PMD and E-Scooter Rules in Singapore (Active Mobility Act)

This is general legal information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified advocate and solicitor about your situation. Information last verified on 23 July 2026.

E-scooters and other personal mobility devices in Singapore are tightly regulated after a series of safety measures. This guide sets out which law applies, the footpath ban, the device criteria for a legal e-scooter, the path speed limits, the age and theory-test rules, and the offences for non-compliant devices, including a new keeping offence that takes effect in 2026.

Which law applies: the Active Mobility Act

E-scooters are a motorised personal mobility device, and they are governed by the Active Mobility Act 2017, together with rules made by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). They are a separate regime from motor vehicles, which are governed by the Road Traffic Act 1961. The rules on this page come from the Active Mobility Act and LTA, not the Road Traffic Act.

The footpath ban

Under section 16 of the Active Mobility Act, an individual must not ride a motorised personal mobility device on a footpath. There are narrow exceptions, such as crossing a footpath by the shortest safe route without lingering, or briefly detouring onto a footpath to get around an obstruction on an adjacent road or shared path.

Riding on a footpath is an offence. A first offender faces a fine of up to S$2,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months; a repeat offender within 5 years faces a fine of up to S$5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.

Device criteria for a legal e-scooter

To be used on public paths, a motorised e-scooter must meet all of the device criteria: a maximum unladen weight of 20 kg, a maximum width of 70 cm, a maximum device speed of 25 km/h, and certification to the UL2272 fire-safety standard. It must also be registered with the LTA. Registered e-scooters are subject to periodic re-inspection every 2 years, and a device that fails or does not show up is deregistered.

Where you can ride and how fast

E-scooters may be used on cycling paths and shared paths, but not on footpaths. The speed limit is 25 km/h on both cycling paths and shared paths. Footpaths carry a lower 10 km/h limit, but that limit is relevant to devices that may lawfully use a footpath, such as bicycles, because e-scooters cannot use footpaths at all.

It is a common misconception that shared paths carry a 10 km/h limit. They do not: a shared path carries the same 25 km/h limit as a cycling path.

Age and the theory test

The minimum age to ride an e-scooter on a cycling path is 16. A rider under 16 may ride on a cycling path only if supervised by an adult who is at least 21. E-scooter riders must also pass a mandatory theory test before riding on cycling paths.

Non-compliant devices: riding and keeping

Riding a non-UL2272 e-scooter on public paths is a serious offence: a first offender may face a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or up to 6 months jail. It is also an offence to ride an unregistered e-scooter on public paths, carrying up to S$2,000 and/or up to 3 months for a first offender.

From 1 June 2026, it becomes a separate offence to merely keep a non-UL2272 e-scooter, even without riding it, with a first offender facing a fine of up to S$2,000 and/or up to 3 months jail. Keeping and riding are two distinct offences with two different penalty ranges.

Mobility scooters are a different category

Mobility scooters and motorised wheelchairs, known as personal mobility aids (PMAs), are a separate device category with their own rules, and should not be confused with e-scooters. From 1 June 2026, motorised PMAs must not travel faster than 6 km/h on paths, and users must hold a certificate of medical need unless exempted. These PMA rules serve people with a mobility need and are distinct from the e-scooter rules on this page.

For the wider picture on road rules and enforcement, see Driving and Traffic Laws in Singapore.