Are Electric Scooters Legal in Maryland?

State law has classified electric low-speed scooters as bicycles since 2019, so the devices must weigh under 100 lb, top out at 20 mph, carry only one rider, and follow the same hand-signals, lighting, and helmet rules that already applied to bikes and motor scooters (Transportation §§11-117.2, 21-1205.1). The 2025 “Jay’s Law” update (HB 375, Chapter 558) takes effect October 1 and flips the sidewalk default: riding on sidewalks and crosswalks is permitted statewide unless a local ordinance says otherwise, but riders still have to yield to pedestrians and obey any posted slow zones. Counties, cities, and campuses retain power to tighten things—Baltimore continues to enforce its 15 mph cap and sidewalk carve-outs, and the University of Maryland still bans riding on campus sidewalks even though state law now allows it—so riders and fleet operators have to check local overlays before launching or parking hardware.