Santa Clara, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, before operating a fleet, SCCC § 10.35.020
- Citywide device cap
- 3,000 devices, SCCC § 10.35.040
- First-violation fine
- $100 per improperly parked device
- Escalating fines
- $200 second, $500 third and beyond
- Impound authority
- Chief of Police may impound noncompliant devices
- Event exception
- Temporary cap increase for Levi's Stadium events
- Permit appeal
- Chapter 2.115 SCCC procedures
Summary
No shared e-scooter or shared bike company can put a fleet on Santa Clara streets without a City permit: Chapter 10.35 of the City Code caps the citywide fleet at 3,000 devices and fines operators $100 to $500 per improperly parked device that blocks a sidewalk or accessibility feature. The City Manager can suspend or revoke a permit for repeated violations or for failing to retrieve impounded devices.
§ 10.35.020. Permit - Required. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to operate a fleet of shared mobility devices on any public or private property within the city, in exchange for financial compensation or membership via a digital application or other electronic or digital platform, without a current permit issued by the City of Santa Clara. ... § 10.35.040(a). ...the maximum number of shared mobility devices permitted in the city at any one time shall not exceed three thousand (3,000). ... § 10.35.050(c). For each instance where a shared mobility device is not parked in accordance with the shared mobility device permit administrative regulations and the operator fails to remove or remedy the deficiency within the time specified... it shall be considered a single violation for which the operator is subject to an administrative citation in the following amounts: (1) One hundred dollars ($100.00) for the first violation; (2) Two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the second violation; (3) Five hundred dollars ($500.00) for third and subsequent violations.
Full Breakdown
010 to include motorized scooters, e-bikes and regular bicycles offered through a digital app. 040(a) caps the program citywide: "the maximum number of shared mobility devices permitted in the city at any one time shall not exceed three thousand (3,000)," though the City Manager can temporarily raise that ceiling for special events at Levi's Stadium or California's Great America under subsection (b). 050 is the enforcement backbone. 050(c). 050(e). 065. 070 makes any failure to follow the administrative regulations a violation of the Code in its own right.
Violations & Fines
Operating a shared mobility fleet without a City permit violates SCCC § 10.35.020. Each improperly parked device that an operator fails to fix within the regulatory time frame is a separate violation under SCCC § 10.35.050(c): $100 for the first, $200 for the second, and $500 for the third and each one after that, plus impound costs and a City-set impound fee. The City Manager can suspend or revoke the underlying operating permit under SCCC § 10.35.060 for repeated violations, false application statements, or failure to retrieve impounded devices, subject to appeal under Chapter 2.115 SCCC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many shared scooters can operate in Santa Clara at once?
What happens if a shared scooter blocks a sidewalk in Santa Clara?
Can Santa Clara take away a scooter company's permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara to another location·View the California mobility & curb rules overview
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Shared E-Scooter Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle shared e-scooter rules.