So, you’re the new proud owner of an electric scooter. Or perhaps you’ve had an electric scooter for a while now. Whichever of the two you are, it is more important that you know everything about electric scooters, including their legality. In this guide, we will discover the answer to this question: Are electric scooters street legal?
Congratulations! You’re an owner of one of the most popular up-and-coming forms of transport in the world right now.
Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people, are currently flocking to grab one of these modes of transportation for themselves.
But hold your horse there, friend! Getting on the brand-new transport bandwagon is great and all when it comes to getting excited about new tech. However, there are plenty of other things that need to be considered.
For example, unlike the leg-powered ones that you remember from your childhood, these new electric ones can build up quite a bit of speed.
And that raises the question of whether or not this is a piece of kit for the sidewalk or is now a road vehicle that you’ll need to follow other laws for.
So, what’s the case for electric scooters? Where can they be used and ridden? Are electric scooters street legal?
We’ll answer all of these questions and more here.
In this guide, we won’t just tell you if they’re legal to ride on the street or not (spoilers, they are), but we’ll also let you know about any rules and regulations that you’ll be needing to keep in mind when using electric scooters, as well as any other advice that you might find handy to hear.
Are Electric Scooters Street Legal In The US?
So, let’s get the big question out of the way first: Are electric scooters street legal to even use on sidewalks and footpaths in the US?
Well, generally speaking, electric scooters are legal to use in most states across the United States of America.
However, the exact ruling depends on each state and can vary from place to place.
Currently, the only places in the United States where you are prohibited from riding electric scooters (see also: How To Ride An Electric Scooter) on public streets are the following:
Arizona
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Kentucky
New Jersey
Washington
Wisconsin
Now, are electric scooters street legal if they are outside the states mentioned above? Well, electric scooters are generally allowed to be used by public road goers.
However, there are a few caveats to those rules.
Rules For Electric Scooters In the US
So, as we already found, 42 of the 50 states in the US allow you to use an electric scooter in public.
However, because they are a motorized form of transport, electric scooters do need to have some kind of rules and regulations put in place to be used without issue.
Depending on which state you are in exactly, you may also need to include a title with that particular registration too.
While it is comparatively rare, some states will ask for the scooter to be inspected before everything is finalized.
Currently, the only US state that does this is North Carolina.
Likewise, insurance for being used on the roads is another rare rule that is only found in one state, Illinois.
Otherwise, electric scooters can be used on the road without the need for insurance.
Once again, it is important to repeat that the exact laws can be very different from one state to another and that many states will delegate the exact rulings on these laws to local counties and community administrative bodies, so make sure to check the rules for your local area.
The rulings in Austin, Texas might not be the same as they are in Armstrong, even within the same state!
Maximum Speed Limits
In the same way that normal road vehicles, there are speed limits in place for electric scooters and other similar vehicles.
And, like with registration and regulations, the exact speed limit varies from state to state.
Unless specified otherwise in this list, most states have a speed limit of 15 mph for electric scooters on the road.
Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Maine, New Jersey, and Utah all have a speed limit of up to 20 mph for electric scooters.
The speed limit for electric scoots in Florida and Colorado is 25 mph.
These apply to roads in these states, not pedestrian pathways or sidewalks.
As we already mentioned, many states like Arizona prohibit electric scooters from being used on sidewalks.
Extra Advice For Riding Scooters
Being a mode of transport that is both used on the road and at relatively high speeds, wearing protective gear is recommended by many road safety organizations, and is mandatory in most states across America, with some counties and states even issuing fines if you are caught not wearing them will you are using your scooter!
Outside of helmets, other protective wear rules vary wildly from state to state.
The most common protective item is eye-wear protection which is mandatory in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia.
However, you may need to have some other kind of license to prove that you can operate it:
Alabama requires a motorcycle license
Kansas, Rhode Island, Michigan, South Carolina, and Tennessee all require a driver’s license.
Florida needs a license for scooters of 750 Watts.
Age Restrictions
Again, this will vary from state to state.
Most states don’t have an age limit for using an electric scooter. However, many have minimum age requirements:
People in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Vermont need to be 16 years old at minimum.
Utah has a minimum age of 15 years old.
People in Mississippi can use electric scooters if they are 14 or older.
Michigan and Minnesota have some of the youngest age limits, at just 12 years old.
Final Notes
So, there you have the answer on are electric scooters street legal question. In virtually every state in the country, it is legal to use an electric scooter in public. With a few caveats, of course!
Ultimately, the final answer is that you’ll need to check with your local area’s guidelines or the laws for a place that you may be visiting.
Is that a little frustrating and vague for a final answer? Maybe.
Still, at least you now know a little more about where you need to look, so you can enjoy your handy piece of kit responsibly!
Hi! My name is Johnathan, and I am the creator of ScooterAdvice360.com. Having been riding motor scooters and bikes for over 20 years, I have picked up a few things! I ran my own scooter store in Florida, selling all manner of motor scooters, mobility scooters, hoverboards, e-scooters and accessories, from Forzas to Vipers, Hellcats to Vespas.
Here, at ScooterAdvice360.com, I want to ensure everyone has access to the information that they need to enjoy their bikes and scooters for longer.
