Can you legally ride an Electric Scooter in Victoria, Australia? As of 5 April 2023 the answer is yes! Yes you can legally ride an E Scooter in Victoria, but there are special conditions which we outline below.
Victoria E Scooter Laws - New Laws from 5 April 2023 - Trial Extended Until April 2024
In Victoria, effective from 5 April 2023 under Victoria's E-Scooter trial, which has been extended until April 2024, you can legally ride your e scooter if:
1. you ride on shared-use paths and roads up to and including 60km/h
2. you are at least 16 years of age
3. you wear a helmet
4. you don’t ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
5. you ride up to a maximum speed to 20km/h
6. you do not use your mobile phone whilst riding
7. you do not carry a passenger whilst riding (dinking)
8. you do not ride your e-scooter on footpaths
9. the e-scooter is not a high speed e-scooter - the e-scooter is not capable of travelling more than 25km/h (this is considered an unregistered vehicle and penalties apply)
You can read more from Vic Roads - https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/e-scooters-in-victoria
Victoria Electric Scooter Trial Extended - October 2023
In a great win for electric scooter riders in Victoria and Melbourne, the Victorian Government has decided to extend the electric scooter trial through summer 2023 for another 6 months until April 2024.
The Victorian trial of e scooters over the winter of 2023 was such a success, the government decided to extend the trial through the summer of 2023 to April 2024. The same electric scooter rules apply to riding e scooters in Victoria and Melbourne.
** Image from Vic Roads.
Victoria's Electric Scooter Trial History
In 2021 the Victorian government, with input from the city of Melbourne, realised that electric scooters could be the solution to Victoria's desire for convenient, low cost & environmentally friendly transport.
Electric Scooter Popularity Growth
At the time the Victorian Government & the City of Melbourne were considering new regulations around e-scooter use, e-scooter use was becoming more and more common in Melbourne and Victoria, despite being illegal at the time.
One Melbournian became famous when he took it upon himself, to alleviate congestion by riding to Uni every day despite knowing it was illegal to do so.
The now famous e-scooter rider, Declan, commuted to Melbourne University as he was fed up with Victoria’s “ridiculous” ban on privately owned electric scooters.
“It got to a point where I thought, this is so stupid, I’m just going to ride one,” said Declan – who asked that his last name not be published (SMH)
“You look at other states, or you look around the world where people are serious about action on climate change, e-scooters are the first thing – green transport is such a big deal.”
Declan insists riding his scooter saved him 15 minutes getting to and from work comparing to the public transport network. He also avoids 3 short car trips per week by commuting on an EV.
Source: Electric scooters are everywhere in Melbourne, but many are still illegal (smh.com.au)
Initial Melbourne Electric Scooter Trial Launched in 2022
Victoria & the city of Melbourne first implemented a trial of shared e-scooters on 1 February 2022. The initial trial only included electric scooters that could be hired within Melbourne & a few other select suburbs.
The purpose of the Electric Scooter Trial was to gather data to how electric scooters could be safely incorporated into the transport network longer term.
Victorian Electric Scooter Trial Extended to Include Private Use Electric Scooters From 5 April 2023
People loved the convenience of electric scooters in Melbourne so much that the City of Melbourne and the Victorian government decided to extend the trial of e-scooters to include private e-scooters from 5 April 2023.
Melbourne and E Scooter rules were expanded as outlined previously. All riders of e-scooters must be under 0.05 BAC (irrespective of the type of motor vehicle licence you may hold or whether you hold a licence at all) have zero presence of illicit or prescribed drugs.
The e scooter trial is bound by the regulations set out by the Victorian Government which will was enforced by Victorian Police. The Electric Scooter Trial complements the National Transport Commission’s review into the safe use of personal mobility devices, including subsequent amendments to the Australian Road Rules.
October 2023 - Victoria Extend Electric Scooter Trial Again Until April 2024
Based on data collected by the Victorian government and the City of Melbourne, about electric scooter use during the Victorian Electric Scooter Trial Scheme. The Victorian government decided to extend the trial of electric scooters until April 2024 in Victoria and Melbourne.
Our conclusion: With the ever growing popularity of electric scooters as a convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly method of transport in Melbourne and Victoria.
It is great to see Victoria support riding E Scooters. Melbourne and Victoria is a great place to ride e scooters, being relatively flat and well set out, and so too are many other suburbs across Victoria.
