Vehicle Standards.
COBRA, 14.02.01.11
in effect.11 Vehicle Standards.
A. Vehicle Approval.
(1) A permit holder shall ensure a dockless vehicle model intended for deployment on a public street has been approved by the Director prior to its deployment on the public street.
(2) To deploy a new vehicle model or vehicle type, a permit holder shall submit the following to the Department at least two weeks prior to intended deployment:
(a) Vehicle specifications;
(b) A safety certificate;
(c) A deployment plan;
(d) A change to an operations plan, if any; and
(e) A change to a maintenance plan, if any.
(3) A permit holder may not deploy a new vehicle model or type until receiving written approval from the Department.
B. Required Features – In General.
A permit holder shall ensure a dockless vehicle deployed on a public street:
(1) Weighs no more than 100 pounds;
(2) Is equipped with an operational structural feature that allows the vehicle to be stably parked upright without needing to lean on another object;
(3) Is equipped with built-in front and back lights that:
(a) Illuminate while the dockless vehicle is in use; and
(b) Are visible from a distance of at least 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night;
(4) Is equipped with a bell or noise emitting device;
(5) Has tires with a diameter of at least nine inches;
(6) Has tactile identification which:
(a) Meets State requirements; and
(b) Is located on the stem near the handlebars if handlebars are present; and
(7) Has legible decals listing:
(a) The name of the permit holder displayed in a minimum of 16-point font;
(b) The following contact information for a permit holder displayed in a minimum of 16-point font:
(i) A toll-free telephone number;
(ii) An e-mail address; and
(iii) A website address; and
(c) A unique identification number displayed in:
(i) A minimum of 48-point font; or
(ii) Font that is at least 1 inch in height.
C. Required Features – E-scooters.
A permit holder shall ensure that an e-scooter deployed on a public street:
(1) Has a speedometer that is legible; and
(2) Is equipped with a speed governor capable of throttling speeds to specific speed limits in geographical areas designated in the MDS Policy API.
D. Data and Information.
A permit holder shall ensure a dockless vehicle and its associated apps do not provide false information, including:
(1) An inaccurate speedometer reading; and
(2) An alarm that announces that a vehicle can notify the police.
E. Additional Requirements.
(1) A permit holder shall certify that its deployed vehicles meet:
(a) Applicable federal laws;
(b) Applicable State laws;
(c) Applicable provisions of City Code;
(d) CPSC Safety Standards: ISO 43.150 for Pedal Bicycles; and
(e) CPSC Public Law 107-319 for E-Scooters and E-Bicycles.
(2) A permit holder shall certify that each dockless vehicle they deploy in the City are:
(a) Free of defects in materials;
(b) Free of defects in construction; and
(c) Safe for members of the public to use in the ordinary course of usage.
Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/cobra/14.02.01.11Fetched: 10/25/2026