Palm Desert, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Any mobility sharing program is prohibited in the city
- Only exception
- A pilot program the city council chooses to implement
- Impoundment
- City shall remove and impound devices in the right-of-way
- Disposal
- If unclaimed thirty days after impoundment
- Adopted
- Ordinance 1344, 2018
- Code section
- Palm Desert Municipal Code § 10.99.020
Summary
In the City of Palm Desert, any mobility sharing program is prohibited, with the exception of a pilot program should the city council choose to implement one, under Municipal Code § 10.99.020. Shared scooters and shared bicycles found in the public right-of-way are removed and impounded by the city.
Any mobility sharing program is prohibited within the city, with the exception of a pilot program, should the city council choose to implement one.
Full Breakdown
Palm Desert bans rental scooter and bicycle fleets outright rather than zoning them. Section 10.99.020 provides that any mobility sharing program is prohibited within the city, with the exception of a pilot program, should the city council choose to implement one. Chapter 10.99 was added by Ordinance 1344 in 2018, so the City of Palm Desert has treated the question as settled law for years, and the only door left open is a council-authorized pilot.
The definitions in § 10.99.010 show what is covered. A mobility sharing program is a system whereby shared scooters, shared bicycles or similar devices are available to residents and visitors for rent via self-service portals, applications or other methods, to use on public or private properties. A mobility sharing operator is the person, business or entity that manages the program. A shared scooter is a motorized device with handlebars and floorboard designed to be stood upon when riding and intended to be used in a mobility sharing program. A shared bicycle includes a bicycle, tricycle, quadricycle or similar device with any number of wheels, propelled by a motor with any type of power source or by human propulsion, designed to be shared by unrelated members of the public.
The definition of shared scooter expressly excludes a motorcycle as defined in Section 400 of the California Vehicle Code, a motor-driven cycle under Section 405, a motorized bicycle or moped under Section 406, and an electric personal assistive mobility device under Section 313.
Because the program itself is banned, the code prints no no-ride zones, geofences or parking corrals. Enforcement is physical. Under § 10.99.030(A), the city shall remove and impound any shared scooter, shared bicycle or similar device available through a mobility sharing program that is found in the public right-of-way. Under § 10.99.030(B), the city can dispose of an impounded device if the mobility sharing operator leaves it unclaimed after thirty days from the impoundment date.
Violations & Fines
Section 10.99.030 makes removal and impoundment mandatory for any shared device found in the public right-of-way, and allows disposal if the operator does not claim it within thirty days of impoundment. Chapter 10.99 prints no fine, so the general penalty in § 1.12.010 applies to a prohibited act: a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, prosecuted as an infraction unless the city attorney moves otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bird or Lime style rental scooters allowed in the City of Palm Desert?
What happens to a shared scooter left on a Palm Desert street?
How long does an operator have to reclaim impounded devices?
Are there designated no-ride zones for shared scooters?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Desert
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Desert to another location·View the California mobility & curb rules overview
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