ABU DHABI, UAE — 4 NOVEMBER 2026
How would it feel to glide through the city on an electric scooter while being enforced with a new set of obligations as soon as one turned 15? The UAE is gearing up to reshape the personal mobility landscape by instituting electric scooter licensing at the age of 15 and stricter registration, tech and road safety stipulations as well.
According to new federal traffic regulations, people aged 15 years or over are entitled to apply for a licence to use electric scooters and electric bicycles, as well as small wheeled motorised vehicles, starting on January 1st, 2027. The licences are valid for three years and can be renewed.
The announcement made on November 3rd, 2026, in a media outlet, i.e., Gulf News, is an important step towards controlling the increasing tendency of people to use electric personal mobile devices.
However, the changes do not stop at determining if a person is old enough to ride.
Six categories of personal transportation devices fall under the new regulations. Among them, there are ordinary bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, and small motor bicycles, as well as skateboards and devices for elderly and disabled people.
This decree establishes obligatory technical criteria aimed at minimising incidents. Electric scooters need to have lights on the front for night visibility, further signal lights connected to the braking mechanism, and a warning sound. It is necessary for the vehicle to have brakes on at least one wheel, while tyres, spokes and all other important details need to be securely placed.
It will not be difficult to formulate the message for the users of personal mobility devices: the public road is not a place to play around.
Any user of mobility devices will have to get the needed permissions, register his/her vehicle and travel on the proper routes. Using paths for motor transport will not be possible.
Signal lights at pedestrian crossings will be important features of the regulations. Red light means that crossing is forbidden, whereas blinking green means that no one can start crossing the street (but those who already crossed it can finish their journey).
One of the most interesting issues that remains to be clarified relates to the fact that the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai currently suggests a minimum age of 16 years for obtaining permits for e-scooters. An important question is how the current local requirement will be combined with the new federal minimum age of 15 years.
The reforms introduced in the UAE in January 2027 mean that in the future, urban mobility will not only include convenient and environmentally sustainable means of transport. Urban mobility will also require responsible drivers, safer mechanics and the respect of all road users.
The question no longer stands: the issue is not only how old one can be to ride an e-scooter but also whether the roads can accommodate the new generation of riders.
