Minnesota electric scooter laws classify these devices as “motorized foot scooters” and set a fairly short list of rules: you must be at least 12 to ride, you cannot exceed 15 miles per hour, sidewalks are off-limits except to reach adjacent property, and no license, registration, or insurance is required. The details around lights, left turns, helmets for minors, and local ordinances catch a lot of riders off guard.
What Counts as an Electric Scooter in Minnesota
Under Section 169.011, Subdivision 46, a motorized foot scooter is a device with handlebars, designed for standing or sitting, powered by an electric motor or gas engine, with no more than two wheels each 12 inches or smaller in diameter. The motor cannot propel it faster than 15 mph on a flat surface.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.011 – Definitions
That speed and wheel-size ceiling matters. A scooter with larger wheels or a motor that pushes past 15 mph falls outside the definition and may be regulated as a motorized bicycle or moped, which brings license, registration, and insurance requirements. The statute also excludes electric-assisted bicycles, motorcycles, motorized bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices like Segways from the motorized foot scooter category.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.011 – Definitions
Because a motorized foot scooter is not a motor vehicle, it is exempt from vehicle registration, title, and insurance requirements.2Minnesota House of Representatives. Low-Power Vehicles
Who Can Ride
You must be at least 12 years old to operate a motorized foot scooter. No driver’s license or permit is needed. Riders under 18 must wear a helmet that meets standards set by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Adults are not required to wear one.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
Only one person can ride at a time. Passengers are illegal, even on scooters that look large enough to carry one.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
Where You Can Ride
Scooter operators have the same rights and duties as bicycle riders, with a few scooter-specific rules on top. Traffic signals, right-of-way, and most bicycle traffic laws apply to you.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
On roadways, ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge, except when passing, avoiding an obstacle, or preparing for a left turn. Left turns work differently than you might expect. The law requires you to stop and dismount at the right curb, then cross the roadway on foot.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
Bike paths, bike lanes, bike trails, and bikeways are all open to you, as long as they are not reserved exclusively for nonmotorized traffic. Local governments can prohibit scooters on specific paths.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
Sidewalks are off-limits statewide. The only exception is riding on a sidewalk when it is necessary to enter or leave adjacent property, like covering the last stretch from a bike lane to your front door.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter
Lights and Equipment
If you ride when vehicle lights are legally required, which includes after sunset, before sunrise, and in conditions like rain or fog that reduce visibility, your scooter must have a headlight and taillight that meet standards set by the Commissioner of Public Safety.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.225 – Motorized Foot Scooter Because scooter riders share bicycle duties, the bicycle lighting rules in Section 169.222 are a practical benchmark.4Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.222 – Operation of Bicycles
Penalties for Breaking the Rules
Everyday violations like sidewalk riding or missing lights can bring a citation from local law enforcement. Fines depend on the violation and local practice.
Reckless or careless operation is a much bigger problem. Under Section 169.13, operating any vehicle recklessly on a street or highway, a scooter included, is a misdemeanor.5Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.13 – Reckless or Careless Driving In Minnesota, a misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 609.02 – Definitions Reckless riding that causes great bodily harm or death becomes a gross misdemeanor, which carries heavier consequences.
Beyond criminal charges, a rider who causes a crash can be sued for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
Riding While Impaired
Minnesota’s DWI statute applies to “motor vehicles,” and motorized foot scooters are not motor vehicles. That is not a free pass. Careless or reckless driving under Section 169.13 applies to anyone operating “any vehicle” on a street or highway, and a scooter qualifies.5Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 169.13 – Reckless or Careless Driving Riding drunk and endangering others can still land you a misdemeanor charge.
The Insurance Gap
Minnesota’s no-fault auto insurance system does not cover motorized foot scooters, because they are not motor vehicles.2Minnesota House of Representatives. Low-Power Vehicles If you are hurt while riding, you cannot file a no-fault claim to cover your own medical bills the way you could after a car crash. If you injure someone else, you are personally on the hook.
Standard homeowners or renters policies often exclude liability for incidents involving motorized vehicles used off your property. Whether a scooter falls within that exclusion depends on your specific policy language, so check with your insurer before assuming you have coverage. If you rent from a scooter-share company, the rental agreement may include some liability coverage, but the terms vary widely.
Local Rules on Top of State Law
Cities can add their own restrictions. Minneapolis requires riders to use bike lanes or ride with traffic, prohibits sidewalk riding, and requires scooters to be parked outside a four-foot “clear zone” on sidewalks so pedestrian paths stay accessible.7City of Minneapolis. Ride a Scooter Scooter-share rentals picked up outside Minneapolis city limits cannot be used until they are returned to the service area. If you ride regularly in another Minnesota city, check that municipality’s ordinances too.
A Proposed Change: The Micromobility Device Category
In the 2025–2026 session, Minnesota lawmakers introduced HF 3785, which would create a new umbrella category called “micromobility device.” It would cover bicycles, motorized foot scooters, and electric personal assistive mobility devices. To qualify, a device would need to weigh 100 pounds or less unloaded and, when powered solely by an electric motor, be incapable of exceeding 20 mph on a flat surface.8Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. HF 3785 Introduction – 94th Legislature (2025-2026)
The bill would also require electric motorized bicycles to meet the UL 2272 electrical safety standard, certified by an independent third-party lab, before they could be sold in Minnesota.8Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. HF 3785 Introduction – 94th Legislature (2025-2026) As of early 2026, HF 3785 has been introduced but not enacted. Until it passes, the existing motorized foot scooter rules remain the law.