Mobility & Curb Rules in Fort Lauderdale, FL

If you live in Fort Lauderdale or are thinking about moving there, mobility & curb rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Fort Lauderdale has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of mobility & curb rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Bike Lane Rules

Permitted micromobility devices, meaning rented e-scooters and e-bikes, must stay in bicycle paths or bicycle lanes whenever one exists, dropping to sidewalks only where no lane is available. Parking a device in a travel lane, on-street space, loading zone or bicycle lane itself is banned outright.

Key details: Governing chapter: Code ch. 27, art. VII. Primary riding surface: bicycle path or bicycle lane. Fallback surface: sidewalk, only if no lane exists. No-ride zone: barrier island east of Intracoastal. No-ride zone: Las Olas Blvd, Andrews Ave to SE 17th Ave.

Operating outside the permitted lane/path/sidewalk hierarchy or inside a Section 27-266(12) no-ride zone is a violation of the operator's permit conditions, enforced by the Transportation and Mobility Department against the permitted operator rather than the individual rider. Devices parked in a bicycle lane, travel lane or blocking the required four-foot pedestrian path violate 27-266(b)(1) and can be impounded; devices abandoned in place beyond three consecutive days are removed at the operator's cost under the daily storage fees in Section 27-269 ($50.00 per device per day). The city manager may suspend or revoke an operator's permit under Section 27-270 for repeated non-compliance, and can order immediate removal of the entire fleet from the right-of-way during a declared emergency.

Red-Light Cameras

Fort Lauderdale authorizes traffic infraction detectors, red-light and intersection safety cameras, under Article VII of Chapter 26, adopting Florida's Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act to enforce red-light-running violations under state statute sections 316.0083, 316.074(1), and 316.075(1)(c) rather than under a separate city traffic code.

Key details: Program name: Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act (2010-80). Local ordinance: Ch. 26, art. VII, §§ 26-210 to 26-212. State offenses enforced: F.S. §§ 316.074(1) and 316.075(1)(c). Implementation authority: City manager or designee, § 26-212. Fine authority: Set by state law, not city ordinance.

A driver caught by a Fort Lauderdale traffic infraction detector is cited for violating Florida Statutes section 316.074(1) or 316.075(1)(c), the state's red-light and traffic-signal-obedience provisions, rather than a distinct city offense; the notice of infraction and penalty amount follow the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act's state-set process, which the city implements under section 26-212 but does not have authority to alter unilaterally.

Shared E-Scooter Rules

Shared scooter operators need a city permit under section 27-264, capped at three permits for up to 500 scooters each and an annual fee of $62,500, and scooters are banned outright from the barrier island, the Las Olas Boulevard corridor, and Riverwalk Park under the no-ride zones in section 27-266(12).

Key details: Scooter permits allowed: 3 permits, up to 500 scooters each. Speed limit: 12 mph scooters, 15 mph e-bikes. Barrier island: No-ride zone except Las Olas Garage corral. Las Olas corridor: No-ride, Andrews Ave. to SE 17th Ave.. Annual scooter permit fee: $62,500.00 per operator.

Operating a micromobility fleet without a permit under section 27-264, or an operator's device entering a section 27-266(12) no-ride zone through a geofencing failure, exposes the operator to permit suspension or revocation under section 27-270, plus daily storage fees of $50.00 per device the city removes from the right-of-way. A permit reinstatement after suspension costs $1,000.00 under the fee schedule in section 27-269, and repeated violations can end a permit outright ahead of its one-year term.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Fort Lauderdale actively enforces its shared e-scooter rules requirements.

The Bottom Line

Fort Lauderdale's mobility & curb rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Fort Lauderdale is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Fort Lauderdale's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.