Hawthorne, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)

62 of the Hawthorne Municipal Code, adopted by Ordinance 2163 in 2018, defines a "dockless shared mobility device" as any motorized or non-motorized wheeled device that is made available for shared use or rental by the public and includes a wireless lock activated via cellular network, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication, RFID or similar wireless method to immobilize a wheel or disable the motor. 020 makes it unlawful to park, leave standing, leave lying, or abandon such a device in a public right-of-way or on public property anywhere in the city; unlawful to activate its wireless lock while it sits in the right-of-way or on public property; unlawful for the device to be located there while its wheels are locked or its motor is deactivated by that lock, regardless of who triggered it; and unlawful to provide or offer a dockless shared mobility device for use anywhere in the city at all.

That last clause functions as a citywide ban on operating a dockless scooter- or bike-share program rather than a set of no-ride zones. Enforcement is not limited to police: peace officers, traffic control officers, parking enforcement officers, code enforcement officers, and any other city manager-designated employee or contractor may impound any dockless device found parked, standing, lying, abandoned, or in violation of the wireless-lock provisions. Impounded devices are held subject to the same impound and storage fees that apply to impounded bicycles, unless the city council sets a different fee schedule by resolution.