Electric Scooter Laws & Legality in the US (As of 2023)

Are electric scooters street legal in your state? Use our interactive map to explore the latest laws regarding e-scooter legality, where they can be ridden, and helmet laws for both children and adults.

Our database includes local and state level laws for all 50 provinces and over 300 individual cities.

State Code	City Name	Legal Status	Description
	Durango	Not Officially Legalized	Falls under the same classification as electric bikes. Class I pedal-assist and Class II throttle-assist e-bikes are allowed on City of Durango hard surface trails. No electric-assist motorized skateboards, scooters, onewheels, etc. allowed on City trails.
IL	Joliet	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
MS	Jackson	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
CA	Glendale	Fully Legal	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Frisco	Fully Legal	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	El Paso	Fully Legal	Legal to ride over the age of 18.
IA	Des Moines	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Midland	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
MO	Kansas City	Fully Legal	Legal to ride up to 20 mph. Need to abide by bike laws (riding on the street, stopping at stop signs, yielding to pedestrians).
LA	New Orleans	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
OK	Oklahoma City	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
CA	San Bernardino	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Plano	Not Officially Legalized	Individuals are allowed by law to own and operate e-scooters within the city without a permit.
MA	Worcester	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
FL	Pembroke Pines	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Pasadena	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Brownsville	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
FL	Cape Coral	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
SD	Sioux Falls	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
TX	Carrollton	Not Officially Legalized	Currently no city specific ordinances exist. In this case the state laws currently in place offer the best reference to legality.
NV	Las Vegas	Not Officially Legalized	No individual city regulations, follow the state laws. Fully legal in NV.
AR	Little Rock	Not Officially Legalized	No city specific regulations. Legal in AK.
TN	Memphis	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Scooters are not permitted on sidewalks. When on roads and bike paths, scooters must abide by the traffic laws and signals.
GA	Atlanta	Fully Legal	Legal to operate. Cannot be ridden on the sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws.
TX	Austin	Fully Legal	Legal to operate. Must abide by all traffic laws of motor vehicles when riding on a road. Can ride on a sidewalk, but must give pedestrians the right of way. Children under the age of 17 must wear a helmet when operating a scooter. Scooters cannot exceed 20 mph.
FL	Miami	Legal (License Required)	Scooters are legal to operate. Must be 18 years or older and have a valid drivers license, state ID, or passport as proof of age. Helmets are not required, but are strongly encouraged. Only one person at a time can ride. Scooters cannot exceed 15 mph on streets, and 7 mph on sidewalks.
TN	Nashville	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Cannot ride on the sidewalks. When riding on the streets, must abide by traffic laws and signals. Scooters cannot exceed 20 mph. Helmets are not required, but are recommended. Need to be over the age of 18 to operate.
CT	Bridgeport	Fully Legal	Legal to operate. Can ride on the sidewalks, roads and bike lanes. When riding, must wear a helmet. Must abide by traffic laws and signs. Cannot exceed 10 mph, there is a speed limit of 5 mph in some areas of the city near city center.
CA	Huntington Beach	Fully Legal	Electric scooters are legal to operate. Must be 16 years or older to operate. Helmets are required. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
ID	Boise	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Cannot operate on sidewalks. Must be ridden in bike lanes or in the street. Must abide by traffic laws and signals. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
OH	Cincinnati	Fully Legal	Legal to operate. Cannot operate on sidewalks and must be ridden on roads and bike lanes. Must abide by traffic laws and signals. Only 1 person on each scooter.
TX	Houston	Fully Legal	Houston does not have any specific guidelines for electric scooter. Follow the state's rules and regulations. Scooters can operate on roads and sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws and signals. Cannot exceed 15 mph. There are no statewide helmet laws, but are strongly encouraged.
KY	Lexington	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Scooters are not permitted on the sidewalks. When riding on the road, must abide by traffic laws and signs. Cannot exceed 15 mph. Helmets are not required, but are strongly encouraged.
MA	Boston	Legal (License Required)	Fully legal to operate. Must abide by traffic laws. Cannot go over 20 mph. Need to have a drivers license or permit to operate.
MD	Baltimore	Fully Legal	Fully legal to ride. Cannot be ridden on sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws. If under the ae of 16, must wear a helmet when operating a scooter.
IL	Chicago	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot operate on sidewalks and must be ridden on roads and bike lanes. Must abide by traffic laws. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
CA	Los Angeles	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Must be 18 years or older to operate. Helmets are not required, but are strongly recommended. Cannot exceed 15 mph. Sidewalk riding is prohibited. When riding on the streets, must abide by traffic laws and signs. Must yield to pedestrians.
CA	Long Beach	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Must be 18 years or older to operate. All riders must wear helmets. Sidewalk riding is prohibited. When riding on the bike lane or street, must abide by traffic laws.
AL	Alabama	Legal (License Required)	Class “B” restricted motorcycle license required. Helmets are required for all riders. Operators must be at least 14 years old to apply for "B" restricted Motorcycle license.
MO	Kansas City, Missouri	Fully Legal	Legal to ride up to 20 mph. Need to abide by bike laws (riding on the street, stopping at stop signs, yielding to pedestrians).
KS	Kansas City, Kansas	Legal (License Required)	Riders must have a valid drivers license, riding on sidewalks is prohibited. Helmets are not required but encouraged by the city.
DC	Washington, DC	Fully Legal	Legal to operate. Cannot exceed 10 mph. Helmets not required, but strongly suggested. Sidewalk riding is not permitted in the Central Business District. Have to be over the age of 16 to operate. If under the age of 18, must wear a helmet.
NJ	Newark	Fully Legal	Fully legal to operate. Cannot ride on sidewalks. Must abide by all traffic laws: yielding to pedestrians, stopping at red lights, riding on the right side of the road. Cannot exceed 15 mph. Must be 17 years old to operate.
FL	St. Petersburg	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot exceed 15 mph. Cannot be ridden on sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws. Helmets are not required, but strongly encouraged. Must be 18 years old to operate.
NY	New York City	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot exceed over 20 mph. Must abide by bike laws (cannot ride on sidewalks, stop at red lights, yield to pedestrians, ride on the right side of the road). If renting under the age of 18, must wear a helmet. Must be over the age of 16 to operate an electric scooter.
NC	Winston-Salem	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Must be over 16 years of age to operate. Helmets are not required but are strongly encouraged. Cannot be ridden on sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws. Cannot go over 20 mph.
MN	Minneapolis	Fully Legal	The rules for scooters are similar to the rules for bicycles. Riders must follow all traffic laws, including stopping for red lights and stop signs as well as giving the right of way.
NV	Reno	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Must be over the age of 16 to operate. Must not exceed 15 mph. Cannot be ridden on the sidewalk. Must abide by traffic laws.
LA	Baton Rouge	Fully Legal	Legal to ride up to 15 mph. Need to be over the age of 17 to operate without a helmet. If under the age of 17, a properly fitted helmet must be worn. Cannot carry any packages while driving/riding an electric scooter. Must abide by traffic and bicycle laws.
MO	St. Louis	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Must be ridden on the streets and abide by traffic laws. All riders must wear a helmet. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
CO	Aurora	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot exceed 15.5 mph. Cannot ride on the sidewalk. Must abide by traffic laws. Helmets are not required but are strongly encouraged.
TX	San Antonio	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Not permitted on sidewalks. Must be ridden on streets or bike lanes. Helmets are not required, but are strongly encouraged. Must abide by traffic laws. Must be 16 years old to operate. Cannot exceed 20 mph.
TN	Knoxville	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Must be ridden on the streets and abide by traffic laws. Must be over the age of 16 to ride and have a valid ID. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
FL	Tallahassee	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot exceed 15 mph (6mph in some areas). Helmets are not required but are strongly encouraged. If under the age of 16, a helmet must be worn. Allowed on streets, sidewalks, and bike paths.
IN	Fort Wayne	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Cannot be ridden on sidewalks. Must abide by traffic laws. Helmets are not required but are strongly encouraged. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
NC	Charlotte	Fully Legal	Legal to ride up to 15 mph. Scooters can be ridden on the sidewalks, except in certain areas of the downtown area. Need to be over the age of 16 to operate without a helmet. If under the age of 16, must be wearing a properly fitting helmet.
MI	Detroit	Fully Legal	Legal to ride. Must be 18 years old to operate. Cannot ride on the sidewalk and must abide by traffic laws. Helmets are suggested but not required. Cannot exceed 15 mph.
WI	Milwaukee	Fully Legal	Legal to ride, but have to abide by bike laws (riding on the street, stopping at red lights, yielding to pedestrians).
NC	North Carolina	Legal (License Required)	Electric scooters fall under the definition of “moped". Riders must be at least 16 years old and must wear a helmet meeting the FMVSS 218 (motorcycle) standard. Operators must have a valid North Carolina driver license or identification card.
CA	California	Legal (License Required)	Electric Scooters are legal but limited to speeds at or below 15mph. A valid driver's license or learners permit is required. A helmet is also required for any riders under the age of 18.
AK	Alaska	Legal (License Required)	Statewide, electric scooters operators are required to be at least 14 years old and have an M2 class motorcycle license. Operators under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.
MN	Minnesota	Fully Legal	Electric scooters have the same rights and responsibilities as bicyclists. They are allowed on streets and highways without a driver’s license and without the vehicle being registered, licensed, or insured. They are considered “motor vehicles” under Minnesota law. An operator of a motorized scooter who is under age 18 must wear a helmet. A person must be at least 12 years old to operate on public streets and highways
MI	Michigan	Fully Legal	Electric scooters are legal on public streets for anyone over the age of 12 years old. No license is required. Helmets are required for riders under the age of 19. Scooters are limited to 25 mph. They are not considered motor vehicles.
RI	Rhode Island	Legal (License Required)	Electric scooters may be operated on sidewalks or in the roadway.
PR	Puerto Rico	Pending More Information
SD	South Dakota	Legal (Heavily Regulated)	Electric scooters are classified as mopeds. All motor scooter operators must have a valid driver’s license. No person under 18 years of age may ride a motor scooter unless wearing a helmet. Scooters do not have to be registered but must meet all federal highway safety standards.
TN	Tennessee	Fully Legal	Electric Scooters are legal to ride under 15 mph. A helmet and license are not required. Operators must be at least 16 years old. Scooters are considered motor vehicles.
CO	Colorado	Fully Legal	Electric scooters are governed by the same rules as electric bicycles. They must be driven in the street and have a max speed of 20 MPH. Operators must be at least 16 years old and any riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet.
MP	Northern Mariana Islands
VT	Vermont	Not Officially Legalized	Vermont has no clear legislation for both electric scooters. Some cities are in their pilot programs to understand the impact of micro-mobility in their cities.
GU	Guam
KS	Kansas	Fully Legal	Electric scooters are legal to ride and must follow the same rules as cyclists.
MS	Mississippi	Fully Legal	Electric scooters are legal and have all the rights and duties of a person riding a bicycle. Operators must be at least 15 years old. Scooter are limited to speeds below 15 miles per hour. There are not statewide helmet laws and a driver's license is not required to operate an electric scooters.
DE