Can you ride an electric skateboard on the sidewalk?

On the sidewalk, pedestrians first. “A person operating an electric personal assistive mobility device or electric skateboard on a sidewalk constructed for the use of pedestrians shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing the pedestrian.” The statute regulates sidewalk riding rather than banning it — but see the local powers below. — MCL 257.660(1), (3)–(6), (11)–(15), read 2026-09-24

Your town can say more — or say no. Counties, cities, villages and townships “may, by ordinance based on the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens, regulate the operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric skateboards, or commercial quadricycles on sidewalks, highways or streets, or crosswalks”, and may prohibit them “in a downtown or central business district”, on waterfronts and trails, and on streets with streetcar tracks, with signs posted. By statute, “Operation of an electric personal assistive mobility device or electric skateboard is prohibited in a special charter city and a state park under the jurisdiction of the Mackinac Island State Park commission.” — MCL 257.660(1), (3)–(6), (11)–(15), read 2026-09-24

Sidewalks and paths are open by default. The statute assumes you may be there and regulates how: a rider on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or crosswalk “shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian”, and “shall have all the rights and duties of a pedestrian under the same circumstances”. — Va. Code § 46.2-904, read 2026-09-21

⚠ Unless your town closed it. A county, city or town “may by ordinance prohibit … the riding of … motorized skateboards or scooters … on designated sidewalks or crosswalks, including those of any church, school, recreational facility, or any business property open to the public”. Where it does, “signs indicating such prohibition shall be posted”. So the permission is real, and it is local — look for the sign. — Va. Code § 46.2-904, read 2026-09-21

Where a traffic control device says no. You may not ride on a sidewalk or across a crosswalk “where such use … is prohibited by official traffic control devices”, and you may not park a motorized skateboard or scooter “in a manner that impedes the normal movement of pedestrian or other traffic”. — Va. Code § 46.2-904, read 2026-09-21

Speed limit. Not above 15 mph on a highway, bikeway, public bicycle path, sidewalk or trail. — Cal. Veh. Code § 21294, read 2026-09-20

Road, street, sidewalk — all closed. “Motorized skateboards or scooters shall not be operated upon a public highway or street or sidewalk or right-of-way thereof located within this State.” Delaware closes the sidewalk explicitly, where Michigan and Virginia leave it open. — 21 Del. C. § 4198N, read 2026-09-23

⚠ Off streets, highways and sidewalks. “No person, except for an operator with a mobility-related disability, as authorized by section 2 of P.L.2007, c. 21 (C.39:4-14.15), shall operate a motorized scooter upon any public street, highway or sidewalk.” — N.J.S.A. 39:4-14.12, read 2026-09-24

And the sidewalk is closed too. “No person shall drive any vehicle except a human-powered vehicle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.” The section excepts mobility devices for people with disabilities and, unless a municipality forbids it, the EPAMD — neither reaches a skateboard. — 75 Pa.C.S. § 3703, read 2026-09-20

What the province says that means. These devices “are motor vehicles, as defined in the Traffic Safety Act; however, they also meet the definition of ‘miniature vehicles’ which are not permitted on a highway in Alberta, including sidewalks alongside the roadway.” They “may only be operated on private property.” — Alberta Transportation — Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles, read 2026-09-20

You are not a pedestrian on one. “While many of these motorized vehicles will be used in a pedestrian-like manner, the operators of these vehicles do not meet the legal definition of ‘pedestrian’.” A pedestrian is “a person on foot” or a person in or on a mobility aid. The sidewalk is therefore not an alternative. — Alberta Transportation — Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles, read 2026-09-20

On sidewalks. Not allowed. — City of Toronto — Other Micromobility Devices, read 2026-09-20

Sidewalks are closed to vehicles. The state rules of the road say: “No person may drive a vehicle on a sidewalk or sidewalk area other than upon a permanent or temporary driveway, except as a municipality allows the riding of bicycles on sidewalks outside of a business district.” — 13 AAC 02.395(e), 13 AAC 02.487, read 2026-09-24

No vehicle on the sidewalk. “Except as provided in subsection (b), no person shall drive any vehicle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or authorized temporary driveway.” Subsection (b) opens the sidewalk to bicycles only. — HRS § 291C-148, read 2026-09-24

Sidewalks. “Except as may be provided for by a municipal bylaw pursuant to section 126, no person shall drive any vehicle into, across, or along any boulevard, ditch, or sidewalk except at proper and lawful vehicular crossings provided therefor.” — Motor Vehicles Act, RSY 2002, c 153, ss 1, 39(1), 145, read 2026-09-24

⚠ The skateboard is named — the motor is not. Under the heading “Duties of person riding play vehicle”: “No person shall ride on or use a sled, skateboard, ice skates, in-line skates or skis on a roadway (a) if there is a sidewalk adjacent to the roadway that is usable”. The Act never defines “skateboard” and never says whether a powered one is still a play vehicle. We do not read it either way. — Motor Vehicles Act, RSNWT 1988, c M-16, ss 1, 5, 66(1), 247, 347(1), read 2026-09-24

⚠ The skateboard is a play vehicle — with no word on motors. “No person shall ride on or use a coaster, sled, toboggan, skateboard, ice skates, roller skates or skis on a roadway (a) if there is a sidewalk adjacent to the roadway that is usable”. The section is headed “Duties of person riding play vehicle” and says nothing about power. — Traffic Safety Act, RSNWT (Nu) 1988, c M-16, ss 1, 5, 66(1), 247, 347(1)(v), read 2026-09-24

What applies instead. Florida law expressly leaves local governments free to adopt ordinances governing these devices on streets, sidewalks and sidewalk areas within their jurisdiction. In practice that is where the rule you are subject to will be found. — Fla. Stat. § 316.003, read 2026-09-20

Allowed unless a sign prohibits PMDs. The limit is “Footpaths — 12km/h maximum”, and riders must “keep left and give way to pedestrians”. — full reading, every source and the date read

Allowed at up to 10 km/h (r 15(3)), unless a path is marked ‘no wheeled devices’. Riders must give way to pedestrians. — full reading, every source and the date read

Allowed at up to 10 km/h: “on footpaths, shared paths, beaches and road crossings - maximum speed of 10km/h.” — full reading, every source and the date read

Allowed at up to 15 km/h, except where a ‘no personal mobility device’ sign is installed. Riders must give way to pedestrians. — full reading, every source and the date read

Allowed and expected: PMDs must use the footpath, nature strip or shared path rather than the road where one is available (s 244D). The limit is 15 km/h (s 244FB). — full reading, every source and the date read

Not allowed. The table answers “No” for footpaths. The only exception is the mobility-aid one, where a certified rider “will be considered a pedestrian”. — full reading, every source and the date read

Not allowed. The page says they “can’t be used on” footpaths. — full reading, every source and the date read

Banned: “It is an offence to use powered transporters on the pavement” (DfT guidance, citing Highway Act 1835 s. 72); footpaths as public rights of way are closed to mechanically propelled vehicles by Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 34. — full reading, every source and the date read

NZTA's statement that motorised skateboards “cannot be operated on the road” sits alongside its note that “‘road’ is a very broadly defined term”; the Road User Rule defines “road” to include “a place to which the public have access, whether as of right or not”. No official text read authorises motorised skateboards on footpaths. The footpath rules in cl. 11.1 apply to “wheeled recreational devices”. — full reading, every source and the date read

Banned: Active Mobility Act s. 16(1) prohibits riding “a motorised personal mobility device on a footpath” (except to cross it or to get around an obstruction); LTA's chart also marks pedestrian-only paths as not allowed. — full reading, every source and the date read

Banned: the Transport Department leaflet says EMDs “are banned on roads (including footpaths)”, and the TD page warns that use on footpaths “may commit an offence”. — full reading, every source and the date read

Prohibited: the government page lists the electric skateboard among vehicles you may not ride “op de weg en stoep” (on the road and sidewalk — our translation). — full reading, every source and the date read

Not allowed: ASTRA says e-skateboards are not approved for road traffic, and its blog lists sidewalks (“Trottoirs”) among the public traffic areas. — full reading, every source and the date read

The prohibition in regulation 3 of S.I. No. 224 of 2024 covers every public place, footpaths included; no text addresses boards on footpaths separately. For e-scooters, the Road Safety Authority lists among the things users must not do: “Use footpaths, pedestrianised areas or motorways.” — full reading, every source and the date read

Art. 17(1): “Os veículos só podem circular nas bermas ou nos passeios desde que o acesso aos prédios o exija, salvo as exceções previstas em regulamento local.” (Vehicles may use verges or footways only where access to buildings requires it, except as provided by local regulation — our translation.) Art. 17(3) lets only bicycles ridden by children up to 10 use footways. No text addresses electric boards on footways specifically. — full reading, every source and the date read

Trafikförordning 3 kap. 6 §: “Vid färd på väg ska fordon föras på körbana.” (On the road, vehicles must be driven on the carriageway — our translation.) The only exception for cycling on the footway is 3 kap. 12 a §: “Vid färd med cykel får barn till och med det år de fyller åtta år använda gångbana om cykelbana saknas.” (When cycling, children up to the year they turn eight may use the footway if there is no cycle path — our translation.) No text addresses electric boards on footways; the rules follow from the board's classification. — full reading, every source and the date read

Trafikkregler § 20 nr. 3: “Kjøring med liten elektrisk motorvogn på fortau, gangveg og i gangfelt er tillatt når gangtrafikken er liten og bruken ikke medfører fare eller er til hinder for gående.” (Riding on the pavement, footpaths and pedestrian crossings is permitted when pedestrian traffic is light and it causes no danger or obstruction to pedestrians — our translation.) “Passering av gående skal skje i god avstand, i tilnærmet gangfart og uansett med en fart ikke over 6 km i timen.” (Pedestrians must be passed at a good distance, at close to walking pace and never above 6 km/h — our translation.) — full reading, every source and the date read

No provision of the order allows the pavement. Under § 4 the cyclists' rules apply, and Road Traffic Act § 49, stk. 5 reads: “Det er forbudt at cykle på fortov eller gangsti, medmindre andet følger af de regler, der fastsættes af transportministeren efter § 14, stk. 4.” (Cycling on the pavement or a footpath is prohibited unless rules made by the transport minister provide otherwise — our translation.) — full reading, every source and the date read

Only as an exception. Art. 33b ust. 2: “Korzystanie z drogi dla pieszych przez kierującego urządzeniem transportu osobistego jest dozwolone wyjątkowo, gdy brakuje drogi dla rowerów oraz drogi dla pieszych i rowerów.” (A UTO rider may use the footway only exceptionally, where there is no cycle path and no shared pedestrian-and-cycle path — our translation.) Art. 33c then requires a speed close to walking pace and priority to pedestrians. — full reading, every source and the date read

Art. 17(1): “車両は、歩道又は路側帯（以下この条及び次条第一項において「歩道等」という。）と車道の区別のある道路においては、車道を通行しなければならない。” (Where a road has a sidewalk or side strip separate from the roadway, vehicles must use the roadway — our translation.) Art. 17-2 lets only a “特例特定小型原動機付自転車” (a specified small motorised bicycle in its 6 km/h sidewalk mode, with the indicator lamp flashing) use sidewalks signed for it. The National Police Agency: vehicles that do not meet the criteria require a licence and “歩道を走行することはできません” (cannot be ridden on the sidewalk — our translation). — full reading, every source and the date read

Art. 13(1): “차마의 운전자는 보도와 차도가 구분된 도로에서는 차도로 통행하여야 한다.” (Where the road has a sidewalk separate from the roadway, drivers must use the roadway — our translation.) The sidewalk exceptions in art. 13-2(4) apply to 자전거등, defined in art. 2(21-2) as “자전거와 개인형 이동장치를 말한다” (bicycles and personal mobility devices — our translation), a category the electric skateboard is not in. — full reading, every source and the date read

Conditional: § 9-52-020 (applied by § 9-52-130(c)) limits sidewalk use to cases where the sidewalk is “officially designated and marked as a bicycle route”, or to reach the nearest roadway, intersection, bicycle path or bike-share station. — full reading, every source and the date read

Skateboard rule, roadways (§ 950-300D): does not say whether it reaches a powered board. § 950-300D: “where there are sidewalks, no person upon roller-skates, in-line skates or a skateboard, or riding in or by means of any coaster, scooter, toy vehicle, toboggan, sleigh or similar device, shall go upon a roadway except for the purpose of crossing the road”, and when crossing has the rights and obligations of a pedestrian. — Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 950 (Traffic and Parking), §§ 950-101, 950-202, 950-300, read 2026-09-27

Skateboard rule, sidewalks (§ 950-300F): does not say whether it reaches a powered board. § 950-300F: “No person shall ride upon or operate a bicycle, skateboard, in-line skates or roller-skates, coaster, scooter, toy vehicle, toboggan, sleigh, or any similar device on a sidewalk recklessly or negligently or at a speed or in a manner dangerous to the public”. — Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 950 (Traffic and Parking), §§ 950-101, 950-202, 950-300, read 2026-09-27

Skateboard rule, sidewalks (11.40.255): does not say whether it reaches a powered board. SMC 11.40.255: every person using a skateboard upon a sidewalk or public path must do so “in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed no greater than is reasonable and proper under the conditions existing at the point of operation” and “shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian thereon.” We found no definition of skateboard in SMC 11.14. — Seattle Municipal Code ch. 11.40 and 11.46, read 2026-09-27

Skateboard rule, arterial streets (11.40.250): does not say whether it reaches a powered board. SMC 11.40.250: “No person on roller skates, or riding a coaster, skateboard, toy vehicle, or similar device, shall go on the roadway of any arterial street or transit coach route, except while crossing the street at a crosswalk”. — Seattle Municipal Code ch. 11.40 and 11.46, read 2026-09-27

Art. 190(9) of the Highway Code: “Sugli spazi riservati ai pedoni è vietato usare tavole, pattini od altri acceleratori di andatura che possano creare situazioni di pericolo per gli altri utenti.” (In spaces reserved for pedestrians, it is prohibited to use boards, skates or other speed accelerators that may endanger other users — our translation.) For electric kick scooters, Law 160/2019, para. 75-undecies: “È vietata la circolazione dei monopattini a propulsione prevalentemente elettrica sui marciapiedi.” (Mainly electric-powered kick scooters are prohibited on footpaths — our translation.) — full reading, every source and the date read

Prohibited unless the local authority allows it. Article R412-43-1 III 2° lets the authority “Autoriser la circulation des engins sur le trottoir, à condition qu'ils respectent l'allure du pas et n'occasionnent pas de gêne pour les piétons” (allow the devices on the sidewalk, provided they keep to walking pace and do not inconvenience pedestrians — our translation). Service-public.fr: “La circulation sur les trottoirs est interdite, sauf si le maire l'autorise.” — full reading, every source and the date read

Closed to VMP. The DGT says “Está prohibido que los patinetes eléctricos circulen por aceras.” (electric scooters may not ride on sidewalks — our translation), and article 152(1) of the Reglamento General de Circulación, in force from 1 October 2026, reserves sidewalks for pedestrians, “estando prohibida la circulación por ellas de cualquier tipo de vehículo” (and any type of vehicle is prohibited on them — our translation). No text addresses electric skateboards specifically. — full reading, every source and the date read

Nothing specific to e-skateboards. The official page says a non-complying motor vehicle cannot be ridden on “roads, paths or other public places” without an exemption. — full reading, every source and the date read