Argentina E-Scooter Laws: Buenos Aires' Ley 6164 vs. Provincial Rules
This article is general information about e-scooter law in Argentina and is not legal advice. Rules vary by city and province and can change, so confirm current requirements with your local municipal government before riding. Information last verified on 23 July 2026.
Are e-scooters legal in Argentina?
Yes, but only under whatever rule the specific city or province has adopted. Argentina's national traffic law, Ley de Transito 24.449, does not itself regulate e-scooters, referred to in CABA's own law as "dispositivos de movilidad personal" (personal mobility devices). There is no single national e-scooter statute. Every rule found in this research is municipal or, in the case of Buenos Aires City, city-specific legislation with its own numbered law.
Buenos Aires City (CABA)
CABA regulates e-scooters under Ley 6164, enacted 16 May 2019 and published 23 May 2019. It sets a minimum age of 16 to ride ("La edad minima ... es de dieciseis (16) anos," Art. 11.b), a maximum speed of 25 km/h (Art. 7), a maximum motor power of 500W (Art. 5.f), and bans combustion-engine devices outright (Art. 6). Sidewalk riding is prohibited ("Se prohibe la circulacion ... en las aceras," Art. 11.c); riders must use bike lanes or bikeways instead. A helmet is required under the city's cycling rules, incorporated by reference into the e-scooter law (Art. 11.a).
Rosario (Santa Fe)
Rosario's Ordenanza 10.110, in force for roughly six years as of current reporting, sets a 25 km/h speed cap, requires front-white and rear-red lights plus a mandatory helmet at all times, not just at night, restricts riding to the urban area, excluding highways, routes, and ring roads, and bans riding under the influence.
Cordoba (Cordoba city)
Cordoba's city council sanctioned Ordenanza N. 13.320 on 15 December 2022, authorizing e-scooters subject to mandatory third-party insurance, a horn, lights, a safety vest, and a helmet.
What counts as an e-scooter here
CABA's Ley 6164 defines the regulated device as a "dispositivo de movilidad personal," capped at 500W of motor power (Art. 5.f) and excluding any combustion-engine device (Art. 6). Rosario and Cordoba's ordinances regulate e-scooters by name without the same numbered wattage cap found in CABA's law, based on the sources reviewed.
Where you can ride
CABA bans sidewalk riding outright and requires bike lanes or bikeways instead. Rosario confines riding to the urban area, excluding highways, routes, and ring roads. Cordoba's ordinance authorizes e-scooter use subject to its safety-equipment requirements, though the specific routing rule was not detailed in the sources reviewed this session.
Rider rules
| City | Minimum age | Speed cap | Helmet | Other equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CABA (Buenos Aires City) | 16 | 25 km/h | Required | 500W power cap; combustion engines banned |
| Rosario | Not stated in sources reviewed | 25 km/h | Required at all times | Front white and rear red lights |
| Cordoba city | Not stated in sources reviewed | Not stated in sources reviewed | Required | Third-party insurance, horn, lights, safety vest |
Penalties
CABA imposes a fine of 70 unidades fijas for violations including riding without a helmet or without lights (Art. 13). No specific fine schedule was found this session for Rosario's or Cordoba's ordinances.
Enforcement in practice
Buenos Aires City enforces its sidewalk, helmet, and age rules against a defined fine schedule, the most mature enforcement regime documented in this research. Smaller municipalities with more recently passed ordinances, including Rosario and Cordoba, appear to still be in an earlier enforcement or education phase, based on the sources reviewed, though no specific enforcement statistics were found for either city this session.
Local and regional variation
Argentina's national Ley de Transito 24.449 is silent on e-scooters, so each city or province writes its own rule independently. CABA (25 km/h, 500W cap, 16-plus, no sidewalks), Rosario (25 km/h, mandatory lights and helmet at all times, urban-area-only), and Cordoba city (mandatory insurance, safety vest, and helmet) are three genuinely different rule sets, not a single national standard applied with local color.
Villa del Rosario, a smaller town in Cordoba province, was found in search results to have its own ordinance, but its details were not opened or verified this session.
Legal history and what may change
Whether Ley de Transito 24.449 has since been amended at the national level to add an e-scooter definition was not confirmed this session. Treat the current national silence as the status quo pending a fresh check, rather than assuming it will remain unregulated indefinitely. For how other Latin American countries handle city-by-city e-scooter rules, see the world e-scooter law guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a national e-scooter law in Argentina?
No. Argentina's national Ley de Transito 24.449 does not regulate e-scooters. Every rule identified in this research is city or provincial, such as Buenos Aires City's Ley 6164, Rosario's Ordenanza 10.110, and Cordoba city's Ordenanza 13.320.
What is the minimum age to ride an e-scooter in Buenos Aires?
16 years old, under Ley 6164, Art. 11.b.
Can I ride an e-scooter on the sidewalk in Buenos Aires?
No. Ley 6164 prohibits sidewalk riding (Art. 11.c) and requires riders to use bike lanes or bikeways instead.
Do Rosario's e-scooter rules differ from Buenos Aires'?
Yes. Rosario's Ordenanza 10.110 requires a helmet at all times and lights, and confines riding to the urban area, while CABA's Ley 6164 sets a 500W power cap and a minimum age of 16. They are separate, independently written rules.
Is insurance required to ride an e-scooter in Cordoba?
Yes. Cordoba city's Ordenanza 13.320 requires mandatory third-party insurance, along with a horn, lights, a safety vest, and a helmet.
What is the fine for riding without a helmet in Buenos Aires City?
70 unidades fijas, under Ley 6164, Art. 13, which also covers riding without lights.
Sources and References
- Boletin Oficial de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires: Ley 6164, regulating dispositivos de movilidad personal in CABA (minimum age, speed cap, power cap, sidewalk ban, fines)(boletinoficial.buenosaires.gob.ar).gov
- El Ciudadano Web reporting on Rosario's Ordenanza 10.110 e-scooter rules: speed cap, lights, helmet, urban-area restriction(elciudadanoweb.com)
- LT3 (Radio Rosario) coverage corroborating Ordenanza 10.110's e-scooter requirements(lt3.com.ar)
- Comercio y Justicia reporting on Cordoba city's Ordenanza 13.320, sanctioned 15 December 2022, requiring insurance, horn, lights, vest, and helmet(comercioyjusticia.info)