Ukraine Recognizes E-Scooters as Vehicles: New Rules for Riders and Pedestrians Explained

In Ukraine, electric scooters have been officially recognized as a means of transport – and this changes the rules of the game for all road users. Find out what fines scooter drivers face, what draft law No. 3023 provides, how cities are reacting, and what experience Europe has

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The Patrol Police of Ukraine has officially confirmed that electric scooters are a means of transport, and their drivers are obliged to comply with the Rules of the Road on general grounds.

First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department Oleksiy Biloshitsky told this in a comment to the journalist of Noviny.LIVE Halyna Ostapovets. He noted that the legislator has already legally fixed this, and the decision of the Supreme Court has provided clear guidelines for judicial practice. In addition, this week, consideration of draft law No. 3023 is expected in the relevant committee of the Rada - a document that should finally fill the legal vacuum around micromobility.

We decided to figure out: what is already in effect, what the new law will change, how cities are reacting - and why the issue can no longer be postponed.

Electric scooters in Ukraine 2026: from entertainment to full-fledged transport

A few years ago, a scooter was perceived as entertainment in the park, and not as a full-fledged means of transport. However, since 2020, with the emergence of large sharing operators and an increase in the number of personal transport, the market for electric scooters in Ukraine has changed dramatically.

In particular, the founder of the Jet Ride service Dmitry Popov states: sharing operators have doubled in three years. About 10 thousand rental electric scooters have been registered in Ukraine - and their number continues to grow.

At the same time, accident statistics are also growing. In just 9 months of 2025, 1,144 road accidents involving light electric vehicles were recorded in Ukraine: 14 fatalities and 765 injured people. The most common are hits on pedestrians, property damage, and cases of drunk driving.

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What is the legal status of electric scooters in Ukraine?

The key decision was the decision of the Supreme Court, which officially recognized electric scooter drivers as road users. As explained in a commentary to RBC-Ukraine by lawyer Yevhen Bulimenko, electric scooters are considered in judicial practice as vehicles that can be a source of increased danger. In this regard, their users are equated with drivers of vehicles.

First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department Oleksiy Biloshitsky also confirmed this fact: last year, the legislator in the Law on Motor Transport defined two categories of light electric vehicles as vehicles:

- Light personal electric vehicle - power up to 1000 W, maximum speed up to 25 km/h

- Low-speed light electric vehicle - weight up to 600 kg, design speed up to 50 km/h

Accordingly, if this is a vehicle, then the drivers of such a vehicle must at least comply with the general rules of the road.

Read also, in 2026, drivers in the EU will face a new level of control - the ADDW system with a smart camera in the cabin, we tell you how it will work here.

What responsibility do electric scooter drivers bear for violating traffic rules?

In Ukraine, electric scooter drivers are full participants in road traffic. They bear full administrative, criminal and civil liability for violating traffic rules and causing accidents. In particular:

- For individual traffic violations - fines from 340 UAH.

- For a traffic accident with property damage - a fine of 850 UAH or deprivation of the right to drive for a period of 6 months to 1 year.

- For driving while intoxicated - a fine from 17,000 to 34,000 UAH.

In case of causing serious bodily harm - criminal liability, up to imprisonment.

We have already written that the cost of a single trip in Kyiv is planned to be increased to 30 hryvnias.

Is there a special law in Ukraine that regulates the use of electric scooters?

Despite the presence of court decisions, there is still no systemic law that would clearly regulate micromobility in Ukraine. Bill No. 3023 has been under consideration in the Verkhovna Rada for over 5 years. However, Oleksiy Biloshitsky noted that the bill is expected to be considered by the committee in the near future - “this is what is needed right now”. This bill provides for:

1. Age restrictions

- Up to 7 years old - only sidewalks, exclusively under adult supervision.

- 7–14 years old - sidewalks, bike paths, pedestrian zones.

- From 14 years old - bike paths and roadsides.

2. Traffic rules

- Priority on sidewalks is always reserved for pedestrians.

- In the dark and outside the city - mandatory reflective elements, a turned on headlight or lantern.

- Prohibition of driving while intoxicated or in a technically faulty state.

- Prohibition of using gadgets in hands while driving.

3. Powers of communities

Local authorities receive the right to prohibit the movement of light electric vehicles in certain territories - a special road sign is being introduced for this.

However, most lawyers believe that the document needs significant revision, because the draft law is trying to regulate the movement of modern transport through outdated categories of traffic rules, equating scooters with cyclists or cattle drivers. This approach creates infrastructural contradictions. Among the specific problems is the requirement to move on the sidewalk where it is physically absent or unsuitable for a scooter.

How does society propose to regulate the movement of electric scooters?

In parallel with the legislative process, civil society has also become more active.

In particular, a petition was created on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers in which the author proposes to oblige owners and users of electric scooters, unicycles and similar vehicles to obtain driver's licenses. The reason is simple: "Electric scooter users ride in pedestrian zones, developing speeds of 60+ km/h, knock people down and cause injuries. They also often drive onto the roadway, ride 2-3 people on one vehicle and do not have identification marks."

Another petition proposes to introduce mandatory traffic rules training for electric scooter drivers, establish age restrictions and certification.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is preparing a large-scale reform of driving schools, which will change the rules for accreditation, certification of instructors and driver training. Read what will change for driving school students, when the new rules may come into effect and how the reform will affect obtaining a driver's license.

Which Ukrainian cities regulate the movement of electric scooters?

While parliament is stalling, each city is forced to introduce its own rules for electric scooters.

- Ivano-Frankivsk became the first city to ban rides in the city center - a decision made after a 42% increase in accident rates in 2024.

- Ternopil banned light electric vehicles in the pedestrian zone of the city center from March 2026.

- Rivne: On March 23, 2026, the executive committee of the city council officially banned the movement of electric scooters, scooters and hoverboards on sidewalks and pedestrian zones. Children under 14 are allowed to move only when accompanied by adults and at a speed of up to 10 km/h.

- Izmail (Odessa region) banned the rental of electric scooters back in 2023 - a few days after its launch, including the storage of electric vehicles on municipal territories.

- Lviv chose a softer path: reducing the speed limit and banning parking in certain places.

- Kyiv did not introduce a complete ban, but limited movement on sidewalks to persons over 14 years of age.

Regulation of electric scooters in Europe: the experience of Prague, Paris and Berlin

While Ukraine is looking for a compromise, Europe is increasingly choosing a tough path.

- Prague has completely banned the rental of electric scooters since January 11, 2026 - amid criticism that this transport has turned sidewalks into “chaos”.

- Paris and Madrid have also banned rental electric scooters on their streets.

- Barcelona, ​​London, Rome have significantly limited their use.

- Germany has chosen the path of clear legal zoning: in certain cases, if a scooter driver violates the rules in a car lane, the car driver may be found not guilty even in the event of a collision. Responsibility for safety is legally assigned to the driver of light vehicles.

At the same time, there are positive examples of integration. In the Netherlands and Denmark, investments in a separate bicycle infrastructure (which de facto also serves scooters) have made it possible to minimize conflicts between different road users without complete bans.

New rules for passing driving license exams are being prepared in Ukraine. Read how the procedure will change when exams in English appear and what the new candidate identification system means.

How to regulate electric scooters in Ukraine: what really needs to be changed?

Experts agree that a comprehensive approach is needed to truly solve the crisis:

1. Law No. 3023 - but improved. Not just adoption, but adaptation to the realities of 2026: effective mechanisms for identifying violators (QR codes, digital numbers), fines commensurate with the risks.

2. Infrastructure. Instead of lines on the asphalt - constructively allocated paths. The rental market has doubled in three years; the network of bike paths in most cities has remained at the level of the last decade.

3. Operators' liability. Mandatory third-party insurance, programmatic speed limits in parks.

4. Education and age restrictions. Special attention to minors: requirements for the mandatory use of helmets and knowledge of basic traffic rules.

The Supreme Court and the patrol police have taken the first steps towards regulating the situation with electric scooters. Now it's the turn of parliament - and of cities, which should finally receive not only the right to ban, but also real tools for the safe integration of new transport into urban space.

An electric scooter is not an enemy and not a panacea. It is simply a new type of transport that requires new rules. And the longer these rules are delayed, the greater the price of delay - in injuries, deaths and chaos on the streets.

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