Just invested in your first eScooter? Then you are going to want to get familiar with the ins and outs of electric scooter legislation. From the legal status of eScooters on Australian roads to your options for different battery wattages, keep reading to discover everything you need to know before you head out for your next electric adventure.
Is It Legal to Ride an eScooter?
It is completely legal to ride an eScooter in Australia on private property, however, public rides need to follow rules to stay legal. Keep in mind that these rules, regulations and requirements vary vastly depending on the state that you live in. With a host of different, specific laws details from state to state, it is important to study what you can and cannot do on your eScooter before you head out for your ride.
State By State Status
Here are the rules and legal requirements for riding eScooters – state by state.
New South Wales
You are not permitted to use private eScooters on public roads or road-related areas in NSW. It is illegal. You are allowed to ride an eScooter from an approved provider at one of these six trial locations: Kogarah, Albury, Forster-Tuncurry, Wollongong, Armidale, and Lake Macquarie. You can visit Transport for NSW for more details. You must be at least 16 years old, wear a helmet and use light reflectors after dark. You cannot go past 20km/h on roads and 10km/h on shared paths, and you are not allowed to ride an eScooter on roads with speed limits of 50km/h and higher.
Western Australia
eScooters are only allowed on roads with no dividing lines and a speed limit of 50km/h or lower. You can only ride on bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or lower with no passenger of any kind. For more information, visit WA Gov. You must be 16 years or older, wear an approved helmet and your vehicle cannot be capable of exceeding 25km/h. You cannot go over 10km/h on public footpaths or pedestrian crossings and you cannot exceed 25km/h on bike paths, lanes, local roads or public paths.
Victoria
Victoria is trialling eScooter use in public, with many of the same road rules that are applied to bicycles allotted to them. You cannot exceed 20km/h and your eScooter must only have a speed capacity of 25km/h and only one person per scooter can ride. Go to VicRoads for more information. You must be 16 or older, wear a helmet at all times, and use front and rear lights at night.
Northern Territory
You can only ride an approved electric scooter from a specific supplier in the Northern Territory, discover more at the NT Gov website. You must be 18 years or older and wear an approved secure helmet with front and back lights. You cannot exceed 15km/h on the roads.
South Australia
South Australia has been running trial eScooter programs for the past few years, with positive feedback. Under the extended trial period, you can use approved eScooters at trial locations and on private property. You cannot carry passengers and you can only travel on shared paths or footpaths. For more information visit the My Licence website. You must be 18 years or older and wear an approved helmet, with mounted lights or reflectors for night rides. The scooter must be from a state-approved provider and cannot exceed 15km/h.
Queensland
You can use eScooters on public roads and paths in Queensland. You can ride on footpaths and shared paths as well as bike lanes on roads with speed limits below 50 km/h. For more details, visit Queensland Transport. Riders must be above 16 to travel with no supervision. Those between the ages of 12 – 15 can ride with adult supervision. You must wear a helmet that is compliant with Australian standards of safety.
Tasmania
You can ride on footpaths, shared paths and bike paths in Tasmania. You can ride on local roads with no dividing lines or a median strip with a speed limit of 50km.h or less. You cannot carry passengers and you must give way to pedestrians. For more information visit the Transport Services website. You must be 16 years or older to ride your eScooter and wear an approved helmet with a light for night riding. The vehicle cannot exceed 45kg and cannot have the capacity to go faster than 25km/h.
Australian Capital Territory
You can ride an eScooter on footpaths, shared paths and bike paths in the ACT. For more information visit Transport Canberra. You must be 12 or over to independently ride, and those under 12 can do so under adult supervision. You must wear a helmet and have fitted lights at the front and rear of the scooter, and you cannot exceed 15km/h on footpaths or 25km/h on shared paths.
Different Battery Wattages
NG Mobility stocks a curation of advanced electric scooters with varying battery wattages. See how our models measure up below:
HX X9: 560Wh battery to extend rides up to 70 km
HX X8: 360Wh battery to extend rides with up to 35 km range
HX X8 PLUS: 461Wh battery to extend rides with up to 50 km range
HX X7 PRO: 230Wh battery to extend rides with up to 20 km range
We also stock a range of spare and swappable batteries ranging from 230Wh to 461Wh so you can customise your ride. Discover the range of scooter models, accessories and more with NG!
Shop and explore the complete range of electric scooters online with NG Mobility today.