Can you legally ride an Electric Scooter in Victoria, Australia? As of 5 August 2025, the answer is yes! Yes, you can legally ride an e-scooter in Victoria, but there are special conditions which we outline below.
Victoria Electric Scooter Laws - As of August 2025
What is considered a legal e-scooter?
In Victoria, an electric scooter is considered legal if:
- it has a maximum speed of 25 km/h when ridden on level ground
- it transports one person while the person is standing or seated
- it has two wheels (one in front of the other)
- it has a footboard between the front and rear wheels
- it is steered by a handlebar
- it does not weigh more than 45 kilograms.
Do I need a licence to ride an e-scooter?
You don't need a licence to ride an electric scooter in Victoria.
Do's and don'ts of riding an e-scooter in Victoria
In order to ride an electric scooter in Victoria, you must:
- be 16 years old and over
- wear a helmet
- ride at no more than 20 km/h
- use flashing or steady front and rear lights if riding at night
- ride on shared paths, bicycle paths, and roads with a speed limit of up to 60 km/h
On the other hand, you must:
- avoid riding on footpaths
- avoid riding on roads with a speed limit above 60 km/h
- not ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- not use a mobile phone
- not carry passengers or animals
- ride in tandem (side by side)
Breaking electric scooter laws will result in penalties ranging from fines (e.g. $988 for riding non-compliant electric scooters) to revocation of your driver's licence or learner permit (especially for drink and drug-driving offences).
Learn more about electric scooter laws in Victoria: https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-rules-and-safety/e-scooter-road-rules
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 when 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 compared to the public transport network. He also avoids 3 short car trips per week by commuting on an EV. (Source)
2022: Initial Melbourne Electric Scooter Trial Launched
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 on how electric scooters could be safely incorporated into the transport network longer term.
April 2023: Victorian Electric Scooter Trial Extended to Include Private Use Electric Scooters
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) and have zero presence of illicit or prescribed drugs.
The e-scooter trial was bound by the regulations set out by the Victorian Government, which 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 Extends Electric Scooter Trial Again
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.
Under this trial, 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 of 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)
Conclusion
It is great to see Victoria support riding e-scooters. Melbourne and many places in Victoria are great areas to ride e-scooters, being relatively flat and well set out, and so too are many other suburbs across Victoria.
The popularity of electric scooters as a convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of transport in Melbourne and Victoria is ever growing and not likely to stop anytime soon.
