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Accessories & partsThe most asked question by our customers. And sometimes hard to answer, we gathered a list of answers per country. This list shows if you can ride your electric skateboard on public roads. We are working on getting all the details per country, so stick to bicycle lanes just to be safe. Unless you live in New York or France, then nobody cares.
Did we miss something? Add your feedback in the comments or e-mail us!
Last update: 24 june 2020
Are Electric Skateboards Legal?
Each country has its own rules. Sometimes it is even regulated differently per city. Always do some research before you go riding in foreign countries. We always recommend wearing a helmet, even if it is not required by local law. Find out below if you can ride in your local neighborhood or at your holiday destinations.
🇪🇺Europe
🏴United Kingdom
No. In the UK it is unofficially grey, because there is no specific legislation for electric skateboards. Hoverboards, Onewheels and Electric Scooters are all banned in public places but as of yet Electric skateboards remain unlegislated. The UK police does love to give heavy fines if they catch you, so watch out.
🇮🇪Ireland
No. Illegal. Unless its a 250w electric and human assisted pedelac, it’s a motorized vehicle. Tax and insurance and vehicle type approval required to use on the roads. And as insurance is not possible right now, no go.
🇧🇪Belgium
Yes. The land of chocolate and waffles has a great attitude towards electric skateboards as they fall under the same category as Segways. Allowing riders to use them on the same roads as bicycles, limited to 20km/h.
🇳🇱Netherlands
No. Everything that is not a bicycle is illegal. The Fatdaddy team lives here and is fighting for legislation, sign our petition! Till then, you can not ride electric skateboards on public roads.
🇩🇪Germany
No. If you want to hop on your electric scooter in Germany you can do that as long as you don’t go faster then 20km/h, wear protective gear and have an insurance. Electric skateboards and Onewheel’s are still not allowed as you NEED handlebars and a registration, number plate and insurance.
🇫🇷France
Oui oui! It is possible to ride electric skateboards in France. It’s now legal on roads where the speed limit is less or equal to 50kph as is the case with most streets in any city but not on roads in the countryside. It’s legal on bike paths and even on the curb at a reduced speed (6kph) but it depends on the city laws! The electric skateboard max speed should not exceed 25kph (15mph) which makes almost all boards illegal. It should have lights and reflectors to be seen at all times. and you’re supposed to have a bell to warn people.
🇪🇸Spain
Yes. In Spain it’s regulated with basic rules done per city. Cities like Barcelona have fully embraced electric skateboards and electric scooters.
(thank you Samux)
🇵🇹Portugal
Riding an electric skateboard is completely legal in Portugal. We’ve heard from users only being stopped because they also want to give it a go.
🇮🇹Italy
Yes. Bonjorno, Italy legalised electric skateboards. Every city can make their own rules. Allowed to circulate in urban areas, prior municipal deliberation, in pedestrian areas, on footpaths and cycle paths, in cycle lanes and reserved lanes, in zones and on roads with a speed limit of 30 km/.
🇬🇷Greece
Grey area. In Greece they are working on legalising electric skateboards and electric scooters right now, fingers crossed.
🇨🇭Switzerland
No. It really is illegal here and the police can take your electric skateboard away from you.
🇵🇱Poland
Not sure. Under the new proposals, electric rides will be treated as bicycles, and will only be allowed to use sidewalks if there is no cycle lane and the sidewalk is sufficiently large.
🇭🇷Croatia
Yes. In Croatia max power for electric bikes is 1/4 kW and 25kmh without pedaling and all other vehicles without pedals like electric skateboards go in a moped category that’s up to 4kW and 45kmh. Basically, they can be ridden on bike paths and sidewalks, but law has not defined it quite precisely yet.
🇨🇿Czechia
Not sure. Prague banned Segways a while back, now bicycles, and it somewhat applies for the scooters too.
🇦🇹Austria
Yes. Hoverboards, and other small electric devices are to be used on the sidewalk but only if it does not endanger pedestrians. Note that electric scooters are definitely considered bikes and thus are not allowed to go there.
🇱🇹 Lithuania
In Lithuania it’s 1kW max. Same laws as for e-bikes and e-scooters apply.
🇮🇸Iceland
Yes. The remote island located in the North Atlantic Ocean, we’re not sure how to ship packages there but electric scooters and electric skateboards are legal!
🇩🇰Denmark
Yes. The Danish government have recently approved many electric vehicles as of 1/1/2019, of course with some restrictions. Max speed of 20km/h, minimum age of 15 years and you have to have lights on the rider or board at all times. With no mandatory insurance or registration needed!
🇸🇪Sweden
Yes. Good news for people living in Sweden is that electric skateboards have recently been assimilated as bikes and given the same rights with a few speed limitations. The maximum speed is 20km/h with a max power of 250W. If you have one that is push powered with only assistance you can do 25km/h.
🇫🇮Finland
Finland allows the electric skateboard to be classified the same as a bicycle. There is still a 1kW limit, but the legal speed raises to 25 km/h
🇳🇴Norway
Yes. Also just legalized light electric vehicles considering them the same as bicycles. Norwegians don’t need an insurance, registration or admission to ride. Permitted maximum speed is 20 km/h, you need head and tail lights, reflectors, a certain braking power and a signal horn or signal bell. However, exceptions to these requirements may be granted where such equipment can not be fitted.
🇺🇸United States
California
Yes. California is California so it’s basically legal throughout the state. Riders in California are allowed to use electric skateboards on bicycle paths and roads as long a a helmet is worn and the rider is over 16. They also require that they have lights and reflectors, in practice this usually means that a set of Shredlights or similar is enough for most cops to not be too bothered. They are however defined as a wheeled device with a propulsion system of less than 1000W and a max speed of 20mph.
Michigan
Yes. The Michigan House of Representatives has recently passed legislation that would allow electric skateboards to go on the same roads as bikes and cars do.
Florida
Yes. Only on streets where the speed limit is 25mph, and only where bicycles are permitted.
Oceania
🇦🇺Australia, Queensland
Yes. For the Australian Road Rules, a person in or on a wheeled recreational device or wheeled toy is a pedestrian, not a rider (as in cyclist) and not a vehicle. A recent change in the law allows for ‘personal mobility vehicles’ to be used in Public Spaces and Road related areas. More generally you have to be over 16, wearing a helmet and many rules which apply to cars like not being drunk or using a mobile phone plus you’ll need some lights on while travelling at night.
Asia
🇸🇬Singapore
Yes. Introduced e-skate laws allowing them to be used on footpaths up to 15km/h and 25km/h on cycle paths but still technically illegal on the roads.
Regarding AUSTRIA:
Electric Sk8boards are seen as a toy, not a vehicle, because you need a certain amount of skill riding it.
(Like it would apply with a unicycle). There are no restrictions regarding output or Vmax.
Standing at approx. 8000km I personally had only one unpleasant encounter with a motorcycle cop, who gave up after half an hour of me refusing to be unlawfully prosecuted by him. (He even had me blow his breathalyzer lol.) Other cops have given me thumbs up or ignore me completely, since I’m usually better visible with my shredlights, than many cyclicts. I have to add, I ride mostly in an urban area with many bike lanes and tbh cyclists are 99% idiots or jackasses or both..
This post is 3 years old so I was wondering if it has changed in switzerland?
Hi so In norway you do need insurance, it was a new policy added this year (2023)
What about other US states? Especially Iowa
Great. I like reading your article. It is so interesting and useful. Hope you write more. Perhaps, one of the most challenging parts of riding an e-skateboard is dealing with its weight.
Great. I like reading your article. It is so interesting and useful. Hope you write more.
The electric skateboards are legal in Czech Republic (Czechia). From legal perspective the rider is considered to be a pedestrian and should use a sidewalk if it is available. But it is correct that Segways are banned in Prague.
A Onewheel rider from Czechia here. As far as Onewheels and EUCs go, they are officially banned only in the capital, Prague. Everywhere else, as long as you obey the law and don’t act like a douchebag, the cops are ok with them.
Romania – electric scooters are legal and regulated like 25km/h max without a drivers license, over that its somewhat in bike category, skateboards are not regulated at all and knowing how fast legal moves in ro it will be years before this happens. So ro should be colored green, unregulated but if regulated they will be around electric scooters law and still legal.
Poland
Not sure. Under the new proposals, electric rides will be treated as bicycles, and will only be allowed to use sidewalks if there is no cycle lane and the sidewalk is sufficiently large.
New rules are for unicycles and escooters. Not eskateboards.
In Lithuania it’s 1kW max. Same laws as for e-bikes and e-scooters apply.
Hi there. Portuguese here. Completely “legal” in Portugal. Cops don’t care about it and when they do, they think it’s really cool. In Lisbon only got stopped because his kid wanted one. In Porto they stopped me just for curiosity and to try it. As far as you don’t act like a asshole, you’re good to go.
Thank you Hugo, we’ve updated the list!
Actually, the law says you have to wear a helmet, can’t go over 25 km/h and no more power than 0.25kW.
I have been riding in Lisbon and my rural hometown and so far every cop think it’s cool. Law is really overlooked.
Oh, and it’s the same rules for e-bikes or e-scooters.
Switzerland is green/yes on map, but “No” in description – please fix. Also: could you arrange countries in an alphabetical order and make the map clickable in order to jump to the respective country directly?
Thanks a lot for providing this informative data!
Fixed the map! Will make it alphabetical asap too.
Fucken gay ass countries
United States Milwaukee, Wisconsin Esk8 is legal on roads only, but the cops don’t mess with you if you ride on the sidewalks or bike paths. Milwaukee is an Esk8 friendly city. Scooters are the same.
I d’like to know how the process is going in UK, on bus drive was crazy saying that is illegal and the police stoped me and asked to me to go in the path.
Hi, in Belgium, limit is now 25km/h, which is just a couple km/h short for any respectable e-skate :-/
Hello mate,Where exactly are you in Belgium,,
Here in zeebrugge so far so good for me,I guess their not strict because the people in Belgium is so nice and the police are so approachable, love it🥰😍
The Netherlands is not working on it. Sadly it is illegal and that doesn’t seem to change anytime soon
Well, that’s were you are wrong. They are working on it, the goverment sees allot of potential in it. But yes the Netherlands is slow af and it might take a year :c
Any news about electric skateboards in Switzerland?
I saw it’s legal here, but the police just told me off. They took pictures and told me not to use it again.
what was the fine
Still haven’t received a fine. I might have been ok because I was riding slowly and didn’t go over the 30km/h speed limit in the area and I was wearing a helmet plus the skateboard had lights.
Damn the police just pulled me over in switzerland last night. They said “they wont confiscate it, but recommend i sell it and buy an e scooter or bike because theyre legal.” My bf was caught last year and had to pay 600chf or so. The cops told me im getting fined as well. Just have to wait and see i guess. T
Big OEFF