Boulder, CO Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)

Section 4-34-2 conditions any shared electric scooter business in Boulder on two steps: first winning a purchasing contract under Chapter 2-8, then, within 180 days of the contract's effective date, obtaining a license from the city manager, who may cap the number of licenses issued because operator count affects the shared micromobility program's success. Applicants pay the fee set by Section 4-20-74, carry insurance under Section 4-1-8, and post a financial guaranty of $50 per scooter, capped at $5,000, to cover public-property repairs, impound and storage costs, and removal expenses if the license lapses.

Section 4-34-3 also requires a management plan covering accessibility, equitable distribution to transit facilities and high-demand areas, complaint response, and a maintenance plan. Once licensed, Section 4-34-6 caps an operator's initial deployment at 200 scooters (subject to city adjustment based on performance), requires relocating or rebalancing scooters within two hours of a city notice, removing an inoperable or unsafe scooter within twenty-four hours, and offering a one-year low-income plan that waives the vehicle deposit and gives unlimited sub-30-minute trips to riders at or below federal poverty guidelines.

m. Violating the parking rules is a traffic infraction carrying a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100 under Subsection (d), and Section 4-34-5 lets the city manager suspend or revoke the license for noncompliance or unpaid fines, after which the operator must pull its entire fleet within thirty days.