E-scooter, e-bike and PEV laws in the United States

In the United States, e-scooters follow rules that vary by state or city: helmet rules vary.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change often; confirm with the local transport authority before riding.

Last researched Oct 13, 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-scooter rules by state

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaColoradoFloridaGeorgiaIndianaKansasMaineMassachusettsMinnesotaNew JerseyNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOklahomaPennsylvaniaSouth DakotaTexasWyomingConnecticutMissouriWest VirginiaIllinoisNew MexicoArkansasCaliforniaDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaHawaiiIowaKentuckyMarylandMichiganMississippiMontanaNew HampshireNew YorkOhioOregonTennesseeUtahVirginiaWashingtonWisconsinNebraskaSouth CarolinaIdahoNevadaVermontLouisianaRhode Island
LegalMoped-style paperworkRental onlyVaries locallyNo specific lawProhibitedNot confirmedNot researched

E-scooters

Stand-up electric kick scootersBased on published secondary sources
StatusVaries locally — Depends on the state, province or city.1
Max speed—
Power & device limits—
Weight limit—
Minimum age—
Helmethelmet rules vary1
Where you can ride—
Licence & registration—
Insurance—
Plate / sticker—
Penalties & alcohol—
NotesNo federal e-scooter statute; 35+ states define e-scooters (typically 15-20 mph, bicycle-like rules), the rest leave it to cities. Pennsylvania effectively bans them on public roads. See state list.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 United States?

E-bikes

Pedelecs, speed pedelecs and throttle e-bikesBased on published secondary sources (some details unconfirmed)
StatusVaries locally — Depends on the state, province or city.2,3,4
Max speedFederal: under 20 mph on motor alone, under 750 W (15 U.S.C. 2085 / CPSC)unconfirmed
Power & device limits750 Wunconfirmed
Minimum age—
Helmet—
Where you can ride—
Licence & registration—
Penalties & alcohol—
Notes42 states use the Class 1/2/3 system (20/20/28 mph); Hawaii joined in Jul 2026 and North Carolina joins on 1 Dec 2026. New Jersey replaced it in 2026 with licence and registration for all e-bikes. The 2026 trend is separating e-motos from e-bikes (CA, CO, IL, OR, UT, WA, DE). See state list.2,3,4

Other PEVs

Hoverboards, electric unicycles, e-skateboards, SegwaysNot confirmed
StatusNot confirmed
Max speed—
Power & device limits—
Minimum age—
Helmet—
Where you can ride—
Licence & registration—
Penalties & alcohol—
NotesNot confirmed

What changed

  1. Jan 1, 2027Not yet in force (as of Oct 13, 2026)Illinois SB 3484 statewide micromobility rules; California SB 1167 and AB 2346
  2. Dec 1, 2026Not yet in force (as of Oct 13, 2026)North Carolina S.L. 2026-46 - 3-class system
  3. Oct 1, 2026In forceConnecticut PA 26-24 - motor-driven cycles up to 3,700 W
  4. Aug 12, 2026In forceColorado HB26-1079 - e-motorcycle licence, registration, insurance
  5. Jul 15, 2026In forceHawaii Act 259 - 3-class system, helmet under 18, ban on devices over 750 W / 28 mph
  6. Jul 1, 2026In forceTennessee SB 1782 - Class 3 age 16
  7. Jun 11, 2026In forceWashington ESSB 6110 - over 20 mph on motor alone is not an e-bike
  8. Jun 5, 2026In forceOregon HB 4007 - Class 1 age 14 (from 2027), e-moto sales ban
  9. May 6, 2026In forceUtah HB 381 - helmet under 21, e-motorcycle definition
  10. Jan 19, 2026In forceNew Jersey S4834 - licence and registration for all e-bikes (enforced from 19 Jul 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Are electric scooters legal in the United States?
Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 13, 2026), it depends: e-scooter rules in the United States vary by state or city.
Do you need a helmet to ride an e-scooter in the United States?
Based on the sources listed on this page (last researched Oct 13, 2026), helmet rules vary.

Sources

  1. 1.ERideHero - Electric Scooter Laws by State (verified Feb 2026)ERideHero · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
  2. 2.Ebike Oracle - 50 states + DC (reviewed Jul 2026)Ebike Oracle · Secondary · Opened or seen as a search excerpt (not recorded which) · read Oct 13, 2026
  3. 3.ERideHero - Electric Bike Laws by State (verified Feb 2026)ERideHero · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
  4. 4.Redtail - e-bike laws by state (verified 6 Oct 2026)Redtail · Secondary · Opened or seen as a search excerpt (not recorded which) · read Oct 13, 2026
  5. 5.Wikipedia - Electric bicycle lawsWikipedia · Secondary · Opened · read Oct 12, 2026
  6. 6.PeopleForBikes - 2026 state billsPeopleForBikes · Secondary · Opened or seen as a search excerpt (not recorded which) · read Oct 13, 2026

US state entries derived from ERideHero's state law maps (eridehero.com, verified February 2026).