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E-scooters and e-bikes

E-scooters and e-bikes – are you breaking the law?

E-scooters

Riding an e-scooter on public roads or pavements, including cycle lanes, is illegal.

If caught, you could face a fine, penalty points, or have your scooter seized.

E-scooters are Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs). They are treated as motor vehicles and must follow the same legal rules, like:

MOT
Licensing
Tax
Insurance

E-scooters lack number plates and signalling, and they often don’t have visible rear lights. This makes them illegal on roads.

You can buy an e-scooter, but you can only use it on private roads with the landowner’s permission.

E-bikes

Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC)

An e-bike in the UK is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor to assist pedalling. To be legally classified as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) and ridden on public roads and cycle paths without a licence, tax, or insurance, the e-bike must meet specific requirements.

Legal requirements for EAPCs

An e-bike is legally considered an EAPC in the UK if it adheres to the following criteria:

Pedal assist: The motor must only provide assistance when the rider is actively pedalling.
Maximum continuous power: The electric motor's maximum continuous rated power output must not exceed 250 watts.
Speed limit: The motor assistance must cut out when the bike reaches a speed of 15.5 mph (25 km/h). You can still pedal faster than this speed, but without motor support.
Age limit: The rider must be 14 years of age or older to ride an EAPC on public roads.

Electric bikes – Non-Pedal Assisted

Electric bikes that do not meet the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) rules, such as having a motor over 250W, a full-speed throttle, or assist beyond 15.5 mph, are classified as mopeds or motorcycles.

To legally use these more powerful models on public roads, riders must comply with motor vehicle laws:

They need a valid driving licence and must wear a crash helmet.
The vehicle must be registered, taxed, and insured.

Buy Safe. Charge Safe. Dispose Safe.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) has launched a safety drive after lithium-ion battery fires surged 93% since 2022. Testing shows 98% of fake chargers can cause electric shock or start a fire, and incident reviews indicate around 49% of e-bike fires are linked to counterfeit chargers. Both e-bikes and e-scooter use these kinds of batteries. The campaign sets out clear, practical steps for residents to buy safely, charge safely, and dispose of batteries correctly.