Electric scooters are becoming a popular trend around the world.
Electric scooters are becoming a popular trend around the world.
People love eScooters because they are:
As a scooter rental business owner, you can use that trend to generate profit.
However, you should know the electric scooter laws to operate your business legally.
Knowing regulations will save your customers from tickets, and keep your scooter out of impounds.
Are you curious to know what those laws are?
Enjoy the list below.
Disclaimer: Although we list the laws, we do not assume that the same laws apply to all countries. Each country, each state, or each jurisdiction can have different regulations regarding electric scooters. So, it is your responsibility to find those laws and study them independently.
1. Electric scooter speed limit must be 15-20 Mph.
The average speed limit is 15 mph in the United States.
However, states like Arizona, Utah, New Jersey, and several others have speed limits of 20 Mph.
2. Some States do not allow e-scooters on sidewalks.
They prohibit riding e-bikes and e-scooters on public sidewalks as they pose risks to pedestrians.
For example, Florida allows electric scooters on streets and bike lanes, but not on sidewalks.
Check with local authorities to confirm what locations are fine for your rental scooters.
3. Scooters must have lights for night riding.
As a rental business, you must check all your electric scooters have proper lighting.
Let's put the law aside for a moment.
Common sense should suggest that scooters without lights at night can be dangerous for riders and traffic around. Plus, a customer would prefer scooters with lights if they plan to use them at night.
4. The scooter must have functional brakes.
Brakes are mandatory in all corners of the world, not only on scooters but in all transportation types, as it is essential to prevent accidents and regulate speed.
You do not have to worry about this law if your scooters are from reputable manufacturers. They are well aware of this law.
However regular checkups and maintenance are needed to ensure that brakes are functional.
5. Tune-up for higher speed is not allowed.
It is not legal, nor safe to tune up electric scooters to increase their speed.
Despite the scooter's speed and power, you must comply with the speed laws.
So, there is no purpose of modifying e-scooters for speed, unless you rent them for e-scooter racing.
6. Riders must follow the traffic signals.
E-scooters are considered transport vehicles. So they must obey the street signs like any other transportation. Must stop on stop signs, yield to pedestrians, follow traffic lights, etc.
You, as a rental business, should set safety rules for renters and mention all the laws related to operating scooters. All should be in written forms to get signatures from renters.
7. No towing with a scooter.
Scooters are not suitable for towing. And such practice is against the law.
Warn your renters about that too. That way, you will protect your renters from tickets and your scooters from damage.
8. Riders under 18 must wear a helmet
Helmets are not required in all states, but it is still a good idea to include them in your internal business policy to protect riders’ safety.
You can also rent helmets as an add-on product and generate additional revenues.
9. Scooters must yield to pedestrians.
Scooters must give way to pedestrians. Failure to do so can lead to accidents and injuries.
In case of accidents, riders and your scooter will be liable for the damages.
You must notify your customers about this law and even include it in your rental agreement to waive the liabilities.
10. No drinking and riding.
Riders must be sober to operate scooters like any other transportation.
Operating scooters under the influence of alcohol may lead to dangerous outcomes, not to mention fines, penalties, and charges.
Do not rent your scooters to drunk renters, and mention this law in your rental contract to save yourself from liabilities.
11. Handheld devices are prohibited.
It is fine to carry them with you but you can’t use them while you ride a scooter.
Can you imagine someone using a cell phone while riding a scooter?
That is unsafe practice and anyone doing it can face tickets. Yes, the list also includes cameras, selfie sticks, or anything that can distract a rider.
12. A motorcycle license is required to drive a scooter.
Some places do not require a driver’s license if a scooter’s max speed is 25 Mph.
However, most states in the US require a motorcycle license to drive a moped or a scooter.
It means your rental business should require a driver’s license to ensure your renters are qualified to ride your scooters.
13. Riders must be over the age of 16.
Age limit may differ country by country. However, in most countries, the rider should be at least 16 to get permission to ride.
The age limit also coincides with the driver’s license requirements.
Some states prohibit driving a scooter without a valid license as mentioned above.
14. Allowed on roads with a speed limit of up to 25 mph.
Electric scooters are slow, so they are not safe to drive on high-speed roads.
Even on permitted roads, they have to adhere to the max speed limit of 20-25 mph.
Some states ask scooter riders to stay on the bike lane to deter road accidents.
15. Must have reflectors.
Reflectors are required in almost all vehicles, and that includes electric scooters too.
They reflect the light from vehicle headlights, increasing the visibility of scooters in the darkness.
Concisely, reflectors are required by law to deter road accidents.
16. Can not be parked on sidewalks if it obstructs pedestrian traffic.
The law requires riders not to park their scooters on sidewalks or pavements if they block or slow down the foot traffic.
Each state and city has different parking rules, so it would be beneficial for your scooter rental business if you know the parking rules and incorporate them into your rental contracts.
17. No parking near fire hydrants, benches, ramps, entrances, etc.
Scooters should be parked in an upright position and should not block access to fire hydrants, benches, ramps, handicap-accessible areas, recycling cans, entrances, etc.
It is good to tell your renters this information so they won’t get tickets and protect your scooters from impounds.
18. Scooters should not carry more people than permitted.
Manufacturers set the maximum weight capacity for scooters. Users should not pass that limit for their safety.
As rental owners, you would prefer to keep your scooters in good condition by encouraging renters to use them responsibly.
If a scooter is designed for a single rider, the second person can’t get on it legally.
19. Abandoned scooters will be removed by local authorities.
In some places, it is unlawful to abandon a scooter or park in a place longer than 7 days.
When authorities suspect that the scooter is abandoned, they will put a notice giving a specific time to remove it.
If the scooter is not removed, the city has the right to remove it. Such incidents are not good for rental companies as they can lead to losses.
However, you can put a sticker on your rental units with your contacts so the local authorities may contact you to retrieve your scooter.
20. Laws that apply to bicycles also apply to electric scooters.
Some states treat electric scooters the same as bicycles.
It means you can read bicycle laws to discover further laws relating to scooters.
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