If you have an e-scooter on this year’s Christmas list here’s some good news – the electric vehicles will be permitted on South Australian roads and paths from early next year.

The Statutes Amendment (Personal Mobility Devices) Bill 2024 has been passed by parliament, giving the green light for privately owned e-scooters and other personal mobility devices to legally be ridden on roads and in other public areas.

Once the regulations are finalised, there will be no requirement for a personal mobility device such as an e-scooter, e-skateboard or a unicycle to be registered or for the rider to hold a licence.

The State Government has agreed to review the new laws after their first 12 months to ensure the regulatory regime is fit-for-purpose, safe and enforceable.

At that time the Government will also consider the statistics involving personal mobility devices and the potential inclusion in the “nominal defendant” scheme, which covers claims when the at-fault vehicle cannot be identified.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport will now arrange a roundtable session with industry experts including representatives from the Centre for Automotive Safety Research to provide input on regulations around device dimensions, speed limits, minimum age for riders, areas of access to the road environment, and the road rules they must follow.

Current research and the advice, feedback and recommendation of experts and stakeholders will be considered when finalising the regulations.

It is expected e-scooters and other personal mobility devices will be able to hit the road from early 2025 following an education campaign to ensure all riders are across the new rules.

In the meantime, the use of privately owned personal mobility devices will remain prohibited on public roads and paths until the framework is implemented.

The new legislation follows extensive consultation last year with private e-scooter users and the broader community, with 87 per cent of respondents to a YourSAy survey supporting the ongoing use of e-scooters on public roads and paths.

Currently, e-scooters are only permitted for use under trial conditions, with trials operating within Adelaide’s CBD and North Adelaide and the City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters in partnerships between local councils and commercial e-scooter fleet operators.