ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

Denver Revised Municipal Code ch. 54, art. IX, div. 4

in effect

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-612 Scope.

Sec. 54-612. - Scope. The provisions of this article applicable to an electric scooter apply whenever an electric scooter is operated upon any street, roadway, or upon any public path designated for the use of an electric scooter, subject to the exceptions contained herein. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-613 Application of traffic laws.

Sec. 54-613. - Application of traffic laws. A person operating an electric scooter on a roadway is granted all of the rights and subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by the traffic rules and regulations of this city, except as to special regulations and except as to the provisions of laws and ordinances which by their nature can have no application. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-614 Obedience to traffic-control devices.

Sec. 54-614. - Obedience to traffic-control devices. (a) A person operating an electric scooter must obey the instructions of official traffic-control signals, signs, and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer. (b) If authorized signs indicate that no right or left or U-turn is permitted, it is unlawful for a person operating an electric scooter to disobey the sign, except where the person dismounts from the electric scooter to make the turn, in which event, the person must then obey the regulations applicable to pedestrians. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-615 Carrying persons.

Sec. 54-615. - Carrying persons. It is unlawful for a person operating an electric scooter to carry another person on the electric scooter. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-616 Carrying articles.

Sec. 54-616. - Carrying articles. It is unlawful for a person operating an electric scooter to carry any package, bundle, or article that prevents the person from keeping at least one (1) hand upon the handlebars. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-617 Right-of-way.

Sec. 54-617. - Right-of-way. An electric scooter is considered a vehicle under all portions of this Code that govern right-of-way. The operator of an electric scooter must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian at all times. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-618 Riding on bicycle lanes, roadways, and sidewalks.

Sec. 54-618. - Riding on bicycle lanes, roadways, and sidewalks. (a) Persons operating an electric scooter may not ride more than two (2) abreast except on bicycle lanes set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. (b) Persons operating an electric scooter upon a roadway must ride as near to the right-hand side of the roadway as judged safe by the operator to facilitate the movement of such overtaking vehicles unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so. (c) This section does not apply to a uniformed city, state, or federal employee operating an electric scooter while engaged in the discharge of his or her duties or to a police officer operating an electric scooter that is a marked or unmarked official police vehicle, while engaged in the discharge of his or her official duties. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-619 Speed.

Sec. 54-619. - Speed. (a) It is unlawful for any person to operate an electric scooter on a sidewalk at a speed greater than six (6) miles per hour. (b) It is unlawful for any person to operate an electric scooter on a roadway or bicycle lane at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing or in excess of the posted speed limit. (c) This section does not apply to a uniformed city, state, or federal employee operating an electric scooter while engaged in the discharge of his or her duties or to a police officer operating an electric scooter that is a marked or unmarked official police vehicle, while engaged in the discharge of his or her official duties. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-620 Parking.

Sec. 54-620. - Parking. (a) An electric scooter may be parked upon a roadway at any angle to the curb or edge of the roadway at any location where parking is allowed. (b) An electric scooter may be parked on the roadway abreast of another electric scooter, bicycle, or electrical assisted bicycle near the side of the roadway or any location where parking is allowed in a manner that does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. (c) An electric scooter may park on a sidewalk in such a manner as to not impede the normal and reasonable movement of pedestrian or other traffic. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-621 Riding on sidewalks.

Sec. 54-621. - Riding on sidewalks. (a) Riding an electric scooter upon or along sidewalks, whether on public property or private property opened for use by the general public, is unlawful except: (1) When the operator or rider thereof is a uniformed city employee or uniformed state employee or uniformed federal employee working as part of his or her official duties and riding a marked or unmarked official police electric scooter or while engaged in the discharge of his or her official duties; or (2) Where the sidewalk is part of a designated bicycle route; or (3) When the operator or rider thereof is preparing to dismount and park the electric scooter at a location on the block on which the electric scooter is being operated, or the operator has just mounted and has not yet crossed a street or alley. (b) An electric scooter operator must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on the sidewalk. (Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-622 Lamps and reflectors.

Sec. 54-622. - Lamps and reflectors. (a) Every electric scooter, when in use during dusk to dawn, must have a lamp on the front that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front. (b) Every electric scooter, when in use during dusk to dawn, must have a red reflector of a type approved by the department, that is visible for six hundred (600) feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. (c) Every electric scooter, when in use from dusk to dawn, must have reflective material of sufficient size and reflectibility to be visible from both sides for six hundred (600) feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams or head lamps on a motor vehicle or, in lieu of such reflective material, with a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet. (d) An electric scooter may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required in this section. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-623 Prohibited on roadways where posted—Prohibited on 16 Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall.

Sec. 54-623. - Prohibited on roadways where posted—Prohibited on 16 Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall. (a) The city traffic engineer is authorized to erect signs on any roadway prohibiting the riding of electric scooters thereon by any person, and when such signs are in place, no person shall disobey the same, except a uniformed city or state or federal employee riding an electric scooter, while engaged in the discharge of his or her duties, or a police officer riding an electric scooter that is a marked or unmarked official police electric scooter, while engaged in his or her official duties. (b) It is unlawful for any person to operate an electric scooter on the 16 th Street Pedestrian and Transit Mall, as defined in ordinance and city rules and regulations. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 54-624 Rules.

Sec. 54-624. - Rules. The manager of transportation and infrastructure shall promulgate rules and regulations to further govern the use of electric scooter in the city. (Ord. No. 1476-18, § 2, 1-7-19; Ord. No. 784-19, § 4, 8-26-19; Ord. No. 599-25, § 3, 5-19-25)

Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH54TRRE_ARTIXBIELPEASMODEELSC_DIV4ELSCFetched: 10/27/2026