Lafayette, LA Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- $500 non-refundable application fee
- Issuing office
- Dept. of Development and Planning director
- No-park zones
- Hydrants, ADA ramps, bus stops, mailboxes, ditches
- Impoundment
- Immediate + $200 fee, Sec. 98-209(e)-(f)
- Max fine
- $500 per occurrence, Sec. 98-213
- Revocation term
- 1 year, appeal to 15th JDC in 21 days
Summary
Lafayette requires shared scooter and e-bike operators to hold a city-parish permit, paying a $500 non-refundable application fee under Sec. 98-204, and bars parking devices in bike lanes, ADA ramps, fire hydrants, bus stops, drainage ditches, mailboxes, or blocked sidewalks. Violators face immediate impoundment plus fines up to $500 per occurrence.
No permittee or user shall deploy, park, or rebalance, or permit to be deployed, parked, or rebalanced any shared mobility device in such a manner as to adversely affect the property of any third party, or to block, impede access to or interfere with:(1)The flow of vehicular traffic on a street, alley or driveway;(2)Any fire hydrant, call box, or other emergency facility;(3)Any designated parking space or access point for the handicapped or disabled, including but not limited to any handicapped or disabled citizen parking space or zone and any ADA access ramp;(4)Any body of water or drainage facility (ditch, coulee, etc.) or any other location that could adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of the public;(5)The flow of pedestrian or wheelchair traffic on any the sidewalk;(6)A loading or unloading zone;(7)A bus bench, stop, or other transit passenger waiting area;(8)A utility pole or box;(9)The ingress or egress from any building or structure;(10)A USPS mailbox; or(11)Any location so designated by the SMD management committee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 98, Article IV of the Lafayette City-Parish Code establishes a citywide permit program for shared mobility device operators: companies renting out electric scooters, e-bikes, and commercial pedal carriages. Sec. 98-196 states the program's purpose: reasonable rules for rental, use, and operation of these devices given their frequent use by 'local citizens, tourists and visitors' in the City and Parish of Lafayette. Sec. 00 non-refundable, non-transferable application fee, and disclose fleet size, service area, and a user-education plan, all subject to the director's approval. Once permitted, Sec.
98-209(d) bars both permittees and individual users from deploying, parking, or rebalancing any device in a way that blocks a street, alley, or driveway; a fire hydrant or emergency call box; a handicapped parking space or ADA ramp; a drainage ditch or coulee; a sidewalk's pedestrian or wheelchair path; a loading zone; a bus stop; a utility pole or box; a building entrance; a mailbox; or any other spot the SMD management committee designates. 00 impoundment fee recoverable within 60 days before the device is deemed abandoned and sold as surplus.
Sec. 00 per occurrence from the director, and repeated non-compliance can mean suspension or a full year's revocation of the permittee's operating permit, appealable to the 15th Judicial District Court within 21 days.
Violations & Fines
A device blocking a bike lane, hydrant, ADA ramp, or sidewalk is impounded immediately at the permittee's expense under Sec. 98-209(e)-(f), plus a $200.00 impoundment fee due within 60 days before the device is deemed abandoned. The operating company itself can be fined up to $500.00 per occurrence or have its permit suspended or revoked for a year under Sec. 98-213, appealable to the 15th Judicial District Court within 21 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a company need a permit to run a scooter-share in Lafayette?
Where are shared scooters and e-bikes not allowed to be parked?
What happens to a scooter left blocking a sidewalk?
Can the city shut down a scooter operator entirely?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lafayette
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