Cycling in Denmark: the rules, and how to buy a used bike without getting scammed

Do you need a bike in Denmark?

Nobody will make you buy one, but most people here get around by bike, and a bicycle is a vehicle under the Road Traffic Act - with equipment rules and fines attached Færdselsstyrelsen.

What kit does the law require on a bike?

A two-wheeled bike may be at most 3.5 metres long and 1 metre wide, and it must have at least two independent brake systems. It must also carry Færdselsstyrelsen:

• A white reflector visible from the front, and a red reflector visible from behind.
• At least two yellow reflectors that move as the bike moves, usually on the pedals, visible from behind.
• On each wheel, a yellow side reflector or white reflective tyre or rim sides.
• A front light giving white or yellowish light and a rear light giving red light, both visible from at least 300 metres. Lights are needed when riding in the dark or in poor visibility, not at all times.

The bell must sit on the handlebar and cannot be replaced by a horn or anything else noisy Sikker Trafik. Lights must be on from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is reduced - fog, rain or snow - and they must not dazzle other road users. White and red lights may flash, at least 120 flashes a minute Sikker Trafik.

What are the rules of the road for cyclists?

Cyclists follow much the same rules as drivers Sikker Trafik.

• Use the cycle path or cycle lane where one exists. If there is none, keep to the right of the carriageway.
• Obey lights and signs. No turning right on red unless a sign permits it, and no riding against a one-way street.
• Give hand signals when you turn or stop.
• Turn left in two stages. To turn left, carry straight on across the junction, stop on the far side, then cross when it is clear - do not cut across from the middle of the road Sikker Trafik.
• Two abreast is allowed if there is room and it does not inconvenience traffic; fall into single file if someone signals to overtake.
• No handheld phone. A phone in a mount or used by voice control is fine. Music is legal as long as you can still hear the traffic; keeping one ear free is recommended.
• Keep both feet on the pedals and one hand on the handlebar, and do not hold on to another vehicle.
• Not on the pavement, and not through a pedestrian crossing unless you get off and push.
• Secure children properly in a seat designed to carry them, including in cargo bikes. You must be at least 15 to carry a child, and a child under 6 may only cycle in traffic if accompanied by a person aged 15 or over who has control of them Sikker Trafik.
• There is no fixed alcohol limit for cyclists, but you may not cycle if you are too drunk to do it safely.

Are helmets compulsory in Denmark?

No. Denmark has no helmet requirement for adults or children Sikker Trafik. Nearly every adult you see without one is doing nothing illegal.

Helmets are still the single most useful thing you can buy, and any helmet sold here must be CE-marked Færdselsstyrelsen.

What is a stelnummer, and why does it matter?

The stelnummer is the frame number stamped into the bike. Danish numbers are one to five letters, then at least one digit, ending in a letter - for example ABC1234A Politi - and the police register holds Danish numbers of up to 19 characters Politi.

It identifies your bike if it is stolen, and stating the frame number is normally a precondition for claiming bike theft on your insurance Politi. Find yours under the bottom bracket where the pedals are, or on the seat tube; on e-bikes with a centre motor it is often stamped on the motor plate. Note it down and photograph it.

How do you check a used bike is not stolen?

This takes two minutes. Never skip it.

1. Find the frame number on the bike.
2. Enter it in the police bike register Politi.
3. If it shows as reported stolen, walk away and tell the police.
4. If the number is missing, ground off, or longer than 19 characters, be more careful: the register cannot check imported or over-long numbers, so no match proves nothing.

Police can also stop cyclists at random to check whether a bike is reported stolen, so riding one is a real risk even if nobody reports you Politi.

How do you buy a used bike without getting scammed?

Buy in person, in daylight, and do these things:

1. Check the frame number in the police register first Politi.
2. Ask for photo ID, and check the name matches the receipt you are about to write.
3. Insist on a slutseddel - a short receipt with the frame number, brand, model, price, date, and both signatures. Insurers expect this if the bike is later stolen.
4. Take all the keys to the lock. A seller with one spare key and a story about the rest is a warning sign.
5. Test brakes, gears, lights and bell, and look for cracks around frame joints and welds.
6. On an e-bike, ask for the charger and the battery’s age. A replacement battery can cost more than the bike.
7. Check that an e-bike is an ordinary pedelec: assistance must cut out at 25 km/h, with a motor of at most 250 W. Faster speed pedelecs are motor vehicles in Denmark (EU type-approved as class L1e-A or L1e-B), and under the trial scheme that lets them use cycle paths the rider needs liability insurance and must carry the insurance receipt, a cycle helmet, lights on at all times, a minimum age of 15 and - if under 18 - a valid small-moped licence (kørekort til lille knallert) or a car licence (category B) issued under the driving-licence scheme for 17-year-olds, carried while riding. That scheme started on 1 July 2018; as of 2026 Færdselsstyrelsen says it has no expiry date and continues until further notice. Because it is a trial scheme, check the Færdselsstyrelsen page for the current rules before you ride Færdselsstyrelsen Bekendtgørelse om forsøgsordning for speed pedelecs amendment on licences.
8. Refuse any story that dodges the register: “no papers”, “bought it from a friend”, “the number is hard to read”.

Bike shops sell refurbished bikes with a warranty and a receipt, which is worth the extra money if you cannot judge a frame yourself Cyklistforbundet.

What does a used bike cost in 2026?

Treat any figure as indicative. A basic used city bike on DBA often sells for a few hundred kroner up to a couple of thousand, while branded bikes, cargo bikes and e-bikes hold their value and routinely cost several thousand DBA.

The practical differences matter more than the headline price. New tyres, a chain, a lock and a service can add DKK 1,000 or more to a cheap bike, so a slightly dearer bike in good condition is often the better buy. Budget for a proper lock too, because insurers usually require one approved by Dansk Varefakta Nævn If.

What do you do if you discover the bike was stolen?

Stop using it immediately. Handling stolen goods (hæleri) is an offence under section 290 of the Danish Criminal Code Straffeloven § 290, and the police warn that you risk being prosecuted if you cannot show you acted in good faith when you bought the bike. Either way the bike is not yours to keep.

Contact the police on 114, explain where and when you bought it, and hand it over. It normally goes back to its owner and you are not refunded, so your only route to your money back is a claim against the seller - which is why the receipt and the seller’s ID matter. Keep the receipt and any messages with the seller: they help the police and support your account Politi. If it is your own bike that was stolen, report it with the frame number and then claim on your insurance Politi.

What about insurance, winter and parking?

Your contents insurance (indboforsikring) normally covers bike theft up to the bike sum you choose and minus your excess, plus vandalism after a theft attempt, but only if the bike was locked with an approved lock and the theft was reported to the police If. Limits differ between insurers, so check your policy’s bike sum - and consider separate bike insurance for an expensive bike or an e-bike.

Winter cycling is normal here and cycle paths are cleared with the roads. What goes wrong is equipment: batteries die in the cold, lights fail and salt eats chains. Service the bike in autumn, fit winter tyres, and check your lights weekly - riding without them is the most common fine Cyklistforbundet.

Park in the racks outside stations, shops and workplaces. Do not leave a bike blocking a doorway or leaning on a wall: municipalities tag and remove bikes obstructing public space.

What it costs and how long it takes

Fines are counted per offence: several defects or offences found in one stop are fined separately and add up. The rates above are Rådet for Sikker Trafik’s published tariff, which was last updated 6 May 2026, and they match the official prosecution tariff in Rigsadvokatmeddelelsen CIR1H nr 9115 Sikker Trafik Rigsadvokatmeddelelsen.

Common mistakes

• Buying without checking the frame number. The register is free and the seller is not always honest.
• Accepting a bike with no receipt. Without one you may struggle to prove ownership and value to your insurer or the police.
• Forgetting lights in autumn. The rules bite when days shorten and police run light campaigns.
• Riding on the pavement or holding the phone. Both are fines here, unlike in many home countries.

If something goes wrong

If you are stopped for something you believe you did not do, stay calm and ask for the officer’s details. The offences come from the Road Traffic Act, and the current rates are published by Rådet for Sikker Trafik and Cyklistforbundet, so you can check the tariff yourself Sikker Trafik Cyklistforbundet. If you disagree with a fine you do not have to accept it on the spot: you can object before the payment deadline and have the case decided by a court Politi.

If your bike is stolen, report it to the police on 114 or online with the frame number, then claim on your contents insurance Politi. If your bike is removed while parked, check your municipality’s rules and the police lost-property service (hittegods): the police can collect reported abandoned bikes, and bicycles held as lost property are kept for one month Politi.