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

Chapter 7.14, Mobility Systems, governs shared electric scooters and similar EMPVs under Lafayette Municipal Code § 7.14.110 through § 7.14.170. An enterprise needs a permit from the Administrative Officer, the Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator or the Mayor's designee, before operating in the public right-of-way, at a cost of $1,000 for the permit plus $1 per day for each EMPV placed in the city, and the permit expires one year after issuance. Section 7.14.130 lets the Administrative Officer impose conditions including limits on where a system may operate, where EMPVs may be stored, and the hours of operation, and it bars EMPVs from shared-use paths marked as prohibited.

Riders must follow the same rules of the road as bicycles, and the code sets a hard 15 mph speed cap, bans carrying more than one rider, and requires front and rear lights after dark. No one under 16 may use a shared scooter, and users must agree to follow traffic laws, yield to pedestrians and park properly. Section 7.14.170 lets the Administrative Officer bar EMPVs from the area around a special event or public-safety emergency, and can direct an enterprise to suspend operations entirely for weather or other safety concerns; the city can also remove an illegally parked or hazardous scooter without notice and bill the enterprise a $100 removal fee.

An enterprise that violates the chapter twice in 12 months, or fails to remove illegally parked EMPVs, can have its permit denied, suspended or revoked under § 7.14.120, and after revocation it is locked out of a new permit for 12 months.