Technical inspection and certification for electric scooters will not be introduced — only the option of fines is being considered

In Ukraine, not only the popularity of electric scooters and other personal light electric transport is growing, but also the number of road traffic accidents involving them. In particular, the issue of introducing technical control for electric scooters — similar to that for cars — was raised in an article in the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper". This concerns possible certification at the time of sale or technical inspection during operation.

However, in the near future, electric transport will not receive the status of full-fledged wheeled vehicles in the technical sense and will not be subject to classification or mandatory certification. This response was given to the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" by the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

The ministry also noted that the Verkhovna Rada is preparing bill No. 3023 for the second reading, which proposes for the first time at the legislative level to regulate the status of personal light electric transport and its users. The bill provides for amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Road Traffic." In particular, it introduces the concept of "users of personal light electric transport." This refers to persons moving on one-, two-, or three-wheeled electric vehicles, excluding wheelchairs and electric bicycles.

Users of electric transport will be allowed to move on bicycle lanes, and if they are absent — on the roadside or edge of the roadway. Movement must be in the direction of the general traffic flow. For this category, a number of obligations similar to those of other road users are introduced. Among them are the use of technically sound transport, equipment with reflectors, mandatory use of a light at night, prohibition of phone use while moving, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Also, the transportation of passengers is prohibited unless explicitly provided for by the device's design.

It is also prohibited to transport passengers except in cases where such a possibility is directly provided by the manufacturer's design solution. In addition, users are forbidden to use communication devices while driving if held in hand, as well as to drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants or medications that reduce attention and reaction speed.

Furthermore, the scope of administrative liability norms is expanded; in case of traffic violations by this category of users, it is proposed to equate their responsibility to that already in place for cyclists and pedestrians in the relevant articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

It is worth noting that bill No. 3023 was registered in parliament back in 2020 and has been in the legislative process since then. In September 2020, it was adopted as a basis.

However, the prolonged stay of the document without final adoption creates the impression that it has effectively "stalled" in parliament. Against this background, there are no effective comprehensive mechanisms to regulate the safety of electric scooters and other personal electric transport, the number of which on the roads is increasing.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that users of such vehicles often neglect current traffic rules, which in turn leads to increased risks of road traffic accidents involving them. In 2025 alone, 845 accidents involving such transport were recorded in Ukraine. In these accidents, 19 people died and 912 were injured.

Additionally, after the publication of the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" article about the possible introduction of electric transport certification, a petition was registered on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine calling for mandatory certification of electric scooters and the introduction of courses for their users. This indicates growing public interest in this topic and a search for ways to regulate it.

At the same time, Ukrainian judicial practice, relying on the approaches of the Supreme Court, increasingly considers the use of electric scooters as transport with increased danger.

For example, in case No. 522/21504/25, the Odessa Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the first instance court, which fined an electric scooter driver 17,000 UAH and deprived him of the right to drive vehicles for 1 year. It was established that the citizen was driving a rental Jet electric scooter while intoxicated.

The court noted that an electric scooter is a vehicle regardless of engine power, and the prohibition on driving under the influence applies to all road users.

In another case No. 295/18660/25, a civil lawsuit was considered for compensation for damage caused by an accident between a Jet electric scooter and a Nissan Leaf car. The electric scooter driver, crossing a pedestrian crossing, collided with the car.

The Bohunskyi District Court of Zhytomyr recognized the use of an electric scooter as an activity creating a source of increased danger. As a result, the scooter driver was ordered to pay 23,000 UAH in material damages and 3,000 UAH in moral damages to the car owner.

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