Are e-scooters legal in the ACT?
Yes, legal since December 2019. Ride on footpaths and shared paths, at 15 km/h on footpaths and 25 km/h elsewhere. Roads are off-limits whenever a path is available. Helmet required, no passengers.
- Footpaths
- Yes. Keep left and give way to pedestrians 1
- Which roads
- Almost none. Riding on a road is banned whenever a path runs alongside it 1
- Your top speed
- 15 km/h on footpaths, 25 km/h elsewhere, 10 km/h at crossings 1
- Minimum age
- There isn't one. Under-12s need adult supervision 1
- Helmet
- Required (approved bicycle helmet) 1
- Licence & rego
- Not required for a compliant device 3
- Passengers
- Not allowed 1
- Fines
- $218 for most offences, and $615 for phone use 2
The ACT was the first place in Australia to legalise e-scooters, on 20 December 2019, and its rules are still among the friendliest to riders. Footpaths are fair game, and there’s no general minimum age. 1
What counts as a legal e-scooter in the ACT?
The rules apply to personal mobility devices. One has to be electric, built for one person, and fitted with a brake system. It can’t do more than 25 km/h on level ground. It has to weigh 60 kg or less empty and fit within the size limits. 1
Weight is the spec most riders never check, and it varies more between states than anything else on that list. A scooter that is perfectly legal in Canberra can be over the cap in another state, so it is worth checking before you put one in the car. Our state-by-state comparison has the numbers side by side.
s 18A What counts as a personal mobility device Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) 1
personal mobility device— (a) means a device— (i) propelled by an electric motor; and (ii) designed for use by only 1 person; and (iii) weighing not more than 60kg unladen; and (iv) with 1 or more wheels; and (v) with a brake system; and (vi) that cannot travel faster than 25km/h on level ground; and (vii) with dimensions not more than— (A) 1 250mm in length; and (B) 700mm in width; and (C) 1 350mm in height; but (b) does not include a motorised wheelchair.
A device that goes past those limits falls outside the rules and counts as a motor vehicle under the road transport laws. Transport Canberra’s guidance is that you can’t ride one on paths at all. 6
Where can you ride an e-scooter in the ACT?
The ACT flips the usual logic. Paths are the default, and roads are the exception. Footpaths, shared paths and bicycle paths are all allowed. Keep left and give way to pedestrians. 1
s 244F Footpaths and shared paths Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) 1
A person travelling in or on a personal mobility device on a footpath or shared path must— (a) keep to the left of the footpath or shared path unless it is impracticable to do so; and (b) give way to any pedestrian (except a person travelling in or on a personal mobility device) who is on the footpath or shared path. Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
Riding on a road is an offence whenever there’s a footpath, nature strip or shared path alongside it that you could reasonably use. If there genuinely isn’t one, you can ride on the road, keeping as far left as you reasonably can. Crossing a road by the shortest safe route is always fine. On the pedestrian side of a separated footpath you can only cross, not travel along it. 1
s 244D(1)–(3) Roads: only when there's no path Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) 1
(1) A person must not travel in or on a personal mobility device on a length of road. Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if— (a) there is no footpath, nature strip or shared path adjacent to the road (an adjacent area); or (b) it is impracticable to travel on an adjacent area. (3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is crossing a road in or on a personal mobility device if the person— (a) crosses the road by the shortest safe route; and (b) does not stay on the road longer than necessary to cross the road safely.
How fast can you ride an e-scooter in Canberra?
15 km/h on footpaths, 25 km/h everywhere else, and 10 km/h when you approach or ride across a children’s, pedestrian or marked-foot crossing. Each speed offence carries a $218 on-the-spot fine. 2
s 244FB Speed limits Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) 1
A person travelling in or on a personal mobility device commits an offence if the person travels faster than— (a) if the person is travelling on a footpath—15km/h; or (b) in any other case—25km/h. Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
Do you need a helmet on an e-scooter in the ACT?
Yes. An approved bicycle helmet is compulsory, and the regulation carries a religious-headdress exemption. Passengers are banned. Both are $218 fines. 2
Using a mobile device while riding is the most expensive e-scooter fine in the ACT at $615. The exceptions are a device in a mounting used as a driver’s aid, and hands-free audio. 2
At night or in bad weather you need a white front light and a red rear light visible from 200 metres, plus a red rear reflector. Your scooter also needs a working bell or horn. And there are general offences of riding without proper control, and riding without due care. 1
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in the ACT?
This is unusual: the legislation sets no minimum riding age at all. The only age rule is that a child under 12 can ride only with an adult supervising, and that provision has no penalty attached to it. 1 The “16+” you see on hire scooters is a condition the operator sets, currently Lime, not something in the law. 6
Do you need a licence or registration for an e-scooter in the ACT?
No, and the chain is short. The licence rule applies to a “motor vehicle”. 7
s 31(1) The licence rule only bites "motor vehicles" Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Act 1999 (ACT) 7
A person must not drive a motor vehicle on a road or road related area unless the person— (a) is the holder of an Australian driver licence that authorises the person to drive a motor vehicle of that kind; or (b) is exempted by regulation from holding an Australian driver licence. Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
And the ACT’s road transport dictionary says directly that an e-scooter isn’t one. 3
dictionary And an e-scooter isn't a "motor vehicle" Road Transport (General) Act 1999 (ACT) 3
motor vehicle means a vehicle built to be propelled by a motor that forms part of the vehicle, but does not include a personal mobility device.
The registration offences use the same definition, so they don’t reach a compliant e-scooter either. Transport Canberra confirms that. 6
Can you drink and ride an e-scooter in the ACT?
The drink-riding offence that applies to e-scooters is riding under the influence, meaning affected by alcohol or drugs to the point where you can’t keep proper control. A first offence can reach $4,800 or 6 months, and it’s court-only. The 0.05 offence applies only to motor vehicles, so no fixed blood-alcohol number applies to e-scooter riders. Drinking alcohol while riding is a separate offence. 4
No demerit points attach to any ACT e-scooter offence, and infringement notices can’t be issued to children under 14. 2
What happens if you’re caught in Canberra?
The ACT is the most permissive jurisdiction on this page, and its enforcement matches that in two unusual ways.
No demerit points attach to any ACT e-scooter offence, and an infringement notice can’t be issued to a child under 14. That second one matters more than it sounds, because there is no minimum riding age here at all. The only age rule is that under-12s need an adult supervising, and that provision carries no penalty. 2 1
The drink-riding position is different from most states too, and it cuts both ways. The 0.05 offence applies only to motor vehicles, so there is no blood-alcohol number for an e-scooter rider. What applies instead is riding under the influence — being affected to the point of not keeping proper control — which is court-only and reaches $4,800 or 6 months for a first offence. No fixed limit doesn’t mean no offence. 4
Everyday fines sit at $218 for most things, with phone use the outlier at $615. And the road rule is the one to remember: riding on a road is an offence whenever there is a footpath, nature strip or shared path alongside that you could reasonably use. 2 1
What it costs to get it wrong
| Offence | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Riding on a road when a path is available (s 244D) | $218 on the spot (court maximum 20 penalty units = $3,200) | 2 |
| Speeding, no helmet, carrying a passenger, footpath conduct, no lights at night, no warning device, riding without proper control or due care | $218 each on the spot | 2 |
| Using a mobile device while riding (s 244GA) | $615 on the spot | 2 |
| Riding under the influence of alcohol or a drug (Alcohol and Drugs Act s 24A) | Court only — up to 30 penalty units ($4,800) or 6 months' imprisonment for a first offender | 4 |
Common questions
Do you have to wear a helmet on an e-scooter in Canberra?
Yes. An approved bicycle helmet, securely fitted and fastened, is compulsory, and riding without one costs $218 on the spot. The only exemption is a narrow one for religious headdress. 2
Can you ride an e-scooter on the footpath (sidewalk) in the ACT?
Yes. Footpaths and shared paths are where e-scooters belong in the ACT. Keep left, give way to pedestrians, and stay under 15 km/h on footpaths. 1
Can you ride an e-scooter on the road in the ACT?
Usually not. It's an offence to ride on a road whenever a footpath, nature strip or shared path runs alongside it and you could reasonably use it. Crossing a road by the shortest safe route is allowed. 1
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in the ACT?
The legislation sets no minimum age at all. The only rule is that a child under 12 can ride only with an adult supervising. The 16+ age you may have seen applies to hired scooters, currently Lime, and it's a condition the operator sets rather than a law. 1
Do you need a licence or registration for an e-scooter in the ACT?
No. The licence and registration rules apply to a "motor vehicle", and the ACT's road transport dictionary says directly that a personal mobility device isn't one. So neither rule reaches a compliant e-scooter. 3
How fast can you legally ride an e-scooter in Canberra?
15 km/h on footpaths. 25 km/h on shared paths and everywhere else you're allowed to ride. And 10 km/h when you approach or ride across a crossing. 1
Can you drink and ride an e-scooter in the ACT?
Riding under the influence of alcohol or a drug, to the point where you can't keep proper control, is a criminal offence on an e-scooter. A first offence can cost up to $4,800 or 6 months. The 0.05 blood-alcohol offence applies only to motor vehicles, so there's no number-based limit for e-scooters. Police don't need one to charge you. 4
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in the ACT?
No. Riding with another person on the device is an offence with a $218 on-the-spot fine. 2
Every source on this page
The small numbered marks throughout this page point to this list — 1 means source 1 below.
- Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT), s 18A, Div 14.3 (ss 244D–244L)
- Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005 (ACT), Sch 1 pt 1.16
- Road Transport (General) Act 1999 (ACT), dictionary — motor vehicle
- Road Transport (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1977 (ACT), ss 19, 24A, 25
- Legislation Act 2001 (ACT), s 133
- Transport Canberra — E-scooters and mobility devices
- Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Act 1999 (ACT), s 31(1)
© Australian Capital Territory. Sourced from the ACT Legislation Register at 27 Aug 2026. For current law please go to https://www.legislation.act.gov.au. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Reproduced without changes. This is not an official version. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
© Australian Capital Territory. Sourced from the ACT Legislation Register at 28 Aug 2026. For current law please go to https://www.legislation.act.gov.au. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Reproduced without changes. This is not an official version. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Other rules for Australian Capital Territory
- Are e-bikes legal in the ACT? Legal, with conditions
- How high can a fence be in the ACT? Legal, with conditions
- Is it legal to record a conversation in the Australian Capital Territory? Legal, with conditions
- What are the pool fence rules in the ACT? Legal, with conditions
E-scooters rules elsewhere
- New South Wales Illegal
- Northern Territory Illegal
- Queensland Legal, with conditions
- South Australia Legal, with conditions
- Tasmania Legal, with conditions
- Victoria Legal, with conditions
- Western Australia Legal, with conditions
Page history
Every change to this page
- 9 Oct 2026
- Cluster re-check against the ACT register. Every extract, the $160 penalty unit and all fines confirmed current; no substantive change. The Offences Regulation and Legislation Act republications moved on only (Rep 105 from 1 August 2026 and Rep 126 from 23 February 2026), with no change to the quoted provisions or amounts.
- 27 Aug 2026
- First published. Current to the ACT Road Rules as at 3 November 2025 and the Offences Regulation as at 1 August 2026.