Bloomington, IN Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)

The Board of Public Works issues shared-use motorized scooter operator licenses that expire one year after issuance; an operator must reapply at least thirty days before expiration, and the board sets both the initial and renewal fees. A license application must disclose the maximum number of scooters the operator plans to deploy in Bloomington, a GPS-based service-area map, a twenty-four-hour customer service number, proof of insurance and an indemnification agreement running to the city. The board reviews the applicant's prior compliance record before issuing or denying a license at a public meeting, and a denied applicant may appeal to the Monroe County Circuit Court within thirty days of the board's written findings.

Once licensed, every shared-use scooter must be equipped to run no faster than fifteen miles per hour, carry a unique identification number, and display front and rear lamps visible five hundred feet away. Riders must yield to pedestrians, pass at least three feet clear, and give an audible signal before overtaking anyone on a sidewalk, multiuse path or crosswalk. Section 15.58.060(b)(9) singles out posted dismount zones: scooters may not be ridden on sidewalks or through crosswalks inside those zones, and a rider must get off and walk. Parking is confined to bike corrals or a fifty-four-inch-wide clear sidewalk path, never blocking a curb ramp, fire hydrant or accessible parking space.

The Board of Public Works can revoke an operator's license outright for repeated violations, following a hearing with written findings that the operator may likewise appeal to the Monroe County Circuit Court.