E-scooters – will we see new rules?

The Current Legal Position (2026)

Private e scooters

Privately owned e scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, pavements, and cycle lanes in the UK. Under existing legislation e scooters are classed as “motor vehicles”. This means they would need insurance, registration, tax, and compliance with vehicle construction standards - requirements that current e scooters cannot meet. As a result, it is only legal to use a privately owned e scooter on private land with the landowner’s permission.

Rental e scooters

The only legal way to ride an e scooter in public in the UK is through a government approved rental scheme which have been running since 2020 as part of national trials overseen by the Department for Transport (DfT). Riders may use rental e scooters on roads and cycle lanes, but not on pavements.
To use a rental e scooter, riders must be 18 or over, hold at least a provisional UK driving licence, follow a 15.5 mph speed limit and ride only within designated trial areas. Insurance is provided by the rental operator, not the rider.

Recent Developments

Trial extensions until 2028

Rental e scooter trials have been extended until May 2028, being the fifth extension since the trials began in July 2020. A second national evaluation of the trials is due to conclude in 2026, which will help inform future legislation.

E-scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill

In February 2026, the E scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill (“the Bill”) was introduced in Parliament. This Private Member’s Bill requires the government to:

• Commission and publish a formal review of existing e scooter legislation and guidance.
• Promote public awareness of the current rules.

The Bill reflects widespread concern that public confusion about e scooter laws is contributing to unsafe and illegal riding.

Impact on Motor and Casualty Insurers

The current legal framework for e scooters has significant implications for both motor insurers and casualty insurers, largely because it creates exposure without clear or consistent risk allocation.

For motor insurers, privately owned e scooters are legally classified as motor vehicles, yet they cannot be registered or insured in the conventional motor market. This creates a structural gap in compulsory insurance, leaving many riders effectively uninsured while still capable of causing serious injury or property damage. As a result, insurers have faced indirect exposure through disputes over liability and recovery.

In the rental arena, e scooter operators carry their own motor insurance, providing clearer liability pathways for injured third parties. For insurers, this represents a defined but evolving fleet risk, characterised by high frequency, low speed incidents, often involving pedestrians. 

From a casualty perspective, e scooters sit awkwardly between motor and non motor risks. Most household, public liability, and personal accident policies exclude motor vehicles, allowing insurers to decline cover where an e scooter is involved. 

Employers’ and public liability insurers are also seeing spillover exposure, particularly where e scooters are used for work or cause injury in public spaces. Determining whether an incident should be treated as a road traffic accident or a premises liability claim can be complex, increasing claims handling costs and litigation risk.

Conclusion

Overall, the absence of a clear regulatory framework transfers uncertainty to insurers rather than eliminating risk. From an insurance perspective, clearer regulation, even if restrictive, would help to improve risk pricing, reserving confidence, and claims consistency across both motor and casualty lines.

While no firm date has been set, ministers have publicly committed to future regulation of micromobility vehicles, including e scooters. As of 2026, the UK is not introducing new rules that legalise private e scooters, despite growing public use and ongoing debate. However, reviews, parliamentary bills, and government commitments indicate that change may eventually come.