What You Need To Know About Electric Scooter Laws In Illinois

What You Need To Know About Electric Scooter Laws In Illinois

Do you enjoy riding your electric scooter or moped on Michigan Avenue or Lake Shore Drive in Chicago? Electric scooters and mopeds are popular in the Windy City and the surrounding area. They are lightweight, small, quick, and easy to ride. If you are in an accident on an electric scooter, talk to Waukegan motorcycle accident lawyers at Robert T Edens, P.C.

Illinois Electric Scooter And Moped Laws

Electric scooters and moped riders must have a Class M or L license in Illinois to ride legally. To get this license, you can obtain your motorcycle learner’s permit. In addition, you need to have finished a driver education program, and be taking a motorcycle training course. Several motorcycle training courses are available in Illinois:

Basic

This fundamental motorcycle course teaches basic riding skills in the classroom. Those who are at least 16 and have their learner’s permit get eight hours in the classroom and 12 on the bike. When you complete this course successfully, you might waive the written examination. You also may be eligible for an insurance discount.

Intermediate

This is a 9.5-hour class that includes motorcycle riding skills and ways to avoid accidents. You can usually waive the on-cycle examination and the written examination.

Basic Plus

Riders who take the basic and intermediate classes may benefit from this additional 8.5-hour class. However, you must already have your Class M or L license.

Advanced

There are two courses that are 8.5 hours long that concentrate on advanced riding skills, including braking and how to watch for other bikers and scooter riders on the road. Your learners’ permit is valid for 18 months if you are over 18. It is valid for 24 months if you are under 18. Also, if you are over 18, you can bring your driver’s license to the DMV and take the written, motorcycle, and vision tests. If you have taken the appropriate training courses, you might be able to waive one or more of the tests.

Electric Scooter And Motorcycle Laws In Chicago

According to Illinois law, an electric scooter or moped is a motorcycle. However, if the scooter or moped has a 50cc or smaller motor, with a top speed of 30 MPH, it is more than a bicycle, legally. You do not need an Illinois driver’s license to ride one of these. However, the scooter or moped must have an automatic transmission. But if the e-scooter or moped is larger than 50cc, you must have a Class M or L driver’s license. The vehicle must be licensed, insured, and registered. Also, if you ride in Chicago, you need to have a registration sticker that costs $50.

Contact Waukegan Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Now

Were you injured on an electric scooter or motorcycle caused by someone’s negligence? You should speak to a Waukegan motorcycle accident lawyer today. The personal injury attorneys at Robert T. Edens, P.C., may help you get compensation for your electric scooter injury. Contact our Waukegan motorcycle accident lawyers today at (847) 395-2200. Our attorneys are proud to serve the communities of Chicago, Waukegan, Libertyville, and Woodstock.

Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Electric Scooter Laws

What scooters are covered — what counts as a “low-speed electric scooter”?

Under state law, a “low-speed electric scooter” is defined as a device weighing under 100 pounds, with 2 or 3 wheels, handlebars, and a floorboard to stand on, powered by an electric motor (or a combination of electric motor and human power), and with a maximum speed of no more than 10 miles per hour on paved, level ground. These scooters are explicitly notconsidered mopeds or motor-driven cycles.

Who can ride — age, license, and identification requirements

• To ride a low-speed electric scooter legally in Illinois, you must be at least 18 years old.Illinois General Assembly
• For a low-speed scooter, no driver’s license, vehicle registration, or certificate of title is requiredunder the law.Municipal Minute
• That said, local municipalities may enact additional or stricter rules (for example, raising the minimum age or imposing helmet requirements).

Where can you ride — roads, paths, sidewalks, and restrictions

• Low-speed scooters may be operated on public roads, bicycle lanes, or other public rights-of-way where bicycles are permitted, but only in areas where local ordinances allow them.
• It is illegalunder state law to operate a low-speed electric scooter on a highway with a posted speed limit over 35 mph, or on state highways.Illinois General Assembly
• Parking rules: scooters may be parked in the same manner and locations as bicycles.Illinois General Assembly
• Note on sidewalks/trails/paths: Because the law defers to local ordinances for whether scooters are allowed on sidewalks or shared paths, this can vary city to city. Some municipalities explicitly forbid scooter riding on sidewalks or pedestrian-heavy zones.Municipal Minute

Rules for operation — safety gear, lighting, passengers, etc.

Even when riding legally, operators must follow certain standards under state law:

• A functional brakeis required on the scooter.Illinois General Assembly
• If riding at night, the scooter must have a white front lamp (visible 500 ft ahead)and a red rear reflector (visible from 100 to 600 ft)— or a red rear light visible 500 ft.Illinois General Assembly
• Only one person per scooteris permitted at a time, and the operator must avoid carrying any package or load that prevents keeping at least one hand on the handlebars.Illinois General Assembly
• It’s forbidden to equip scooters with sirens (unless in exceptional cases such as police or fire-department vehicles).Illinois General Assembly
• Riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited — e-scooters are treated like vehicles in that context.Municipal Minute

Local control — municipalities can add restrictions

• While state law provides a baseline, local governments (cities, towns, villages, park districts, etc.) must specifically authorizethe use of low-speed electric scooters in their jurisdiction for them to be legal there.
• That means in some municipalities, scooters may be banned entirely; in others, additional restrictions may apply (age limits, helmet requirements, sidewalk prohibition, speed limits, time-of-day restrictions, etc.).
• Because of this patchwork of regulations, you should always check local ordinancesbefore riding — especially when traveling between municipalities.

Common Questions & Clarifications

Do I need a driver’s license to ride an electric scooter?

Not for a low-speed electric scooter under state law. But you must be at least 18.Municipal Minute

Are helmets required?

No statewide helmet requirement — but many municipalities require helmets, especially for younger riders or rental scooters. Regardless, wearing one is strongly encouraged.

Can I ride on sidewalks or bike trails?

That depends on local ordinances. The state law gives municipalities authority to allow or ban scooters on sidewalks, trails, shared paths.

What about faster or heavier scooters?

The statewide law regulates only “low-speed electric scooters” (under 100 lb, ≤ 10 mph). Scooters exceeding those parameters — or converted / modified to go faster — may be treated as motor-driven vehicles or mopeds and subject to stricter rules (licensing, registration, insurance) or outright prohibition.