Massachusetts law on electric scooters is older and stricter than most riders assume. Under G.L. c. 90, § 1E, anyone operating a “motorized scooter” on a public way must have a driver’s license or learner’s permit, may not go faster than 20 miles per hour, must wear a helmet, and may not ride at all “after sunset or before sunrise.” The state commission that studied these devices called the rules confusing, and both pending versions of the Legislature’s economic development bill would repeal § 1E entirely. For now, it is the law.
What is a “motorized scooter” under Massachusetts law?
G.L. c. 90, § 1 defines a motorized scooter as “any 2 wheeled tandem or 3 wheeled device, that has handlebars, designed to be stood or sat upon by the operator, powered by an electric or gas powered motor that is capable of propelling the device with or without human propulsion.”
The definition is broad. It covers stand-up electric kick scooters and seated scooters, electric or gas. It excludes four things by name: “a motorcycle, electric bicycle or motorized bicycle or a 3 wheeled motorized wheelchair.” A device with working pedals and a 20 mph e-bike motor is an e-bike, not a scooter. A seated device that meets the moped specifications is a motorized bicycle, not a scooter. Everything else with handlebars, two or three wheels and a motor is, by the text, a motorized scooter.
The rules in § 1E
We read G.L. c. 90, § 1E at malegislature.gov. It provides:
- License or permit. A motorized scooter “shall not be operated on any way by a person not possessing a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.”
- 20 mph maximum. No operation “at a speed in excess of 20 miles per hour.”
- Where you can ride. All public ways “except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting scooters or bicycles have been posted.”
- Traffic laws apply. Riders are “subject to all traffic laws and regulations of the commonwealth,” with two exceptions: a scooter rider “shall keep to the right side of the road at all times, including when passing a motor vehicle,” and the scooter must have working stop and turn signals “so that the operator can keep both hands on the handlebars at all times.”
- Daylight only. “No person shall operate a motor scooter upon any way at any time after sunset or before sunrise.”
- Helmet for every rider, of any age, meeting standards set by the registrar.
- No passengers.
- Fines. Up to $25 for a first violation, $25 to $50 for a second, and $50 to $100 for a third or later violation.
Two related sections add to this. G.L. c. 90, § 1C requires motorized scooters to “comply with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.” And under G.L. c. 90, § 8B, a learner’s permit holder may ride a motorized scooter without the licensed adult beside them that a permit normally requires. A learner’s permit is available at 16.
Registration and insurance
The statutes do not provide for registering a motorized scooter. The Special Commission on Micromobility, summarizing the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ regulations in its January 2026 report, wrote that “motorized scooters are not allowed to register” and that “a Class D license or permit may be used to operate a motorized bicycle or scooter.”
The commission recommended striking § 1E. “Currently, Section 1E requires that a ‘Scooter shall be equipped with operational stop and turn signals’; that a user must have a valid driver’s license; and that devices are operated only during daylight hours,” the report said. “The current requirements increase confusion among all parties and should be replaced with the speed tier device and operational requirements.”
Local rules on top of state law
Cities and towns have added their own restrictions. CommonWealth Beacon reported in July that Fall River prohibits e-scooters on sidewalks and other public property, and that Agawam in November 2025 banned e-scooters from roads with speed limits above 30 mph. The commission’s report described Marlborough’s rules: a 20 mph limit on motorized bikes and scooters on all ways, no operation by anyone under 16, no riding at night and a helmet requirement.
Enforcement has stepped up in Boston. In an August operation police called “Operation Kickstand,” officers in Dorchester and Roxbury issued 12 court summonses for motor vehicle law violations and towed 31 mopeds, WCVB reported, after a similar operation earlier that month in which 13 mopeds were seized and four people arrested.
What would change under the pending bill
The House passed its economic development bill (H.5576) on July 8 and the Senate passed its version on July 24. Both contain a micromobility framework drawn from Gov. Maura Healey’s Ride Safe Act, and the bill has been in a conference committee since July 30. Both versions would:
- strike the definition of “motorized scooter” and repeal § 1E;
- define a “powered micromobility device” to include electric scooters, skateboards, hoverboards and unicycles with onboard motors;
- sort every device into a speed tier based on its maximum manufacturer-designed or assisted speed, with tier 0 at 20 mph, tier 1 from 21 to 30 mph, tier 2 from 31 to 40 mph and tier 3 above 40 mph;
- require helmets for anyone on a tier 1, 2 or 3 device and for riders 16 and younger on tier 0 devices;
- bar tier 2 and tier 3 devices from sidewalks, bike lanes, bike paths and shared use paths;
- require battery and electrical safety certification for powered devices; and
- make it unlawful to modify a device to increase its designed speed, range or power.
The House and Senate disagree on age limits. The House version bars anyone under 16 from operating any powered micromobility device. The Senate version bars riders 14 and under from any powered device and riders 16 and under from devices above 20 mph. Under both versions, most of these provisions would take effect January 1, 2028.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to ride an electric scooter in Massachusetts?
Yes, on a public way. G.L. c. 90, § 1E requires a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit to operate a motorized scooter, which state law defines to include electric stand-up and seated scooters with handlebars.
Can you ride an electric scooter at night in Massachusetts?
Not on a public way. Section 1E says “no person shall operate a motor scooter upon any way at any time after sunset or before sunrise.”
How fast can an electric scooter go in Massachusetts?
The statutory maximum is 20 miles per hour. Lower local speed limits also apply.
Do you need a helmet on an electric scooter in Massachusetts?
Yes, at any age. Section 1E requires every motorized scooter operator to wear protective headgear meeting the registrar’s standards, and no passengers are allowed.
Do electric scooters need to be registered in Massachusetts?
No. The statutes provide no registration for motorized scooters, and the state micromobility commission reported that RMV regulations do not allow them to be registered. The pending bill would authorize the registrar to create registration and insurance rules for micromobility devices by regulation.
Sources: G.L. c. 90, §§ 1, 1C, 1E and 8B, read at malegislature.gov; H.5576 and the Senate text (S.3228) of the 2026 economic development bill and bill histories, malegislature.gov. Special Commission on Micromobility, final report, January 2026; CommonWealth Beacon, July 23, 2026; WCVB, August 19, 2026. General information, not legal advice.