FOLLOWING THE NEWS this week that a full ban on the use of e-scooters on Irish roads is still very much on the table, you might be wondering what the laws are like in other countries. 

As things currently stand in Ireland, e-scooters are already banned for under-16s and, from next month, will be banned for all under the age of 18. 

Rules will also be introduced next month to make it mandatory for all e-scooter users to wear a helmet and high-vis jacket. 

Later in the year, legislation will then be put in place to make it illegal for shops to sell e-scooters to anyone under the age of 18, and a system of registration and licensing of e-scooters will also be introduced. 

Tánaiste Simon Harris also said today that tax and insurance will also be introduced for e-scooters.

All of this is being done in an effort to tackle the number of accidents and deaths caused by e-scooter use, with traumatic injuries from e-scooter accidents up 50% in the last 12 months. 

Some have argued that these changes do not go far enough and called for an outright ban, something Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said is still on the table.  

Others, though, argue that an outright ban would be disproportionate and would lead to further congestion on roads.

So how do other countries control e-scooters? 

Ireland’s efforts to regulate e-scooter use come as other countries are also grappling with how best to respond to them. 

However, a full ban on e-scooters would see Ireland become an outlier compared to most cities and countries across the globe.

Just yesterday, Greece also announced a ban on e-scooters for under-17s after a rise in accidents involving minors. A law will also be introduced to increase fines for unsafe riding and to introduce compulsory accident insurance. 

A handful of European cities have also introduced bans on e-scooter rentals, with safety concerns cited as the primary reason. 

Last month, Brussels was the latest city to announce a ban, joining Paris, Madrid and Prague, which have all taken similar action in recent years. 

Announcing its decision at the time, the Brussels regional government said the ban followed an “alarming” rise in accidents involving the vehicles, with 666 people injured in 2025 – a 26 per cent increase on the previous year.

It added that e-scooters were also often improperly parked, clogging roads and used for criminal purposes such as drug dealing.

Further afield, in Melbourne, Australia, a ban on rental e-scooters has been in place since 2024.

Related Reads

Dublin Commuter Coalition says e-scooter ban will result in more cars and increased congestion

Amazon pulls sale of e-scooter as retailers urged to remove those non-compliant with Irish law

The decision brought an end to a two-year trial in the city, with officials saying too many people were abusing the rental scheme by riding on footpaths and abandoning scooters in unsafe locations, causing trip hazards. 

Despite a ban on sharing schemes, private e-scooter use is still legal in Melbourne for over-16s, with helmets mandatory. 

The Melbourne model is similar to what was introduced in Paris in 2023, when e-scooter rentals were banned in the French capital. 

However, private e-scooter use is still legal there for over-14s and insurance is mandatory. 

The UK is one of the only countries to ban private e-scooters on public roads. Instead, rental trials exist in many UK cities, with strict rules in place regulating their use. 

Riders must hold a driver’s licence to rent an e-scooter under the UK scheme.