Are Electric Scooters Legal in Australia? 2026 State-by-State Guide
Unlike e-bikes, there is no single national standard for electric scooters in Australia. Whether a privately-owned e-scooter is legal to ride at all — and where — is decided entirely by each state and territory, and the answer varies enormously.
That's the single most important thing to take from this guide: it depends completely on where you live. A scooter that's perfectly legal to ride to the shops in Brisbane can be confiscated in Sydney. Check your own state below before you buy anything.
State by state
New South Wales
Private e-scooters are still illegal in any public space in NSW — footpaths, streets, bike paths and shared paths are all off-limits. The only way to legally ride one in public right now is an approved share-scheme rental scooter; a privately-owned e-scooter is only legal to ride on private property.
The NSW Government has proposed legalising private e-scooters — the proposal on the table would allow riders 16 and over to ride up to 20km/h on paths and on streets with a speed limit of 50km/h or under — but this is not yet in effect. Treat it as coming, not confirmed, until NSW makes it official.
Victoria
Victoria has permanently legalised e-scooters — sources place full legalisation from October 2024, with sale and circulation allowed from as early as April 2023, formalised under the Road Safety Road Rules Amendment (Electric Scooters) Rules 2026.
Footpath riding is not allowed; e-scooters belong on the street and in bike lanes, at up to 60km/h.
Queensland
Queensland tightened its e-scooter rules through 2026: from 31 August 2026, riders must be at least 16 and hold a valid driver licence (minimum learner) to ride on public roads and paths — 12–15 year-olds can still ride under adult supervision, and under-12s aren't permitted at all. Speed is capped at 12km/h on footpaths and shared paths when passing pedestrians, and 25km/h on roads (in zones up to 60km/h) and bike paths — a device that's capable of going faster than that isn't road-legal, regardless of its rated wattage, and there's no grace period for it.
Penalties for dangerous riding (speeding, illegal road use, using a phone while riding) run up to $1,209, and police can seize and destroy non-compliant devices. Note: a separate 28 February 2027 deadline for the Queensland E-Bike Assurance Scheme applies only to e-bikes bought before 1 July 2026, not e-scooters — don't confuse the two.
Western Australia
Legal in Western Australia, including on footpaths at a lower speed.
South Australia
South Australia legalised private e-scooters on 13 July 2025. A broader review of the rules is under way through 2026, so expect some of the fine print to keep changing.
Tasmania
Tasmania treats e-scooters as a "personal mobility device." Police can temporarily confiscate one for up to 7 days if it's used dangerously or in breach of the rules. We don't have a specific Tasmanian source link — check Tasmania's official transport site directly.
No specific official source link verified for this state/territory — check its transport authority directly.
Australian Capital Territory
Legal in the ACT, including on footpaths at a lower speed. We don't have a specific ACT source link — check the ACT Government's official transport site directly.
No specific official source link verified for this state/territory — check its transport authority directly.
Northern Territory
Private e-scooters are not permitted in public spaces in the Northern Territory. The only legal public option is the Beam Mobility share scheme in Darwin. Check the NT Government's official source directly before buying.
No specific official source link verified for this state/territory — check its transport authority directly.
Rules that apply across the board
Where e-scooters are legal, the common requirements are: riders must be 16 or over, a properly fitted helmet is mandatory, using a phone in your hand while riding is prohibited, carrying a passenger or a pet is prohibited, riding two abreast (side by side) is prohibited, and lights are required at night or in low visibility.
Shop compliant models
Owning a well-specced electric scooter doesn’t automatically make it legal to ride where you live — check the state-by-state rules above first, then browse our full electric scooters range.
iScooter
iScooter 350W Electric Scooter for Urban Adults
The best-reviewed budget scooter on the site: a light, one-step-folding commuter scooter with app control, dual braking and a healthy 117-review track record at 4.2 stars.
Segway-Ninebot
Segway-Ninebot KickScooter MAX G2
The premium, long-range pick: a genuine Segway-Ninebot 'Top Brand' listing with dual suspension, a 70km claimed range and the best trust signals (87% positive from 100+ customers) of any scooter on the site.
Lenoxx
Lenoxx Electric Scooter (ES150)
From Lenoxx, a long-running Australian consumer electronics brand better known for kitchen appliances and audio gear — its first foray into e-mobility on this list, sold directly by Amazon at a genuine discount.
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