Are Electric Scooters Legal in Boise?

Every person, regardless of age, who operates a bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter upon a roadway, public parking lot, sidewalk, bike path, bike lane or other public vehicular right-of-way in the City of Boise City ("City") shall be granted the same rights and shall be subject to the same responsibilities applicable to a motor vehicle operator by the laws of the State of Idaho, and the provisions of this title not in conflict with and as authorized under title 49, Idaho Code; except where provisions of those laws and ordinances by their very nature can have no application to bicycles, E-bikes, or E-scooters, or where portions of this chapter direct otherwise.

No person shall operate a bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter without the following equipment:

A. Brakes capable of causing the bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter to stop within twenty five feet (25') at ten (10) miles per hour on dry, level, clean pavement; and

B. A bell, the human voice or other audible warning device capable of being heard at a distance of at least one hundred feet (100') away, except that no bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter any siren or whistle; and

C. When in use at nighttime, a red reflector on the rear visible from a distance of three hundred feet (300') when directly in front of lawful upper beams of a motor vehicle, and a forward-facing white light attached either to the bicycle, E-bike, E-scooter, or the operator that is visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500') in front of the bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter. A bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter shall be equipped with a front-facing white or yellow reflector when the operator uses a generator powered light that is unlit when the bicycle, E-bike, or E-scooter is stopped; and

D. All bicycles and E-bikes shall have a permanent seat designed for the bicycle or the E-bike being operated. E-scooters shall not have any attached seats. (Ord. 28-18, 8-21-2018)

ELECTRIC POWER-ASSISTED SCOOTER (E-SCOOTER): A two (2) wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor that has a power output of not more than three hundred (300) watts that: a) is incapable of propelling the device at a speed of more than fifteen (15) miles per hour; and b) disengages or ceases to function when the device's brakes are applied. An E-scooter is not a motor vehicle for purposes of this chapter.