Washington, DC Mobility & Curb Rules: Shared E-Scooter Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- DDOT SFD permit needed before any rental deployment
- School buffer
- 300 feet from elementary/middle school or senior center
- Minimum rider age
- 16 years old
- Citywide device cap
- 20,000 devices through October 1, 2023
- Misrepresented device fine
- $100 per device to permitted operator
- Parking clearance
- 3 feet of unobstructed sidewalk required
- Removal deadline
- 2 hours after DDOT/public violation notice
Summary
DDOT requires every dockless scooter operator, such as Lime or Spin, to hold an SFD permit before deploying devices in the District. Riders must be 16 or older, can't ride on Central Business District sidewalks, and operators must keep scooters 300 feet clear of schools unless the block sits next to a Metro entrance.
(a) No SFD operating company shall offer shared fleet devices for rental without a SFD permit issued by the Director... (g) A permitted operator shall: ... (2) Refrain from deploying shared fleet devices within 300 feet of an elementary, middle school, or senior wellness center, unless that space is located on a block face adjacent to a metro rail station entrance... (h) A person shall not operate an electric mobility device in excess of the speed limit determined by the Director. (i) A person shall operate an electric mobility device in a protected bike lane if available and safe for operating the electric mobility device. (j) A person shall not operate a shared fleet device: (1) If the person is under 16 years of age; (2) Upon a sidewalk within the Central Business District, as the term is defined in section 9901 of Title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (18 DCMR § 9901);
Full Breakdown
C. 03c governs "shared fleet devices" (SFDs), the electric scooters and dockless e-bikes rented through an app. No SFD operating company may offer devices for rental without a permit issued by DDOT's Director, and the Director can cap the number of permitted operators at more than two or decline permits outright. Permitted operators must post a performance bond covering property damage, permit-violation fines, and the cost of relocating illegally parked devices, and DDOT fines an operator $100 for every device it deploys after misrepresenting it as an electric mobility device under 75 pounds and 55 inches.
, and must refrain from deploying devices within 300 feet of an elementary school, middle school, or senior wellness center unless that block face sits next to a Metrorail entrance. Riders must be at least 16, may not ride with a passenger, must yield to pedestrians, and must use a protected bike lane when one is available and safe. No one may operate a device on a Central Business District sidewalk, and parked scooters must stand upright, be locked to fixed infrastructure after October 1, 2021, and leave at least 3 feet of clear sidewalk plus unobstructed access to driveways and accessible ramps.
Operators must remove or reposition an illegally parked device within 2 hours of notice from DDOT or the public. C. C. C. Law 24-214 (2022).
Violations & Fines
DDOT can fine a permitted operator $100 per misrepresented device and draw on its performance bond for property damage, permit violations, or the cost of relocating an illegally parked scooter. An operator who fails to remove a device within 2 hours of a violation notice, misses the 300-foot school buffer, or falls short of ward deployment quotas risks fines and can have its SFD permit revoked for noncompliance with the permit's terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ride a rental scooter on a downtown sidewalk?
How old do you have to be to ride a Lime or Spin scooter in D.C.?
Why don't I see scooters parked right outside my kid's school?
What if a scooter is parked blocking the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington
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