Photo: Mike Jones / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
E-scooters have been legal on Irish public roads since 20 May 2024. Riders must be at least 16, the scooter is limited to 20 km/h, and they are banned from footpaths and motorways. This guide explains what drivers in Ireland need to know about sharing the road with e-scooter users and motorcyclists, plus quick links for the other road users the Rules of the Road asks you to look out for.
Key facts
- E-scooter rules in force from 20 May 2024 (Road Traffic (Electric Scooter) Regulations 2024).
- Minimum age 16. Maximum design speed 20 km/h. One person, standing, no seat.
- No e-scooters on footpaths (except to get on or off them) or on motorways.
- Overtaking a cyclist or e-scooter user in prohibited circumstances: €120 and 3 penalty points.
- Most e-scooter offences carry a €50 fixed charge.
- Motorcyclists are hard to see because of their narrow profile. Check mirrors and blind spots at every junction and lane change.
E-scooter rules in Ireland
In law, an e-scooter is a type of “powered personal transporter” (PPT), a category created by the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023. The 2024 regulations set the rules for e-scooters specifically.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 16 to use one in a public place |
| Speed | Maximum design speed 20 km/h. The speed limit for e-scooters is 20 km/h, or lower where the road limit is lower |
| Motor power | No more than 0.4 kW continuous rated power |
| Size | No more than 2,000 mm long, 800 mm wide and 1,500 mm high |
| Passengers and goods | One person only. No carrying goods. No seat |
| Towing | Not allowed. A rider must not hold on to another moving vehicle |
| Lights | Front and rear position lamps and reflectors, lit during lighting-up hours |
| Brakes | Two independent brakes, front and rear |
| Warning device | A bell, horn or other audible warning device |
| Wheels | At least 200 mm diameter including the tyre |
| Modifications | Banned if they raise the speed or power, or make it unsafe |
| Where | Not on footpaths except for access, not on motorways, and not into pedestrianised streets except on a cycle track |
| Phones | Holding a mobile phone while riding is an offence |
E-scooter fixed charges
As of November 2026, a €50 fixed charge applies to e-scooter offences including speeding, riding without reasonable consideration, riding on a footpath, carrying a passenger or goods, running a red light, missing lights or brakes, and holding a phone.
What drivers should do around e-scooters
- Expect them in cycle lanes and on the road, moving at up to 20 km/h. They are small and quiet.
- Overtake as you would a cyclist. The 2024 overtaking offence covers e-scooter users as well as cyclists: €120 and 3 points. Passing distances are in sharing the road with cyclists.
- Allow for wobble. Small wheels react badly to potholes, gravel and wet ironwork, so a rider may swerve suddenly.
- Check before opening your door and before turning left across a cycle lane.
- Look for under-16s. A young rider is breaking the law but is still a road user you must avoid.
The current edition of the Rules of the Road, which reflects the law at 1 March 2025, covers e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds. Later changes to the law are not in it.
E-bikes and e-mopeds: what a car driver should expect
An e-bike whose motor only helps while the rider pedals, cuts out at 25 km/h and is rated at no more than 250 W is treated as a bicycle. A pedal-assisted L1e-A e-moped, with a motor of up to 1 kW whose help cuts out at 25 km/h, can also use cycle tracks and with-flow bus lanes. The L1e-A class also includes throttle-powered machines, and these do not get that lane permission. Nor do faster L1e-B e-mopeds. You cannot always tell the type by looking at it.
For your own driving, the point is observation. A quiet rider in a cycle lane can reach a junction faster than you expect. Check the lane again before you turn across it, leave room when you pass, and do not judge their speed by the size of the vehicle. If a rider is in a lane they should not be in, wait rather than force the issue.
Motorcyclists: what drivers need to know
Riders are especially vulnerable in a crash. The Rules of the Road tells drivers to watch for motorcyclists (and cyclists):
- at junctions
- where cycle tracks merge with roads
- when you change lanes
- when you open your door
- when stopping and turning, especially left
- when reversing
The best protection is to use your mirrors and recheck blind spots.
Why motorcyclists get missed
Drivers tend to look for larger objects, not the narrow outline of a motorbike. At a junction, look twice in each direction and judge the speed of any single headlight before pulling out.
Turning right
Check your mirrors for a motorcyclist overtaking you as you approach the turn.
Overtaking a motorcyclist
Never cut in after passing. Give extra room in wet, windy or icy weather and on poor surfaces, where riders may need to steer around potholes. Gravel, sand, water and rough surfaces can unsettle a bike.
Reading a rider’s signals
- Riders use dipped headlights and high-visibility clothing to be seen.
- A learner motorcyclist wears a yellow fluorescent tabard with L plates front and back. A novice wears one with N plates. Give them extra space.
- A rider whose indicators might not be seen may use hand signals as well.
Other road users
The Rules of the Road reminds drivers that a vehicle has no greater right of way than any other road user, so drive defensively: expect the unexpected and make way when needed. The other groups have their own guides:
- Pedestrians, children, older people and wheelchair users: pedestrians and crossings
- Tractors, horses and animals: tractors, animals and rural roads
- Ambulances, fire engines and Garda vehicles: Garda signals and emergency vehicles
- Buses and Luas trams: bus lanes, Luas trams and light rail
Common questions
Are e-scooters legal in Ireland?
Yes, since 20 May 2024, as long as the scooter meets the 2024 regulations and the rider is 16 or older.
Can e-scooters use the footpath in Ireland?
No. Riding along or across a footpath is an offence, except to get to or from a property beside it.
How fast can an e-scooter go in Ireland?
20 km/h at most, and less where the road limit is lower.
Do I need to give e-scooters the same space as cyclists?
Yes. The overtaking offence applies to both, and the same passing guidance makes sense.
Can e-scooters go on the motorway?
No. The Roads Act 1993, as amended in 2023, bans powered personal transporters from motorways.
Why do motorcyclists ride in the middle of the lane?
Riders choose a position to see and be seen and to avoid poor road surfaces. Treat it as their lane and don’t squeeze past.
Back to learning to drive in Ireland.
Sources
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 199/2024, Road Traffic (Electric Scooter) Regulations 2024” (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (No. 16 of 2023)”, powered personal transporter definition and Roads Act 1993 amendments (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 227/2024, Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024”, Schedules 4 and 7 (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Law Reform Commission, “Road Traffic Act 2002, Revised”, First Schedule (revisedacts.lawreform.ie)
- Road Safety Authority, “Rules of the Road”, Sections 16, 19 and 20 (Revision 5, hosted on garda.ie)
- Road Safety Authority, “E-bikes and e-mopeds” (powered personal transportation) (rsa.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 222/2024, Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2024”, definition of L1e-A e-moped (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Department of Transport, “L1e-A E-Moped” (gov.ie)