NSW e-scooter legalisation: still no start date
In May 2025 the NSW Government approved a framework to legalise private e-scooters, with regulation to follow in the coming months. Sixteen months later, riding your own e-scooter on a NSW path or road is still illegal and no start date has been published. Here is where things stand, what the rules are expected to look like, and what that means if you own one.
Last reviewed 26 Sep 2026
Two commuters in helmets, one on a bike and one on an electric scooter, on a tree lined street. Photo for illustration.
Key points
- Private e-scooters remain illegal on NSW roads, footpaths, shared paths and bike lanes. They can only be used on private property.
- On 13 May 2025 the government approved a framework to legalise them: riders 16 and over, 10 to 20 km/h on shared paths and 20 km/h on roads signed at 50 km/h or less.
- As at 26 September 2026, Transport for NSW has not published a commencement date.
- Shared hire e-scooters are still limited to approved trial areas.
- If you plan to ride once it is legal, buy a scooter that can be limited to 20 km/h and wear a helmet from day one.
New South Wales is now the odd one out on the east coast. Victoria and Queensland both allow private e-scooters on paths and some roads, while NSW riders are still restricted to private property. The state has decided to change that. It has not yet said when.
What NSW decided
In October 2024 the government released draft key rules for private e-scooters as part of its e-micromobility action plan. On 13 May 2025, Transport Minister John Graham and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison announced that the framework had been approved, with regulation to progress in the coming months. The approved rules would allow riders aged 16 and over on shared paths at 10 to 20 km/h and on roads signed at 50 km/h or less at up to 20 km/h. Helmets would be mandatory.
Where it stands now
As at 26 September 2026, Transport for NSW still states that personal e-scooters are illegal on NSW roads and road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes. The government's legalisation page says feedback will be considered before final rules are made and gives no commencement date. We could find no announcement of a start date since the May 2025 decision.
What else has moved in NSW
Most of the recent NSW action has been about e-bikes. Converted e-bikes, meaning ordinary bikes fitted with a motor and battery, have been banned on Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and Metro services since 1 November 2025. A private member's bill on e-bike regulation, introduced by Jacqui Scruby in March 2026, lapsed later that month. Neither changes the legal position of private e-scooters.
What it means if you own or want an e-scooter in NSW
Today, a private e-scooter in NSW is a private land device, and riding it in public can attract fines. If you want to be ready for legalisation, the key detail is the proposed 20 km/h road limit and 10 to 20 km/h shared path limit. That favours scooters with a speed limiter you can set, not just a 25 km/h cap. Filter the legal-class scooters in our directory, then check each model's speed modes on its spec page.
For the current rules in full, see our NSW e-scooter law guide, and for how NSW compares with every other state, our national legality guide. We will update this story when a start date is announced.
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NSW has written the rules for private e-scooters. It just has not switched them on.
Frequently asked questions
Are e-scooters legal in NSW in 2026?
Privately owned e-scooters are still illegal on NSW roads, footpaths, shared paths and bike lanes as at September 2026. They may only be ridden on private property. Shared hire e-scooters operate in approved trial areas.
When will private e-scooters be legal in NSW?
The NSW Government approved a framework to legalise them in May 2025, but no commencement date has been published.
What will the NSW e-scooter rules be?
Under the framework announced in May 2025: riders aged 16 and over, 10 to 20 km/h on shared paths, and up to 20 km/h on roads signed at 50 km/h or less, with helmets required.
Can I take an e-scooter on a Sydney train?
Converted e-bikes have been banned on Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and Metro since 1 November 2025. Transport for NSW consulted in 2025 on a wider temporary ban on e-micromobility devices. Check transportnsw.info before you travel.
Sources
- Transport for NSW: E-scooters (checked 26 Sep 2026)
- NSW Government: A safer pathway for the future of e-bikes and e-scooters (13 May 2025) (checked 26 Sep 2026)
- NSW Government: Legalising e-scooter riding in public places (checked 26 Sep 2026)
- Transport for NSW: E-bike ban on NSW trains and Metro takes effect tomorrow (31 October 2025) (checked 26 Sep 2026)
- Parliament of NSW: Road Legislation Amendment (E-Bike Regulation) Bill 2026 (checked 26 Sep 2026)