E-scooter, e-bike and PEV laws in China
In China, e-scooters are not allowed on public roads.
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: Based on published secondary sourcesThe sources are listed below; values were not checked against the text of the law.
E-scooters
Stand-up electric kick scootersBased on published secondary sources| Status | Prohibited — No lawful use on public roads.1 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | — |
| Power & device limits | — |
| Weight limit | — |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | No national vehicle category or approval route; major cities ban them from roads (Beijing since 1 May 2026, Shanghai)1 |
| Licence & registration | — |
| Insurance | — |
| Plate / sticker | — |
| Penalties & alcohol | Beijing: warning or CNY 10-50; Shanghai: CNY 100, repeat offences confiscation + CNY 5001 |
| Notes | Rules are set city by city; no significant shared e-scooter market in mainland China.1 |
"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 China?
E-bikes
Pedelecs, speed pedelecs and throttle e-bikesBased on published secondary sources (some details unconfirmed)| Status | Legal — Allowed under a specific framework.2,3 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | 25 km/h (GB 17761-2024)2,3 |
| Power & device limits | Limited (motor and anti-tamper rules in GB 17761-2024); max 63 kg for lead-acid models2,3 |
| Minimum age | Not confirmed |
| Helmet | Required by many provincial/city regulationsunconfirmed |
| Where you can ride | Non-motorised lanesunconfirmed |
| Licence & registration | Not confirmed |
| Penalties & alcohol | Local fines for no plate/helmetunconfirmed |
| Notes | New standard in force 1 Sep 2025, old-standard sales ended 1 Dec 2025: Beidou positioning module, stronger anti-tamper rules, pedals no longer mandatory.2,3 |
Other PEVs
Hoverboards, electric unicycles, e-skateboards, SegwaysBased on published secondary sources| Status | Prohibited — No lawful use on public roads.1 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | — |
| Power & device limits | — |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | Not confirmed |
| Licence & registration | — |
| Penalties & alcohol | — |
| Notes | Self-balancing wheels, unicycles and hoverboards are banned from roads in Beijing and Shanghai.1 |
What changed
- May 1, 2026In forceBeijing non-motor vehicle regulation bans e-scooters/self-balancing devices from roads
- Dec 1, 2025In forceonly new-standard e-bikes may be sold
- Sep 1, 2025In forceGB 17761-2024 e-bike standard in force
Frequently asked questions
- Are electric scooters legal in China?
- Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 12, 2026), no. There is no lawful use of e-scooters on public roads in China. Where you can ride: No national vehicle category or approval route; major cities ban them from roads (Beijing since 1 May 2026, Shanghai).
Sources
- 1.RecordingLaw - China e-scooter laws (2026)RecordingLaw · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
- 2.IT Home - GB 17761-2024 requirementsIT Home · News · Opened or seen as a search excerpt (not recorded which) · read Oct 12, 2026
- 3.Wikipedia - Electric bicycle lawsWikipedia · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
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.