King County, WA Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum rider age
- 13 years old
- Helmet required
- Yes, bicycle-rated with chin/neck strap
- No-ride roads
- Posted speed limit over 25 mph
- No-ride parks
- Unless facility posted for scooter use
- Nighttime ban
- 30 min before sunset to 30 min after sunrise
- Penalty
- $48 traffic infraction, K.C.C. 14A.40.030
Summary
King County's traffic code regulates every motorized foot scooter operated on unincorporated county roads, alleys, trails and park property, including shared and dockless units. Riders must be at least 13, wear a helmet, and stay off roads posted above 25 mph and off unposted park property.
14A.40.010 General provisions. A. A person operating a motorized foot scooter shall ensure that the scooter is equipped with a brake that enables the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement. B. A person shall not use a motorized foot scooter at any time from one half hour before sunset to one half hour after sunrise. C. A person shall not operate a motorized foot scooter on county roads, alleys, county recreational trails and park property unless the operator is at least thirteen years old. ... F. A person shall not operate a motorized foot scooter on a sidewalk. G. A person shall not operate a motorized foot scooter on: 1. A county road with a posted maximum speed limit greater than twenty-five miles per hour; or 2. County parks facilities... unless the facility has been specifically designated and posted for that use in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 7.12.
Full Breakdown
C. 010, General Provisions, sets the operating rules for motorized foot scooters, a category that covers dockless share-program scooters as well as privately owned ones, anywhere they're used on a county road, alley, county recreational trail or park property in unincorporated King County. The scooter must have a brake that can skid the wheels on dry, level, clean pavement. Riding is banned from a half hour before sunset to a half hour after sunrise, effectively a nighttime no-ride window. Operators and passengers must be at least 13 years old, and everyone riding must wear a bicycle-rated helmet meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission or American National Standards Institute standards, secured with a chin or neck strap.
Riders otherwise get the same rights and duties as bicyclists, except in crosswalks and pedestrian zones, and must follow traffic control signals and deputy instructions. Sidewalk riding is flatly prohibited. 12. C. C. 030, tied to Ordinance 18743 (2018).
Violations & Fines
Riding a motorized foot scooter, including a shared or rented unit, without a helmet, before age 13, on a sidewalk, on a road posted above 25 mph, on unposted park property, or during the half-hour-before-sunset-to-half-hour-after-sunrise window is a traffic infraction under K.C.C. 14A.40.030, carrying a base monetary penalty of $48. A parent or guardian who knowingly lets a minor violate the chapter is separately liable under K.C.C. 14A.40.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ride a shared scooter on unincorporated King County roads?
Is there a nighttime restriction on scooter riding?
Are county parks a no-ride zone for scooters?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington mobility & curb rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.