A handcrafted or modified trike does not follow the same homologation process as a factory trike with CE approval. The distinction between community approval and isolated approval (RTI) determines the entirety of the procedures, budget, and registration timeline. We detail here the technical points that most general public guides overlook.
RTI and DREAL tightening since 2024: what is blocking trike files
Since 2024, DREALs have been applying the requirement to undergo an RTI much more strictly as soon as a trike has undergone a significant transformation. Motorcycle to trike conversion, rear axle replacement, chassis modification, or brake circuit alteration: each of these interventions triggers an RTI, even if the base vehicle had a valid CE approval.
UTAC has updated its testing protocols by systematically imposing a stability and braking control for trikes based on motorcycles over ten years old. The rate of rejected files has increased, mainly due to a lack of chassis rigidity or brake imbalance between the front and rear axles.
For trikes imported from the United States without European approval, several DREALs now require a structural compliance certificate issued by a qualified engineer or an organization like DEKRA even before opening the RTI file. This step, often overlooked by buyers, can alone delay the process by several months. Knowing which license for homologated trike is necessary remains a frequent question, but it only arises once the vehicle is actually approved.
Euro 5 standard and old engines: the regulatory wall for handcrafted trikes
The gradual implementation of the Euro 5 standard for L category vehicles has transformed the landscape of artisanal homologation. Fitting an Euro 3 or Euro 4 engine onto a new trike chassis has become nearly impossible without an exceptional environmental exemption, which is rarely granted.
We observe that many amateur builders plan their project around an engine block salvaged from an old motorcycle, without checking its pollution classification. The RTI file is then rejected at the preliminary examination. The only viable option is to use a Euro 5 compliant engine, which severely restricts the choice of available mechanical bases.
Consequences on transformation kits
Transformation kits with stabilizers manufactured outside the European Union (notably in Portugal) remain strictly prohibited in France. The modified vehicle does not correspond to any category of the regulation for two, three, and four-wheelers. Its assembly results in the immediate non-compliance of the original motorcycle, with no possibility of regularization through RTI.
License and L5e category: access conditions based on trike power
An approved trike falls under category L5e (motor tricycle, type TM on the registration certificate). The regulations distinguish two power thresholds that determine the required license.
- Trike up to 15 kW: accessible with a B license only, without additional training, for drivers who have held it for at least two years.
- Trike over 15 kW with a B license obtained before January 19, 2013: mandatory 7-hour training, but no age condition beyond adulthood.
- Trike over 15 kW with a B license obtained from January 19, 2013: 7-hour training and a minimum age of 21 required.
- A license (motorcycle): gives access to all trikes regardless of power, without additional training.
Drivers who can prove they have ridden a light motorcycle or a tricycle between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010, are exempt from the 7-hour training, upon presentation of an information statement issued by the insurer.
Attention to licenses outside France
A foreign B license (including European) does not automatically suffice. Outside French territory, an A license is generally required to operate an L5e category trike. We recommend checking the situation with the prefecture before any purchase, especially for residents who have exchanged a non-European license.
RTI file for modified trike: technical documents and control points
The isolated approval file submitted to the regional DREAL includes a set of documents that differ significantly from those of a simple registration request. Here is the operational list:
- Certificate of conformity of the base vehicle (or manufacturer’s certificate for original motorcycles).
- Dimensioned plans of the modified chassis, signed by the modifier or a qualified engineer.
- Stability and braking control report conducted by an accredited laboratory (UTAC or equivalent).
- Structural compliance certificate for vehicles imported from outside the EU.
- Proof of engine pollution compliance (Euro 5 standard for a new chassis).
The slightest missing document results in rejection without examination of the technical file. The DREAL does not follow up: the applicant must resubmit a complete file.
After the RTI: registration and technical inspection
Once the receipt report is issued by the DREAL, the registration request is made on the ANTS website or through an authorized professional. The type TM and category L5e then appear in markers J.1 and J of the registration certificate. The trike then enters the classic cycle of technical inspection applicable to motor tricycles.
The homologation process for a trike in France relies on the rigor of the technical file much more than on the administrative procedure itself. A solid RTI file, with validated braking control and Euro 5 engine, remains the only reliable path to achieve registration without blockage.
