Electric scooter laws in Europe 2026: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands and Belgium compared

The short answer: there is no single EU-wide rule for electric scooters — each country sets its own design speed, minimum age, insurance and registration duties. Two numbers decide most purchases: Germany and Italy cap the design speed at 20 km/h, while France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium cap it at 25 km/h. Germany additionally requires a national operating permit (ABE) plus an annual insurance plate, and the Netherlands only allows models that pass a national type approval (RDW) — which most e-steps on sale do not have.

This page summarises the national rules published as of 29 October 2026, with the sources linked at the bottom. City and regional rules often add restrictions, so always check your own municipality before riding.

The comparison at a glance

Germany: 20 km/h, ABE, and an insurance plate

Electric scooters have been a distinct legal category (Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge) since 15 June 2019, regulated by the eKFV. A scooter may be used on public roads only if its design-led top speed is between 6 and 20 km/h and its continuous rated power does not exceed 500 W, and only with a valid operating permit (ABE, Allgemeine Betriebserlaubnis) plus a visible insurance sticker.

• Minimum age 14, no driving licence and no moped test certificate needed.
• Insurance sticker roughly €20–45 per year; the insurance year runs 1 March to end-February and the plate colour changes yearly.
• Where to ride: cycle paths and cycle lanes are mandatory where they exist; otherwise the carriageway. Pavements are off limits even with the motor switched off.
• Two separate brakes, lights, bell and reflectors are required; carrying a second person is prohibited.
• Coming change: the recast of the eKFV — which brings the rules closer to cycling rules in several areas — takes effect on 1 March 2027, not before.

If you ride in Germany, look for models sold explicitly with ABE: the G7 500W ABE, N5 350W ABE and N8 650W ABE all ship with the certificate documents. For a worked example of the real first-year cost - scooter price plus the compulsory insurance plate - see our N5 350W for Germany.

France: 25 km/h EDPM, liability insurance, no plate

French law classifies e-scooters as motorised personal transport devices (EDPM). The permitted maximum speed is 25 km/h by construction, the minimum riding age is 14, and civil liability insurance covering damage to third parties is compulsory. There is no ordinary licence plate for a privately owned scooter.

• Where to ride: cycle lanes where they exist; otherwise roads limited to 50 km/h. Riding on pavements carries a €135 fine.
• Equipment: braking system, audible warning device, front and rear position lights, rear and side reflectors. A retro-reflective item is compulsory at night or in poor visibility. Headphones are prohibited.
• Penalties: €135 for pavement riding, speeding or carrying a passenger; up to €1,500 if the speed limiter has been defeated, which reclassifies the machine.
• Helmet: not mandatory nationwide for adults, but strongly recommended — several cities and departments have introduced local requirements, so check locally.

Spain: certification, registration and insurance — and a rule change on 1 October 2026

Spain treats e-scooters as personal mobility vehicles (VMP). Since January 2026 a VMP must be registered with the traffic authority (DGT), carry its identification label, and be covered by civil liability insurance. From 1 October 2026 a further set of national rules applies: a certified helmet becomes compulsory, the minimum age becomes 15, and riders must wear a light or reflective element visible from at least 150 m at night or in low visibility.

• Certification cutoff: VMPs bought before 22 January 2024 may run temporarily, but from 22 January 2027 only certified models may circulate.
• Always-on lights are postponed to October 2027.
• Where to ride: urban roads and cycle lanes inside the built-up area at up to 25 km/h. Pavements, pedestrian zones, parks and interurban roads are prohibited. Municipalities may add stricter rules.
• Typical fines: around €200 for pavement riding, headphones or missing lights; €500–1,000 for riding under the influence.

Spanish riders should choose DGT-certified models such as the R7 1800W, S7 5000W and D7 Dual Motor. More detail in our DGT certification guide.

Italy: the strictest combination, since mid-2026

Italy caps e-scooters at 20 km/h on urban roads and 6 km/h in pedestrian areas, and requires a helmet for every rider — not only minors. Two obligations were added in 2026: an identification label (contrassegno) since 16 May 2026, and third-party liability (RC) insurance since 16 July 2026. Missing plate or insurance costs €100–400; riding without a helmet €50–250; a non-compliant device €200–800.

Paris has since gone further: since 7 August 2026, a prefectural order makes helmets and retroreflective gear compulsory on every public-road ride in the capital and its three neighbouring departments — see our Paris helmet and high-vis rule for e-scooter riders for the fines and the exact scope.

Netherlands: only RDW-approved models, and a blue plate

The Netherlands takes the opposite approach to France: nothing is allowed unless the specific model has national type approval from RDW (for the exact checklist, see what the Netherlands e-scooter plate rule requires riders to check). Approved machines need WA insurance and, since 1 July 2026, a blue plate — including models approved before the plate rule began. The limit is 25 km/h, the minimum age is 16, and helmets are not required. Most e-steps sold elsewhere in Europe are not RDW-approved; riding one risks a fine and seizure of the vehicle, so Dutch buyers should check the RDW list before buying rather than after.

What this means before you buy

1. Buy the version limited to your country's legal design speed. A 25 km/h scooter is a legal French EDPM but not a legal German eKFV vehicle; the same chassis, different factory limit.
2. Check paperwork, not marketing. Germany needs ABE documents, Spain a DGT certificate, Italy a contrassegno; each is issued per model, and each costs money and lead time if you already own the scooter. Where the scooter ships from matters as much as the papers it carries: our guide to why EU warehouse stock beats importing covers the customs, VAT and return costs that direct imports add.
3. Budget for insurance every year. Roughly €20–45 in Germany, often covered by household liability policies in France — ask your insurer to confirm in writing.
4. Plan for known cut-off dates: 22 January 2027 in Spain for non-certified VMPs, 1 March 2027 in Germany when recast road-use rules take effect.
5. Expect local rules. Pavement bans are near-universal; helmet and equipment duties increasingly come from cities and prefectures, not just national law.

Every SUNNIGOO scooter ships limited to the legal design speed required by the destination market, from warehouses inside the EU, with VAT included. You can check shipping, warranty and support questions here, or look at what is currently discounted in the 29 October – 15 November window and the Black Friday window (19 November – 3 December).

Sources

• German Federal Ministry of Transport, Personal Light Electric Vehicles — questions and answers (eKFV, 20 km/h / 500 W, age 14, insurance sticker, 1 March 2027).
• Service-public.fr — electric scooter, hoverboard, gyropod (France: 25 km/h, age 14, liability insurance, equipment, €135 fines).
• Spanish traffic authority rules reported by Cadena SER, 30 Sep 2026 (VMP: insurance, registration, helmet, age 15 from 1 Oct 2026).
• Italian obligations under Legge 160/2019 as amended by Legge 177/2024, summarised by Recording Law (contrassegno 16 May 2026, RC insurance 16 Jul 2026).
• Dutch approval model: RDW type approval, blue plate and WA insurance, as summarised by Electric Scooter Guides.

Last checked 29 October 2026. National rules summarised here for orientation only; always confirm with your insurer, your city ordinance and the relevant authority before riding.