E-scooter, e-bike and PEV laws in Austria
In Austria, e-scooters are legal: max 25 km/h, minimum age 12, helmet required under 16, no insurance required.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change often; confirm with the local transport authority before riding.
Last researched Oct 12, 2026 · values compiled from published secondary sources; none were checked against the text of a law.
- E-scooters: Based on published secondary sourcesThe sources are listed below; values were not checked against the text of the law.
- E-bikes: Based on published secondary sources (some details unconfirmed)The sources are listed below; values were not checked against the text of the law.
- Other PEVs: Not confirmedThe values here were not taken from a source we read, so we do not show them.
E-scooters
Stand-up electric kick scootersBased on published secondary sources| Status | Legal — Allowed under a specific framework.1,2 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | 25 km/h1,2 |
| Power & device limits | Up to 600 W (raised from 250 W on 1 May 2026)1,2 |
| Weight limit | — |
| Minimum age | 12 to ride alone (younger: with cycling licence or supervised by someone 16+)1,2 |
| Helmet | Under 161,2 |
| Where you can ride | Cycle paths where present (correct direction), otherwise roadway where cycling allowed; no pavements; pedestrian zones only where signed, at walking speed1,2 |
| Licence & registration | No licence, insurance or plate for private scooters1,2 |
| Insurance | No insurance required1,2 |
| Plate / sticker | Not required1,2 |
| Penalties & alcohol | Alcohol limit 0.5 per mille; general fines approx. EUR 7-726; one rider only1,2 |
| Notes | Mandatory: bell/horn, yellow turn signals at handlebar ends, white front and red rear lights, reflectors (scooters without compliant indicators may not be used since 1 May 2026). Vienna adds rules for rental fleets.1,2 |
"Unconfirmed" = the source of that value was not recorded, or part of it was not taken from a source; "Not confirmed" = we have no sourced value, so none is shown. Footnote numbers point to the source list below.
Is this information correct for Austria?
E-bikes
Pedelecs, speed pedelecs and throttle e-bikesBased on published secondary sources (some details unconfirmed)| Status | Legal — Allowed under a specific framework.3 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | Assistance must cut out at 25 km/h (walk-assist/throttle only up to 6 km/h)3unconfirmed |
| Power & device limits | 250 W continuous (EU Reg. 168/2013 exemption, EN 15194)3 |
| Minimum age | None for pedelecs3 |
| Helmet | Children up to the end of their 14th year (raised from under 12 in 2026)unconfirmed |
| Where you can ride | Same as bicycles: cycle lanes/paths where present, otherwise the road3 |
| Licence & registration | No licence, registration or insurance for 250 W / 25 km/h pedelecs3 |
| Penalties & alcohol | Not confirmed |
| Notes | Austrian KFG has historically treated e-bikes up to 600 W / 25 km/h as bicycles; check current KFG wording. E-mopeds are motor vehicles since 1 Oct 2026 (registration, insurance, licence, helmet; no cycle paths).1,2unconfirmed |
Other PEVs
Hoverboards, electric unicycles, e-skateboards, SegwaysNot confirmed| Status | Not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Max speed | — |
| Power & device limits | — |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | — |
| Licence & registration | — |
| Penalties & alcohol | — |
| Notes | Not confirmed |
What changed
- Oct 1, 2026In forcee-mopeds reclassified as motor vehicles
- May 1, 2026In force36th StVO amendment - e-scooters become vehicles, 600 W cap, helmet under 16, mandatory handlebar indicators, 0.5 per mille
Frequently asked questions
- Are electric scooters legal in Austria?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), yes. E-scooters are legal in Austria under a specific framework. Where you can ride: Cycle paths where present (correct direction), otherwise roadway where cycling allowed; no pavements; pedestrian zones only where signed, at walking speed.
- What is the e-scooter speed limit in Austria?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), e-scooters in Austria are limited to 25 km/h.
- Do you need a helmet to ride an e-scooter in Austria?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), helmet required under 16.
- What is the minimum age to ride an e-scooter in Austria?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), the minimum age is 12.
- Do e-scooters need insurance or a plate in Austria?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), no insurance required; no plate is required.
Sources
- 1.RecordingLaw - Austria e-scooter lawsRecordingLaw · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
- 2.Salzburg24 - new e-scooter rules from 1 May 2026Salzburg24 · News · Seen only as a search excerpt · read Oct 12, 2026
- 3.Wikipedia - Electric bicycle lawsWikipedia · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
- 4.BMIMI press release on 36th StVO amendmentbmimi.gv.at · Government · Not opened: URL taken from a citation in another source or search results
Country entries derived in part from RecordingLaw's e-scooter law guides (recordinglaw.com).
EU e-bike baseline from Wikipedia's overview of electric bicycle laws.