Riding an e-scooter in the UAE is about to come with paperwork. Under new federal traffic regulations that take effect on 1 January 2027, riders will need a permit, devices will have to be registered, and scooters will have to meet technical safety standards. Two months before the rules start, residents are asking what exactly changes for them.

What the new rules require

The measures come from Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, the executive regulations for Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic regulation. They cover personal mobility devices, including e-scooters, electric bicycles and small motorised bikes.

The headline change is the permit. Anyone who rides one of these devices must apply for a permit, and the minimum age to apply is 15. Permits will be valid for three years. Devices must be registered with the relevant authority and cannot be used without the permit.

The regulations also set technical requirements, including front headlights, rear lights, brake lights and an audible warning device. Riders will be barred from roads designated for motor vehicles and will have to stick to routes approved by the authorities. The rules also set out how riders should behave at traffic signals.

The age question

One detail has caused confusion. Dubai's existing rules prohibit anyone under 16 from riding an e-scooter, while the federal rules set 15 as the minimum age for a permit. Reports on the decision note that it does not explain how the two will be reconciled. Gulf News advises riders to keep following their local emirate's requirements until further clarification arrives, and to check with their local transport or licensing authority, since registration and permit procedures may differ between emirates and device types.

Why the rules are tightening

The change follows rising concern about safety. Gulf News reported that e-scooter accidents in the UAE nearly doubled in 2025. A 2026 survey of 1,010 residents, commissioned by Al Wathba Insurance and RoadSafetyUAE, found that 93 per cent regularly see reckless or unsafe e-scooter behaviour.

Enforcement has already been stepped up in places. Dubai Police said in September 2026 that it had confiscated 13,657 e-scooters during the year as part of efforts to tackle unsafe riding and traffic violations.

Will lowering the age help?

Not everyone is convinced that the age limit is the key variable. Road safety advocate Thomas Edelmann told The National that moving the minimum permit age to 15 would have little effect without stronger enforcement of existing rules. Others have emphasised awareness. With the regulations due to begin on 1 January 2027, the priority, in the words of one road safety figure quoted in coverage, is to make sure drivers, riders and employers understand what is changing before enforcement begins.

RoadSafetyUAE has welcomed the new provisions, saying its research shows a need for tighter control of e-scooter use, along with child-seat safety, driver fatigue and delivery operations.

What riders can do now

Nothing in the new rules prevents sensible precautions today. Wearing a helmet, keeping to sensible speeds and checking brakes and lights before every ride all reduce the risk of an accident, and they will matter even more once enforcement starts.

Owners of older scooters should check whether their device has working front and rear lights, brake lights and a horn or bell, because the technical standards will apply to devices from next year. Anyone who buys a scooter for a teenager over the holiday season should keep the permit requirement in mind.

Delivery riders and employers are another group to watch. The same federal regulations address professional drivers and delivery services, and companies that rely on riders on two wheels will want to confirm that every worker holds the correct permit by the start date.

What is still unclear

Several practical points await detail from the authorities: where riders will apply, how much registration will cost, which routes will be formally approved in each emirate, and how permit holders will be expected to prove their age. Until those details are published, the safest approach is to follow current local rules and watch for announcements from the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre and the other emirates' traffic authorities.

The direction of travel, though, is clear. After years of rapid growth in personal mobility, the UAE is moving e-scooters out of a grey area and into the same system of licensing, registration and standards that applies to other road users.