As of last Wednesday, North Carolina moped owners are required to have their vehicles registered and tagged.

Local resident Clifton Gilliam was the first in the area to get his moped registered. Gilliam said, he doesn’t see a problem with the new law and went to register his scooter as soon as he heard about it.

“It’s for our protection and for our safety,” he said. “People don’t respect (mopeds) on the road.”

Gilliam said his moped — a red BWS 50cc scooter he purchased last year — has saved him a lot of money on gas. He uses it to drive around town to pick up groceries or medications for his girlfriend and said it’s convenient for people who work close to home.

Gilliam admits he has gotten some scrapes and bruises from falling off his scooter, but for the most part, he said he feels safe riding it.

“You have to be careful when you ride one,” he said. “As long as you got sense to ride them they’re pretty safe.”

According to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, a moped is defined as having “two or three wheels, no external shifter, with a motor not to exceed 50 cubic centimeters of piston displacement and up to 30 miles per hour propulsion on a level surface.”

In order to register, moped owners must have a valid driver’s license or ID and the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin as well as fill out either a certification of plate and/or address form or an Affidavit of Facts form. These forms can be accessed on the DMV website.

The cost of registration is $18 per year, and state law does not require insurance on mopeds at this point.