Ecuador’s Assembly approves new rules for scooters and electric motorcycles

Ecuador’s National Assembly has drawn a clear line between scooters and electric motorcycles. Scooters will be allowed to circulate in urban areas without a driving licence, while electric motorcycles will require licences, registration and plates.

The Assembly approved the reforms to the Transport, Traffic and Road Safety Law on September 3, 2026, with 87 votes. The package also addresses micromobility, delivery services, speed cameras, tolls and municipal powers.

Users of scooters classified as micromobility vehicles must wear approved helmets. The National Transit Agency will define their technical requirements, including suitable tyres, front and rear lights, speed limits, minimum safety equipment and operating conditions. Municipalities will decide which spaces may be used in their jurisdictions.

Scooters will remain barred from the state road network, ring roads, motorways and sections restricted for road-safety, operational or design reasons. Electric motorcycles face stricter requirements. Their classification will consider power, speed, weight, design and driving capacity, and riders must comply with safety rules including approved-helmet use.

The legislative debate followed a fatal crash in Quito on September 1. A pedestrian died after being struck by an electric scooter at the intersection of De los Shyris and Naciones Unidas avenues in El Batán. Preliminary information indicated that the scooter may have ignored traffic signals. The victim suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene. The incident occurred under the previous framework, which did not generally require scooter users to hold licences or carry registration, plates or technical inspections.