Scooters & wheeled recreational devices

What is a foot scooter?

A foot scooter:

• has two or three wheels (one in front of the other, or one in front and two at the rear)
• has a footboard between the front and back wheels
• is steered by handlebars
• may or may not have a seat
• is moved by pushing one foot against the ground.

Rules for human-powered scooters

Scooter riders must:

• follow the rules for wheeled recreational devices (below)
• wear an Australian Standards approved bicycle helmet
• ride with at least one effective brake on their scooter
• ride with a bell or horn on their scooter
• at night have a
  • white light (flashing or steady) on the front
  • red light (flashing or steady) on the back
  • a red reflector on the back.

What is a motorised scooter?

A motorised scooter:

• has the same features as a foot scooter
• can be propelled by an electric motor with a maximum power output of 200 watts or less
• is not able to travel faster than 10 km/h when ridden on level ground.

A motorised mobility device is not a motorised scooter. Information about these devices can be found here.

Is my scooter legal?

If your motorised scooter:

• is powered by a petrol motor; OR  
• has an electric motor with a power output of greater than 200 watts; OR
• has a speed capability of greater than 10 km/h

then it cannot be legally used on a road or any road related areas, including footpaths, shared paths or public areas (unless it meets the standards for registration and is registered). The fine for riding an illegal device in a public area is $909. Other penalties may also apply. 

IMPORTANT: Most newer model e-scooters exceed these thresholds and do not meet the standards for registration, and therefore cannot be used on Victorian public roads or footpaths at this time; they can only legally be ridden on private property.

E-scooter trial The Victorian Government recognises there are potential benefits to allowing higher-power e-scooters in public areas, which is why Victoria is currently undertaking a controlled trial of high-powered for-hire e-scooters in several local government areas (City of Melbourne, City of Yarra, City of Port Phillip and City of Ballarat).  The purpose of the trial is to test if these devices could be incorporated into Victoria’s transport mix more broadly. Only scooters available to hire through approved commercial hire companies in the participating council areas are legal to ride in the trial; the use of privately-owned high-powered e-scooters will remain illegal during the trial period.  Find out more about the e-scooter trial here

Rules for motorised scooters

If your scooter is legal (i.e. has no more than 200 watts of power and is not capable of travelling faster than 10 km/h), then you must follow the same rules as for human-powered scooters and wheeled recreational devices (below)

If your privately-owned scooter exceeds the current thresholds, then it can only be used on private property. 

What is a wheeled recreational device?

Wheeled recreational devices include:

• scooters (human-powered and low-powered e-scooters) 
• skateboards
• roller blades
• roller skates.

Wheeled recreational devices don't include:

• bicycles
• golf buggies
• prams
• strollers
• trolleys
• wheelchairs (see our Pedestrians page)
• wheeled toys
• petrol-powered scooters
• high-powered e-scooters (i.e. with a motor output of more than 200 watts, or capable of travelling faster than 10 km/h).

Rules for wheeled recreational devices

Wheeled recreational devices can be used on:

• footpaths
• bicycle paths
• shared paths
• the bicycle side of separated paths
• shared zones
• some low-speed roads

When travelling on a road users must keep as far to the left side of the road as is practicable. 

Wheeled recreational devices cannot be:

• used on pedestrian side of separated paths
• used on roads with dividing lines or median strips
• used on roads with a speed limit of more than 50 km per hour
• used on one-way roads with more than one marked lane 
• used on the road at night, except to cross the road, e.g. at an intersection. This rule does not apply to scooters with lights (refer to Rules for Scooters above).
• towed or used in the slipstream of another vehicle
• used where there is a 'No Wheeled Recreational Devices or Toys' sign.

You are not allowed to use motorised skateboards on public roads or road related areas including footpaths or nature strips. 

Rules around hoverboards, segways and other motorised personal mobility devices can be found on the Hoverboards, Segways and other motorised personal mobility devices page.