran. Many women have turned to two-wheelers for economic reasons, convenience, and personal independence, often riding without formal licences due to the previous enforcement practices.
The policy shift comes against the backdrop of widespread protests and social unrest that have rocked Iran in recent years. Demonstrations initially driven by economic hardship later evolved into broader anti-government protests demanding political and social reforms.
Tensions escalated further after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in custody after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s dress code. Her death sparked nationwide protests led largely by women, calling for greater personal freedoms and an end to state-imposed restrictions.
While Iranian authorities have defended their handling of protests, they have acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during periods of unrest, insisting that many were security personnel and bystanders.
Analysts say the decision to formally license women motorcycle riders reflects growing pressure on the Iranian government to respond to changing social realities, particularly as women continue to challenge traditional restrictions in everyday life.
However, rights groups caution that the move does not amount to a comprehensive reform of women’s rights in Iran, noting that broader legal and cultural limitations remain firmly in place.
Still, for many Iranian women, the policy represents a tangible change — granting legal recognition to a practice that had long existed unofficially, and offering a measure of protection and legitimacy on the country’s roads.
