New laws for e-mobility devices in effect from today: what you need to know

Queensland's new laws for e-bikes and e-scooters come into effect from today Wed 1 Jul 2026 at 5:51am New laws governing the use of e-bikes and e-scooters are now in effect in Queensland. The changes come after a parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility safety handed down its report in March. The Crisafulli government's initial proposed legislation was watered down in June after strong community feedback, but the laws will still be among the strictest in the country. Some rules are now in effect from today, while others will not be in place until August 31. Let's unpack what the changes mean. What age limits have been set on riding an e-mobility device? Between July 1 and August 31, riders of personal mobility devices (PMDs) including e-scooters, e-skateboards and e-unicycles must be aged 16 years or older to ride unsupervised. From August 31, riders will also be required to hold at least a learner drivers permit to ride without supervision. For e-bikes, from August 31 riders must be aged 16 years or older and hold a valid drivers licence, including a learner licence. Under the new laws, children aged between 12 and 17 (where 16 and 17-year-olds do not hold a drivers licence) will only be able to ride an e-bike or e-scooter with parental supervision. Parents of children aged under 16 who ride illegally could be held responsible under the new legislation, if they are unable to prove they did not know about the child's conduct or took all reasonable steps to prevent the child from engaging in it. This is a change from the government's initial proposed laws which would have banned the use of e-bikes and e-scooters for all children under the age of 16. Will I need to hold a drivers licence to ride? Yes. Under the new legislation, e-bike and e-scooter riders will need to hold a valid drivers licence. There will be some exemptions for people who are not able to hold a drivers licence, due to a medical condition for example. Further details about the exemptions and eligibility have not yet been made available. International drivers licences will also be recognised under the new laws. What are the speed limits for e-bikes and e-scooters? This was a sticking point for the government after it first proposed a maximum 10 km/h limit on all footpaths and shared paths. From today, e-bikes and e-scooters are limited to a 12 km/h speed limit on footpaths and when passing pedestrians on shared paths. This is the same as for standard bicycles. Under compliance requirements, e-scooters, e-skateboards and e-unicycles must be limited so that they cannot go faster than 25km/h. There will be a transition period until February 28, 2027, and after that any device that does not follow the maximum speed limit restrictions will be considered illegal. E-bike motors can only assist up to 25km/h and can only be ridden faster under human pedal power. What are the penalties? From July 1, anyone caught riding without a licence could be fined $518. The same penalty applies to anyone caught riding while not wearing a helmet, doubling, riding on a prohibited road, and careless riding. Parents of a child under 16 caught riding illegally can be fined $518 as well. People caught speeding while riding an e-bike or e-scooter can be fined anywhere between $345 to $1,986, depending on the speed. And for drink riders, the penalties range from $518 to $6,908. The new laws and fines apply to both e-scooters and e-bikes, with some penalties differing between devices. Police will also have the power to seize and destroy a prohibited or non-compliant e-bike or e-scooter. Maximum fines have also been increased for a range of other offences including riding without a helmet, "doubling", exceeding the speed limit and drink riding. Where are e-bikes and e-scooters allowed to ride? E-bike and e-scooters are allowed to ride on footpaths and shared paths, within the speed limit, and on roads that have a speed limit of up to 60 km/h. That is an increase on previous rules which limited on-road usage to roads with a maximum speed limit of 50 km/h. Does my e-bike meet the required standard? Under the new legislation, e-bikes will need to comply with the European Standard EN15194. The standard is a widely recognised specification that legally distinguishes street-legal e-bikes from motorised vehicles. E-bikes that meet past or future versions of the European Standard will be accepted. An assurance scheme to help owners ensure their e-bikes are compliant is still being developed by the Queensland government. Owners will have until the end of February 2027 to ensure their device is compliant. What is a prohibited device? There has been community concern about the use of overpowered, pedal-free e-bikes. These can still be legally purchased in Queensland and can only be used on private property. However, police have been given increased powers to impound and dispose of non-compliant bikes.