E-scooter, e-bike and PEV laws in South Africa
In South Africa, 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 sourcesThe 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 | Prohibited — No lawful use on public roads.1 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | — |
| Power & device limits | — |
| Weight limit | — |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | Effectively not road-legal: a 'motor vehicle' with no registration route; private land only1 |
| Licence & registration | — |
| Insurance | — |
| Plate / sticker | — |
| Penalties & alcohol | Seizure and fines reported1 |
| Notes | Stellenbosch suspended the GoNow rental service in June 2026 (backed by the national Department of Transport); legal challenge ongoing. The 'under 500 W is legal' claim is false.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 South Africa?
E-bikes
Pedelecs, speed pedelecs and throttle e-bikesBased on published secondary sources| Status | Legal — Allowed under a specific framework.1 |
|---|---|
| Max speed | 25 km/h1 |
| Power & device limits | Max 30 kg, pedals required1 |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | — |
| Licence & registration | Excluded from 'motor vehicle' by Amendment Act 8 of 2024 - but commencement (presidential proclamation) not confirmed1 |
| Penalties & alcohol | — |
| Notes | Until the Amendment Act commences, e-bikes technically remain motor vehicles.1 |
Other PEVs
Hoverboards, electric unicycles, e-skateboards, SegwaysNot confirmed| Status | Not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Max speed | — |
| Power & device limits | — |
| Minimum age | — |
| Helmet | — |
| Where you can ride | Not confirmed |
| Licence & registration | — |
| Penalties & alcohol | — |
| Notes | Not confirmed |
What changed
- Jun 2026In forceStellenbosch suspends rental e-scooters
- Dec 10, 2024Not yet in force (as of Oct 12, 2026)National Road Traffic Amendment Act 8 of 2024 gazetted (commencement pending)
Frequently asked questions
- Are electric scooters legal in South Africa?
- 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 South Africa. Where you can ride: Effectively not road-legal: a 'motor vehicle' with no registration route; private land only.
Sources
- 1.RecordingLaw - South Africa e-scooter lawsRecordingLaw · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
- 2.National Road Traffic Amendment Act 8 of 2024gov.za · Law · 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).