World Laws
275 articles · page 3 of 5
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Ireland Laws: Employment, Renting, Inheritance, Privacy & More
Plain-English guides to Irish law: minimum wage, the 2026 rent rules, inheritance tax (CAT), enduring powers of attorney, GDPR, e-scooters and free calculators.
Israel Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Israel is both a civil wrong and a crime under the Prohibition of Defamation Law, 5725-1965, with damages available without proof of harm.
Israel E-Scooter Laws: 25 km/h Cap, Age 16, Enforcement Expanding (2026)
Israel classifies e-scooters as a light transport vehicle capped at 25 km/h and 250 watts, with a widely reported minimum age of 16 and mandatory helmet use.
Italy Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Italy treats defamation as both a crime (diffamazione, Article 595 Penal Code) and a civil wrong (Article 2043 Civil Code), with reform under debate.
Ivory Coast E-Scooter Laws: The 2016 Road Code Already Covers It (2026)
Côte d'Ivoire has no e-scooter statute, but the 2016 road code defines a motor vehicle by any mechanical propulsion device, wording that already covers an e-scooter.
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Jamaica E-Scooter Laws: The 2018 Rewrite Still Catches Scooters (2026)
Jamaica's 2018 Road Traffic Act still classifies e-scooters as motor cycles with no wattage or speed floor, treating them as ordinary vehicles for registration.
Japan AI Copyright Laws: Article 30-4 and Training Data
Japan's Article 30-4 is the world's broadest AI training exemption. Learn what it covers, where it stops, and how AI-generated output is treated in Japan.
Japan Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Japan is both a crime (Penal Code Art 230) and a civil tort (Civil Code Art 709). 2022 raised insult penalties. Defences and remedies explained.
Japan E-Scooter Laws: Legal Since 2023, 20 km/h Cap, Age 16 (2026)
E-scooters have been legal nationwide in Japan since July 2023. See the 20 km/h cap, age 16 minimum, effort-only helmet rule, and the narrow sidewalk exception.
Japan Self-Driving Car Laws: Level 3, Level 4, Robotaxis (2026)
Japan allows Level 3 driving since 2020 (Road Traffic Act art. 71-4-2) and permit-based driverless Level 4 since 2023. Duties, liability, Waymo, FSD.
Jordan Defamation Laws: Criminal, Cyber & Civil
Defamation in Jordan is mainly criminal under the Penal Code (No. 16 of 1960) and the harsh 2023 Cybercrime Law, with limited civil compensation available.
Jordan E-Scooter Laws: Motorcycle Rule, No Dedicated Statute (2026)
Jordan has no e-scooter statute, but its 2008 Traffic Law's broad motorcycle definition likely applies, implying registration, an 18-year age floor, and a mandatory helmet.
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Kazakhstan E-Scooter Laws: PDD Article 168-1 and the 2026 Rental Rules
Kazakhstan caps e-scooters at 6 km/h on sidewalks under Article 168-1 and requires a helmet only on the roadway. Rental scooters need a licence from 1 July 2026.
Kenya Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Kenya is now civil only: the Defamation Act Cap 36 governs claims; criminal defamation (Penal Code s.194) was ruled unconstitutional in 2017.
Kenya E-Scooter Laws: No Category, Motorcycle Rules Apply (2026)
Kenya's Traffic Act has no e-scooter category, but its broad definitions sweep scooters into the same motorcycle rules, requiring a helmet, registration, and insurance.
Kuwait Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Kuwait is both civil and criminal: Penal Code articles 209-210 and Cybercrime Law No. 63 of 2015 for online insult and slander.
Kuwait E-Scooter Laws: The 2020 Public-Road Ban Explained (2026)
Kuwait allows owning an e-scooter but has banned riding one on any public road, sidewalk, or footpath since October 2020, with violators risking a two-month vehicle seizure.
Kyrgyzstan E-Scooter Laws: A Brand New Legal Category in 2026
Kyrgyzstan created its first e-scooter category in 2026 for devices up to 0.25 kW or 25 km/h, with registration becoming mandatory six months after publication.
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Laos E-Scooter Laws: No Registration Requirement, But Also No Rules (2026)
Laos exempts electric bicycles and low-speed e-scooters from vehicle registration, which also means no age, helmet, or speed rule governs how they are ridden.
Latvia Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Latvia defamation is both criminal and civil. Criminal Law section 157 punishes it, and Civil Law section 2352.a allows retraction and damages.
Latvia E-Scooter Laws: Mandatory Registration Since 2024 (2026)
Latvia has required state registration for private e-scooters since January 2024, alongside a minimum riding age of 14 paired with a bicycle or driving licence.
Lebanon E-Scooter Laws: Swept Into the Moped Category (2026)
Lebanon has no e-scooter-specific law. E-scooters fall under its motorized-bicycle category, generally needing an 18-plus licence, and sidewalk riding is a listed violation.
Lesotho E-Scooter Laws: Why Electric Means the Harder Category (2026)
In Lesotho, an e-scooter cannot qualify as a lenient moped because that category is combustion-only. It defaults to the full motor cycle regime instead.
Liberia E-Scooter Laws: Motor Scooters Already Have a Fee Class (2026)
Liberia's 1972 Vehicle and Traffic Law already defines motor vehicles to include electric propulsion, sweeping e-scooters into its existing motor scooter registration fee class.
Libya E-Scooter Laws: No Rule, No Single Authority to Enforce One (2026)
Libya has no e-scooter law and, since 2014, no single national traffic authority. Here is what the 1984 traffic statute says and why enforcement barely applies.
Liechtenstein E-Scooter Laws: 20 km/h Cap, No Helmet Mandate (2026)
Are e-scooters legal in Liechtenstein? The 500W/20 km/h light-motorbike category, the age 14-15 licence rule, no helmet requirement, and where riding is barred.
Lithuania E-Scooter Laws: Age Tiers From Under-10 to 16 (2026)
Lithuania tiers e-scooter access by age, from supervised courtyard riding under 10 to unrestricted road use at 16, with a general 20 km/h cap and a 7 km/h limit near pedestrians.
Luxembourg Defamation Law: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Luxembourg defamation is both criminal and civil. The Criminal Code punishes calomnie and diffamation; the 2004 media law gives a public defence.
Luxembourg E-Scooter Laws: No Helmet Mandate, MVE Rules (2026)
Luxembourg's MVE category covers e-scooters up to 1,000 watts and 25 km/h, with no legal helmet requirement, though wearing one is strongly recommended.
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Madagascar E-Scooter Laws: No Category Fits an Electric Motor (2026)
Madagascar defines every moped and motorcycle category by a combustion engine, so an e-scooter defaults to the general motor vehicle regime, which still requires registration.
Malawi E-Scooter Laws: Is a Ridden Scooter Pedestrian-Controlled? (2026)
Malawi's Road Traffic Act excludes only 'pedestrian-controlled' electric vehicles from its motor vehicle definition, leaving whether a ridden e-scooter qualifies an open legal question.
Malaysia Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Malaysia is both civil (Defamation Act 1957) and criminal (Penal Code ss.499-502, up to 2 years), with online cases under CMA section 233.
Malaysia E-Scooter Laws: Banned on Every Public Road (2026)
Malaysia has banned e-scooters from every public road since December 2021, limiting them to gazetted parks and pedestrian zones, with fines up to RM5,000 or jail time.
Malta E-Scooter Laws: Private Legal, Rental Banned Since 2024
Malta allows privately owned, registered e-kickscooters, but banned nationwide commercial rental schemes from 1 March 2024, reportedly the first EU country to do so.
Mauritania E-Scooter Laws: A Moped Category Gated by Engine Size (2026)
Mauritania's road code names a velomoteur category, but gates it at 100cc, a figure an electric motor lacks. Here is what applies to e-scooters instead.
Mauritius E-Scooter Laws: Licence, Insurance and Helmet Rules Since 2021 (2026)
Mauritius has enforced a licence, insurance, and registration regime for electric-motor vehicles since March 2021, requiring a helmet with fines up to Rs5,000.
Mexico Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Mexico decriminalized defamation federally in 2007, making it mainly a civil moral-damages claim, though a minority of states still treat it as a crime.
Mexico E-Scooter Laws: Guadalajara's Rules vs. CDMX's 2026 Overhaul
Mexico has no federal e-scooter law. Compare Guadalajara's 2024 rules with Mexico City's stricter VEMEPE/VEP regime taking effect in 2026, city by city.
Moldova E-Scooter Laws: 500W/25 km/h Cap, Age 16 (2026)
Are e-scooters legal in Moldova? The 2022 Regulamentul circulatiei rutiere amendment, technical thresholds, age and helmet rules, and where riding is allowed.
Mongolia E-Scooter Laws: Under-18 Ban Effective 1 July 2026
Mongolia banned riders under 18 from operating e-scooters starting 1 July 2026, after 532 accidents involving these devices in 2024, though adult rules were not confirmed.
Montenegro E-Scooter Laws: A Rule Still Taking Shape (2026)
Montenegro's e-scooter rule is still taking shape. Reporting cites a 16-plus age minimum and a 25 km/h cap, but this article could not confirm it is yet in force.
Morocco Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Morocco defamation is civil and criminal. The 2016 Press Code (Law 88-13) made press defamation fine-only; the Penal Code keeps prison offences.
Morocco E-Scooter Laws: Regulatory Vacuum, Decree Pending (2026)
Morocco has no e-scooter law in force. A decree adopted 9 July 2026 would add a helmet mandate and 25 km/h cap, but it awaits Bulletin Officiel publication.
Mozambique Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Mozambique is civil and criminal: the 2019 Penal Code (arts 233 to 242) punishes difamacao and injuria; the Civil Code allows damages.
Mozambique E-Scooter Laws: Swept Into the Ciclomotor Rule (2026)
Mozambique's road code never names e-scooters, but its ciclomotor category, capped at 4kW for an electric vehicle, most plausibly pulls a fast one into registration duties.
Myanmar E-Scooter Laws: National Sweep, Local Bans (2026)
Myanmar's national vehicle law treats e-scooters like motorcycles, requiring registration, a licence, and a helmet, while several Yangon townships separately ban them.
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Namibia E-Scooter Laws: What the Road Traffic Act Leaves Unanswered (2026)
Namibia's Road Traffic and Transport Act likely treats an e-scooter as a motor vehicle, but its text sets out no helmet requirement or minimum age for one.
Nepal Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Nepal is both civil and criminal: the 2017 Penal Code (ss.305 to 308) punishes slander and libel, and the Civil Code allows a damages claim.
Nepal E-Scooter Laws: Registration, Licence, and Section 160 (2026)
Nepal has no dedicated e-scooter category, so riders must register and license one as an ordinary motor vehicle, with fines of NPR 1,000 to 5,000 for skipping registration.
Netherlands Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In the Netherlands defamation is both criminal and civil. The Criminal Code punishes smaad, laster, and belediging; tort law allows damages.
Netherlands Law Explained: Codes, Courts and Citations (2026)
How Dutch law is organised: the Boeken of the Burgerlijk Wetboek, which court decides what, how citations work, and the figures that reset each January.
Netherlands Self-Driving Car Laws: Tesla FSD and RDW (2026)
Are self-driving cars legal in the Netherlands? RDW's April 2026 Tesla FSD approval, driverless test permits, who is the driver, and crash liability rules.
New Caledonia E-Scooter Laws: Own Road Code, Not France's EDPM Rules (2026)
New Caledonia runs its own road code, separate from mainland France's e-scooter rules, and its moped definition requires scooter registration and a licence from age 14.
New Zealand Defamation Laws: Civil & Defences
Defamation in New Zealand is a civil wrong only under the Defamation Act 1992. Criminal defamation was abolished. Defences, remedies and the 2-year limit.
Nicaragua E-Scooter Laws: No Scooter Term, Motor Vehicle Rules (2026)
Nicaragua's traffic law never names scooters or patinetas. Its propulsion-neutral vehicle definition sweeps a motorized scooter into the same category as a car.
Nigeria Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Nigeria is both a civil tort and a crime. Criminal Code s.375, northern Penal Code s.392, Cybercrimes Act s.24 online. Defences and remedies.
Nigeria E-Scooter Laws: The Lagos Traffic Law Has No Category (2026)
Nigeria's Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012 has zero e-scooter mentions. The okada and keke road bans do not extend to e-scooters. Here is what that gap means.
North Macedonia E-Scooter Laws: Minimum Age Jumps to 18 (2026)
North Macedonia raised its e-scooter minimum age from 14 to 18 on 14 July 2026, lowered the bike-lane cap to 20 km/h, and made helmets mandatory for all riders.
Norway Defamation Laws: Civil-Only Since 2015 & Defences
Norway decriminalized defamation in 2015. It is now a civil-only matter under the Damages Compensation Act section 3-6a; there is no general defamation crime.
Norway E-Scooter Laws: 0.2 Alcohol Limit at Car-DUI Severity (2026)
Norway enforces a strict 0.2 promille alcohol limit on e-scooter riders, the same severity as drunk driving in a car, plus a minimum age of 12 and a helmet rule under 15.