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

Under Sec. 4-54 of the South Bend Code of Ordinances, it is unlawful for any person or entity to operate a Shared Mobility System, defined to include scooters, bicycles and electric bicycles capped at 20 mph, in the public right-of-way without first obtaining a license from the City Controller acting as license administrator. The initial license fee is fixed at $10,000 for calendar year 2020, subject to later adjustment by the Board of Public Works, and licenses expire December 31 each year with renewal applications due at least 30 days before expiration.

The license administrator may impose operating conditions by regulation, including limits on where a system may operate and where devices may be stored or parked, and separately "reserves the right to prohibit the use of any Shared Mobility Device in the area surrounding any special event and the area affected by any public safety emergency" under subsection (g)(2), the ordinance's functional no-ride-zone authority. Riders must stay in designated or protected bike lanes or multi-use paths; using a sidewalk outside a protected bike lane, or riding in a way that impedes pedestrian or mobility-impaired access, is expressly prohibited under subsection (f)(8)e.

Devices must display a unique identifier, a 24-hour customer service number, and lights for after-dark operation, and parked devices must leave at least five feet of unobstructed right-of-way passage. Operators are jointly and severally liable for user violations of the chapter, including traffic and parking violations, and must carry commercial general liability coverage with a $1,000,000 per-occurrence limit and post an indemnity bond.