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Portlanders and travelers alike enjoy plentiful transportation options like electric scooters.

Credit: NASHCO Photo

Electric Scooters (E-Scooters) in Portland

Before boarding, check out our dos and don’ts for riding e-scooters in Portland.

Updated Sept. 3, 2024 2 min read

Electric scooter sharing, aka “e-scooters,” lets users rent vehicles via an app for one-way trips. Powered by an electric motor and maxing out at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h), these e-scooters are an energy-efficient alternative to driving a car.

Credit: NASHCO Photo

You can find e-scooters throughout the streets of Portland using the Lime and Biketown apps.

Riding an e-scooter is usually as simple as downloading the service’s app and using it to unlock a scooter. Thinking of taking one for a spin? Here are some essential rules of the road to know before hopping aboard to help keep you — and those around you — safe.

E-Scooter Rules in Portland

1. WEAR A HELMET. Oregon law requires e-scooter riders to wear a helmet. (Not wearing one could result in a citation and a $25 fine.) You can rent a helmet at Cycle Portland Bike Tours or get a free helmet at the Travel Portland Visitor Center.
2. YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS. Anyone riding an e-scooter is always required to yield to pedestrians.
3. STAY OFF THE SIDEWALK. Riding e-scooters on the sidewalk is prohibited. The only time an e-scooter may be on the sidewalk is if it is already parked, being parked on the curb or being walked.
4. RIDE IN THE BICYCLE LANE. Ride your scooter with the flow of traffic in a bicycle lane. It is okay to use the vehicle lane when there is no bike lane. (Pro tip: If you can’t spot a visible bike lane, ride your e-scooter on the right side of the lane nearest the sidewalk.)
5. PARK ON THE CURB. Never block the sidewalk with an e-scooter. E-scooters must be parked on the sidewalk as close to the curb as possible. Parking an e-scooter in any way that blocks pedestrian traffic is prohibited. (It is especially important that access to sidewalk wheelchair ramps remains unobstructed.)
6. ONE PERSON, 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, PER SCOOTER. Riders must be 18 years old or older, with one rider per scooter.
7. RIDE WITH CARE. Keep e-scooting fun for everybody by riding with care: Be courteous to other travelers, pedestrians and folks with disabilities, and don’t ride recklessly or in a way that could injure you or others.
8. DON’T RIDE IN PARKS. Scooters are prohibited in Portland Parks (including the Springwater Corridor Trail).
9. DON’T RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE. Riding a scooter while under the influence of intoxicants is illegal and may result in a DUII.
10. DON’T BRING SCOOTERS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT. Scooters are not allowed on buses, MAX Light Rail or Portland Streetcar.

Learn more about Portland’s shared electric scooters.

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