Motorized Foot Scooters

SUBJECTS › PUBLIC SAFETY › Motorized Foot Scooters

Updated 04/05

In 2003, the legislature passed ESB 5450, (49 KB) which defines "motorized foot scooters" and legalizes their use on roads to the same extent as bicycles are allowed to use roads. This legislation establishes few restrictions on their use and operation, and it provides that a driver's license is not required to operate one. Cities and counties may "restrict or otherwise limit the access of" motorized scooters, but the scope of city and county authority to otherwise restrict their use and operation is not entirely clear. As shown in the linked articles below, local jurisdictions are currently grappling with that issue.

Reference Sources

Statutes

Sample Ordinances

Asotin Ordinance No. 2004-646 (18 KB), passed 7/12/04
Auburn Ordinance No. 5844 (210 KB), passed 6/7/04
Auburn Ordinance No. 5859 (809 KB), passed 6/21/04
Bingen Ordinance No. 05-03-511 (29 KB), passed 2/15/05
Buckley Ordinance No. 12-05 (1.5 MB), passed 5/24/05
Edgewood Ordinance No. 05-0242 (21 KB), passed 3/8/05
Edmonds Ordinance No. 3521 (20 KB), passed 10/26/04
Everett Ordinance No. 2784-04 (36 KB), passed 8/11/04
Issaquah Ordinance No. 2393, passed 6/21/04
Kennewick Ordinance No. 5054 (45 KB, passed 7/20/04
Kent Chapter 9.44, Motorized Wheeled Transportation Devices, adopted by Ordinance 3707, passed 9/7/04
Kirkland, WA Ordinance No. 3948, passed 7/6/04
Lake Stevens Ordinance No. 688 (35 KB), passed 12/22/03
Liberty Lake Ordinance No. 135 (23 KB), passed 1/4/05
Lynnwood Ordinance No. 2517 (35 KB), passed 8/10/04
Monroe Ordinance No. 1095 (27 KB), passed 2/16/05
Mount Vernon Ordinance No. 3191 (22 KB), passed 4/21/04
Mukilteo Ordinance No. 1109 (165 KB), passed 10/4/04
Ocean Shores Ordinance No. 779 (115 KB), passed 9/27/04
Pasco Ordinance No. 3673 (32 KB)
Renton Ordinance No. 5089 (683 KB)
Seattle Ordinance No. 121518 (54 KB), passed 7/6/04
Sammamish Ordinance No. 2005-167 (17 KB), passed 1/4/05
Sedro-Wooley, WA Ordinance No. 1473 (23 KB), passed 5/12/04
Sequim Ordinance No. 2004-017 (19 KB), passed 11/17/04
Spokane Ordinance No. C-33452 (49 KB), passed 6/28/04
Stanwood Ordinance No. 1144 (35 KB), passed 3/18/04
Sultan Ordinance No. 876-05 (20 KB), passed 2005
Sunnyside Ordinance No. 2080 (36 KB), passed 8/9/04
Walla Walla Ordinance No. 2004-09 (329 KB), passed 6/23/04
Wenatchee Ordinance No. 2003-31 (38 KB), passed 11/13/03
Yakima Ordinance No. 2004-39 (34 KB), passed 7/6/04

Documents

Motorized scooter report, City of Kirkland, Public Works Department, January 22, 2004
"Pocket Bikes" Are Not Legal on the Streets of Seattle, City of Seattle, Council News Release, January 24, 2005

Articles

"'Pocket bikes' skirt many scooter laws," King County Journal, January 6, 2005
"Bremerton looks to regulate motor scooters," Bremerton Sun, October 20, 2004
Motorized Foot Scooters by Paul Sullivan, MRSC Legal Consultant, Municipal Research News, Fall 2004
"City putting foot down on scooters," Spokesman Review, August 17, 2004
"Legislature split on scooter regulations," Everett Herald, August 15, 2004
"Everett restricts motor scooters," Everett Herald, August 12, 2004
"Lynnwood puts brakes on scooters," Everett Herald, August 11, 2004
"Everett considers rules for "pocket bikes," scooters," Seattle Times, August 11, 2004
"Motorized scooter law considered," Everet Herald, August 5, 2004
"Kent considers limits on motorized scooters" King County Journal, July 14, 2004
"What other cities are doing to regulate scooters," King County Journal, July 8, 2004
"Scooter regulations getting stricter," KING5.com, July 7, 2004
"Seattle City Council restricts use of motor scooters," Seattle Times, July 7, 2004
"Seattle may ban scooters on sidewalks, bike lanes," Seattle Times, July 5, 2004
"Vote on scooters delayed," Seattle PI, June 29, 2004
"Issaquah latest to try curbing motor scooters," Seattle Times, June 23, 2004
"Auburn eyes rules on noisy scooters," King County Journal, May 17, 2004
"Motorized scooter injuries on the rise," CNN.com, August 22, 2001