Electric skateboards are the latest buzz in the riding industry, and people are going mad about it. But are electric skateboards legal?
This is the first question you need to know the answer to before you own the skateboard. Well, this has a complex answer too.
No, the electric skateboards aren’t street legal in most countries, BUT…..
Yes, the true legality of electric skateboards depends on this word, “BUT.”
So, let’s check this out.
Are Electric Skateboards Legal?
This question has a varying degree of complexity since the rules and regulations regarding electric skateboards vary extensively from one region to another. Plus, different states emphasize different specifications of the electric skateboards to consider them street legal or illegal.
It is because these riding options are fairly new in the market. So, many countries are yet to propel detailed electric skateboard laws. It has made their legitimacy even more complex. For instance, you will see some European countries allowing electric skateboards on sidewalks but not in the main street.
Then, other countries such as the US states allow electric skateboard riders to ride it in city streets, given that the vehicle fulfills certain criteria.
The legality depends on the following aspects-
- Where you will ride the e-boards
- The speed of the skateboard
- Is the rider wearing proper safety gear?
So, depending on these prerequisites, let’s see which country has to say what about electric skateboard legality.
USA:
E-skateboards are perhaps the most popular in America, but not all states have the same law for these vehicles. California has the most flexible laws regarding electric skateboards, but the skateboard needs to fulfill its required specifications.
- In Texas, you can ride skateboards on roads where the speed limit is 35MPH or less. You can also ride the board on sidewalks and bicycle lanes. However, you are restricted from riding e-boards at night in Texas.
- Anyone over 16 years can ride an electric skateboard in California, but they must wear a proper helmet. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour. If you want to ride at night, make sure your skateboard has white light on the front, yellow or white reflectors for the sides, and red light at the back. However, even with all requisites fulfilled, you can’t ride the board on airports, schools, universities, and county parks.
- In Florida, owning an electric skateboard is legal. But you can only ride it in private properties. You can’t ride e-skateboards on public properties such as roads or sidewalks. The surprising part is that many people reported that law and enforcement authorities don’t apply these rules strictly, and many youngsters ride e-boards on parks, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks.
Canada
Likewise, the USA, the provinces of Canada also impose different laws for electric skateboards. There’s no central law regarding its legality. British Columbia province’s law says that these electric skateboards don’t meet the safety standards of the roads. So, they restricted the riding legality of these boards on roads.
For the sidewalks, the county authority will decide whether or not they will allow the e-skateboards on the sidewalks. The bicycle lane is marked as grey legal space for these boards and so illegal.
In Europe
There’s no unformed law for electric skateboards in the EU. The law varies from one country to another. It includes-
- The UK has no moral law about electric skateboards, and the government is looking for a fair law. However, when you walk on London’s sidewalk, you will encounter many e-board riders. But, they don’t ride on roads.
- Norway has great flexibility for electric skateboards. Norwegian law considers these skateboards and bicycles as the same. So, electric skateboards are legal in cycle lanes, given that you wear helmets.
- In Spain, Sweden, Greece, Switzerland, and Iceland, electric skateboards are absolutely street legal. There’re no additional prerequisites for these skateboards. So, you can buy and get directly on the roads with your e-boards without any registration and certification.
- In Germany, Denmark, and Belgium, you must abide by the suggested speed limits to ride electric skateboards on roads. The speed limit will vary in different regions within the country as well.
- If you want to use electric skateboards in Finland, you have to register the vehicle first. Also, depending on the top speed, you have to ensure the e-board. These are considered light motorcycles in Finland.
Australia
Australian traffic rules are quite flexible for electric skateboards. They tag these vehicles as ‘wheeled recreational devices.”
What’s more surprising is that you aren’t considered a rider while riding electric skateboards in Australia. Instead, Australian traffic rules will consider you as a pedestrian. Isn’t it interesting? But you can’t ride e-skateboards on single-lane roads with an unmarked lane (more than one) if the speed limit is 50+ MPH or on roads with median strips.
Final Words
The discussion should make it clear about the question, “Are electric skateboards legal?” As you see, in most states of the US and most European countries, riding e-boards on sidewalks and bicycle lane is legal.
However, you are limited by the speed range. Also, you should always wear a helmet and proper safety gear, although these aren’t mandatory in all regions.
