Electric Scooters & Road Laws (VIC)

EcoMotion does NOT provide legal advice.

VicRoads Electric Scooter Regulations (Melbourne and Victoria) - CLICK HERE 

Privately Owned Scooters - NOW LEGAL in Victoria

The Victorian Government is currently undertaking a trial of e-scooters to test if and how these devices can be permanently incorporated into Victoria’s transport system. They've extended Victoria’s e-scooter shared-scheme (hire) trial for 6 months and from 5 April 2023, privately owned e-scooters can be used under strict trial rules across Victoria.

You can legally ride your private e-scooter if:

  • you ride on shared-use paths and roads up to and including 60km/h
  • you’re over 16 years
  • you wear a helmet
  • you don’t ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • you ride up to a maximum speed to 20km/h
  • you’re not using your mobile phone or carrying a passenger (dinking)
  • it’s not a high-speed e-scooter – capable of more than 25km/h (this is considered an unregistered vehicle and penalties apply)
  • and never on footpaths.


To keep everyone safe, e-scooter riders must:

  • not carry passengers or animals
  • have proper control at all times and ride responsibly
  • use a warning (e.g., bell, horn or verbal) to avert danger
  • not ride two abreast
  • give way to pedestrians where appropriate
  • not lead an animal, including by tethering the animal to the e-scooter

In Victoria, there are about 100,000 e-scooters that are privately owned. The Government is monitoring how hire and private e-scooters are being used, before implementing them permanently into the State's road laws.

It's up to us electric scooter to ensure we always ride in a manner which is safe and respectful of other road (and shared path) users. Be courteous and considerate. Give a clear verbal warning when approaching other riders and pedestrians from behind... "Passing on your right". 

Channel 7 News story (23 Apr 2021) by Louisa Cheatley about the new Victorian Road Laws which require drivers to give cyclists more space. The story includes a Melbourne electric scooter trial announced for 2021.

Legislation Review Timeline

JULY 2021 - Infrastructure and Transport National Cabinet Reform Committee.

Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), including electric scooters and electric skateboards, have now been added to the Australian Road Rules. Read the AMENDMENT.

SEPTEMBER 2021 - Victorian Electric Scooter Trials

The Victorian State Government announce Electric Scooter trials for the City of Port Phillip, City of Melbourne, City of Yarra & City of Ballarat. ARTICLE
This doesn't mean it's legal in Victoria yet. The Australian Road Rules only provide a template regulation for the Victorian State Government to legalise PMDs. Each individual State government will need to adopt these changes and incorporate them into their own State road rules. Hopefully this will occur in the first half of 2023.

NOVEMBER 2021

Tasmanian Parliament has unanimously passed laws allowing electric scooters and other personal mobility devices to be used by commercial ‘hire and ride’ operators as well as private users on footpaths, shared paths and some local roads.  These Personal Mobility Devices will be restricted to a speed of 15km/h on footpaths, and 25km/h on shared paths, bicycle paths and local roads, with councils having the power to restrict footpaths that should not be shared and to add divided local roads to the network on a case-by-case basis.
Western Australia are also implementing new laws which will see electric scooters legally travelling on bikes, shared paths, footpaths and local roads.  
NSW has announced a 12 month trial of electric scooters, commencing in 2022, to see how electric scooters can can fit into the transport network be safely rolled-out across the State.

    News, Links & Resources:

    • VicRoads Regulations - [LEGISLATION] 
    • SBS - Victorian government pledge $13 million for cycling infrastructure, introduce road rule (7 Oct 2020 - ARTICLE]
    • ABC Adelaide (4 Nov 2022) - "Premier backs SA Police call for laws around e-scooters to be reviewed" - ARTICLE].
    • Amy Gillet Foundation - "A Metre Matters" To Be Passed in Vic Alongside $13M VIC Government Support for Cycling Infrastructure [ARTICLE - 7 Oct 2020] 
    • Channel 7 News story by Louisa Cheatley about the new Victorian Road Laws which require drivers to give cyclists more space. The story includes an electric scooter trial announced for 2021 [23 Apr 2021 - VIDEO]
    • National Transport & Infrastructure Council [WEB SITE]
    • Committee for Melbourne - Transport Taskforce [WEB SITE] 
    • Committee for Melbourne - Rebuilding Melbourne with E-Transport [WEBINAR]
    • The Guardian: Australian E-Scooters' Bumpy Ride: "Like When Automobiles Appeared on Streets Filled with Horses" (15 Mar 2021 - ARTICLE 
    • ABC NEWS (Sep 2021) - Victorian State Government announces Electric Scooter trials for the City of Port Phillip, City of Melbourne, City of Yarra & City of Ballarat - ARTICLE
    • The Age - City of Port Phillip backs e-scooter trial over summer [ARTICLE]
    • City of Port Phillip: Electric scooter trial a step closer in Port Phillip (Oct 2019) [ARTICLE]
    • ABC: Calls for E-Scooter Laws to Be Relaxed Across Australia [ARTICLE]
    • Adelaide Advertiser: How E-Scooters Challenge Outdated Assumptions About Our Roads [ARTICLE]
    • BBC: Why we have a love-hate relationship with electric scooters [ARTICLE]