Women in Iran have been granted the right to obtain motorcycle riding licences, local media reported on Wednesday.
Previously, Iranian law did not explicitly prohibit women from riding motorcycles or scooters.
However, in practice, authorities routinely declined to issue licences to female applicants, leaving many women legally unprotected.
As a result, female riders were often held liable in road accidents, even when they were not at fault.
The change follows the signing of a new resolution on Tuesday by Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, aimed at clarifying provisions within the country’s traffic regulations.
The resolution, which received cabinet approval in late January, mandates traffic police to provide formal riding training for women, conduct licensing examinations under police supervision, and issue motorcycle licences to qualified female riders.
The policy adjustment comes amid heightened social and political tension in Iran. Protests that initially erupted over economic concerns have, in recent months, evolved into demonstrations challenging government authority.
Authorities in Tehran have reported more than 3,000 deaths linked to the unrest, stating that the majority were security personnel and civilians not directly involved in the protests.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian women have lived under strict social and legal constraints, including enforced dress codes that have historically limited their ability to ride motorcycles. Regulations requiring women to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing made motorcycling impractical and discouraged official recognition.
Despite these restrictions, growing numbers of women have taken to riding motorcycles in recent months, increasingly defying enforcement of dress regulations.
The trend intensified following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained by morality police for an alleged dress code violation, an incident that triggered nationwide protests and renewed demands for greater freedoms for women in Iran.
Iran clarifies law, officially allows women to ride motorcycles
