Atlanta’s scooter laws versus other US cities’

When the Atlanta City Council passed rules for regulating electric scooter use back in early January, reaction locally was mixed. But how do Atlanta’s new scooter laws stack up against other big cities’ regulations? Here’s an overview.

ATLANTA

• Scooters are not allowed on sidewalks, only on city streets, bike lanes and shared-use paths 
• Scooter companies must pay a permit fee of at least $12,000 a year and have a plan to educate riders about safety and helmet use 
• Only one rider to a scooter 
• Cellphones cannot be used while riding 
• Speed limited to 15 mph 

>> LEARN MORE: See Atlanta’s ordinance on scooter use

SEATTLE 

• Scooters not allowed on sidewalks, only on city streets, bike lanes and shared-use paths 
• Only one rider to a scooter 
• Riders must be 16 to operate scooters 
• Riders must wear a helmet 

BUT... Scooter companies cannot operate in Seattle until the government sets up a permit program, which it has done for bike sharing but not specifically for scooter sharing. So effectively, scooters are banned in Seattle at present. 

>> LEARN MORE: See Seattle’s ordinance on scooter use

SAN FRANCISCO  

• Scooters are not allowed on sidewalks, but are okayed for bike paths, bikeways, trails and on roadways (in the bicycle lane if there is one) 
• Scooters are only allowed on roads w/25 mph or less speed limit 
• Speed limited to 15 mph 
• Riders must wear a helmet 
• Riders must be 18 and older to operate scooters
• Scooter business is currently limited to two companies: Scoot and Skip

>> LEARN MORE: San Francisco’s Powered Scooter Share Permit and Pilot Program

CHICAGO  

• Scooters are not currently permitted for commercial use

>> LEARN MORE: Electric scooters wait to take off in Chicago