Advice on using e-scooters

What is an e-scooter?

Electrical scooters (also known as e-scooters) come under the category of 'powered transporters'. This covers a range of personal transport devices that are powered by a motor.

E-scooters are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means the rules that apply to motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters including the need to have a licence and insurance.

There are two ways of using an e-scooter:

• by privately owning one
• by renting one through an authorised rental scheme

Owning your own e-scooter

It's not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters. This means it’s illegal to use them on the road or in public spaces, such as parks, street pavements, and shopping centres.

If you use a privately-owned e-scooter in public, you risk the vehicle being seized under S.165 Road Traffic Act 1988 for having no insurance. 

If you cause serious harm to another person whilst riding an e-scooter, the incident will be investigated in the same way it would if you were riding a motorcycle or driving a car. 

Where you can use your own e-scooter

If you own an e-scooter, you can only use it in on private land, such as in a garden. But you must have the permission of the landowner to do so.

Rental e-scooters

You can rent e-scooters in some parts of the UK through e-scooter rental trials.

Where a rental trial scheme is running, rental e-scooters can be used on public roads, some cycle lanes, and other public spaces. But you must follow the relevant road traffic laws. If you don’t, you could face prosecution.

Note that Kent is not currently participating in a trial rental scheme.

To use a rental e-scooter in an approved area you must:

• hold the correct driving licence (find out about driving licence categories)
• have insurance (the rental companies provide this when you hire from them)
• meet the minimum age limit (this can vary depending on the rental company, so please check with them)

When riding an e-scooter, you should always keep to the speed limit. We also always recommend wearing safety protection such as a helmet.

Penalties and offences

If you breach the rules when using an e-scooter you could face a fixed penalty notice.

Forces set and enforce penalties differently, so the penalty will vary depending on where the offence is committed. 

Devon and Cornwall police will not issue fines, so other forms of penalty will be used if you use an e-scooter in a public place when not part of an approved trial.

For other forces in the UK and Northern Ireland, the fixed penalty notice could include:

• a £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence for having no insurance
• a £100 fine and three to six penalty points for riding without the correct licence

You could also be committing an offence if you're caught: 

• riding on a pavement: fixed penalty notice and possible £50 fine 
• using a mobile phone or other handheld mobile device while riding: £200 and six penalty points
• riding through red lights: fixed penalty notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points
• drink driving: the same as if you were driving a car, you could face court imposed fines, a driving ban and possible imprisonment

If you're using an e-scooter in public in an antisocial manner, you can also risk the e-scooter being seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act.