Electric Scooter Laws in Romania: Complete 2026 Guide
Can you ride on the pavement? From what age? Is a helmet required? And what changes if your scooter does 50 km/h instead of 25? This guide answers from the text of the Romanian Highway Code, with the legal articles cited so you can verify every claim yourself.
Contents
Rules for electric scooters entered the Romanian Highway Code through OUG 13/2020, which amended OUG 195/2002. Before that, scooters had no legal classification of their own. The guide below follows the provisions currently in force, as presented in Romanian Police communications.
Every rule below has its legal article indicated. You can look up the full text on the official legislative portal or in Romanian Police communications. Legislation can change — check the date of this article and the official source before making an important decision.
What legally counts as an electric scooter
The definition matters more than it sounds, because it decides whether your vehicle falls under scooter rules or moped rules. Under OUG 13/2020, an electric scooter is a vehicle that meets all of the following:
- has two or three wheels
- is designed to carry a single person
- has a bar at the front used as a steering device
- has a maximum speed by construction above 6 km/h but not exceeding 25 km/h
- is fitted with an electric motor
The law is not about the speed you actually ride at, but about the maximum speed the vehicle can reach as built. A scooter capable of 50 km/h remains, in the eyes of the law, a 50 km/h scooter even if you set it to a mode limited to 25. A selectable speed mode in the display does not change the legal classification.
Minimum age and protective helmet
| Item | Rule | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 14 years old to ride on public roads | Art. 70 para. 2 |
| Helmet, ages 14–16 | Mandatory when riding on the roadway | Art. 70 para. 4 |
| Helmet, over 16 | Not required by law, still strongly advised | — |
| Passengers | Completely forbidden — single-person vehicle | Art. 70 para. 5 |
Note that the helmet obligation for ages 14–16 is tied to the roadway. On a cycle lane the legal obligation does not apply the same way — which does not make riding without one a good idea.
Where you may ride
The order of priority is clear: the cycle lane, where one exists, is mandatory. Only if there is none do you move onto the roadway, and then only on roads with a limit of at most 50 km/h.
- On cycle lanes — first choice, mandatory where they exist
- On roads with a speed limit of up to 50 km/h, when there is no cycle lane
- On the shoulder, where one is provided
- On park paths, only if you do not obstruct pedestrians
- On the pavement — forbidden, except where a cycle lane is marked on the pavement itself
- On roads with a "No bicycles" sign
- On motorways and express roads
- On stretches covered with ice, sleet or snow
Required equipment
Two requirements are explicit in law and are the ones most often overlooked:
| Equipment | Requirement | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Lights | White or yellow light at the front, red light with a reflective device at the rear | Art. 14 letter d |
| Reflective clothing | Required at night or in poor visibility, in areas without street lighting | Art. 161 para. 1 letter o |
| Identity document | Must be carried with you while riding | Art. 161 para. 3 |
What is forbidden, in short
- Carrying another person, regardless of their age or weight
- Carrying objects that hinder control or endanger other road users
- Riding under the influence of alcohol — penalised with penalty points, as for cyclists
- Riding at night without the required lights
Offences involving lights, reflective devices or riding under the influence of alcohol carry 6–8 penalty points, while other offences carry 4–5 points.
What happens if the scooter exceeds 25 km/h
This is the part most shops leave unsaid, even though it has real consequences.
If the vehicle can exceed 25 km/h by construction, it no longer meets the legal definition of an electric scooter. It does not become "a scooter that goes faster" — it leaves the category entirely. At that point it falls under the rules applicable to mopeds, which in principle means type approval, registration, insurance and an appropriate driving licence.
A 50 or 65 km/h scooter cannot be legally used on public roads as an electric scooter. Its correct use is on private property, on closed circuits, or on land where public road traffic rules do not apply. This is not our interpretation — it follows directly from the legal definition.
What this means for the models we sell
We would rather be straightforward about it, even though it is not the most convenient commercial answer: none of the scooter models in our range meets the legal definition of an electric scooter for public roads in Romania, because all of them exceed 25 km/h by construction.
| Model | Top speed | Correct use |
|---|---|---|
| OOTD T08 | 47 km/h | Private property / off-road |
| Apefox C14 | 40 km/h | Private property / off-road |
| OOTD SR1 | 50 km/h | Private property / off-road |
| OOTD T10 | 55 km/h | Off-road, rough terrain |
| OOTD T10 Pro | 65 km/h | Off-road, rough terrain |
| OOTD T30 / T90 | 85 km/h | Closed circuits and private property only |
We sell them as performance vehicles for off-road and private property use, and every product page carries that note. If you are looking for something to ride legally on the street every day, a model from our electric scooter range is not the right answer — and we would rather you knew that before ordering, not after.
The legal alternative for daily commuting
If your goal is legal travel around town, the option that fits the law is an electric bike with pedal assistance limited to 250 W and 25 km/h. It requires no licence, registration or insurance, and it may use cycle lanes.
From our range, the DUOTTS C29 Lite 250W falls into this category. The same logic applies to conversions: a 250W conversion kit fitted to the bike you already own keeps the vehicle within legal limits at a significantly lower cost than a new electric bike — we worked through the full cost of converting a bike in a separate article.
If you want to compare the two options directly for daily use, including realistic range, see our guide on how many kilometres you actually get per charge.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can I ride an electric scooter on public roads in Romania?
The minimum age is 14, under Art. 70 para. 2 of the Highway Code. Below that age, riding on public roads is not permitted.
Is a helmet mandatory on an electric scooter?
For riders aged 14 to 16, an approved helmet is mandatory when riding on the roadway, under Art. 70 para. 4. Above 16 the law does not require one, but it remains strongly advised.
Am I allowed to ride an electric scooter on the pavement?
No. The pavement is off limits, with a single exception: if a cycle lane is marked on the pavement itself, you may use that lane.
Do I need a licence or registration for an electric scooter?
No, as long as the vehicle meets the legal definition: maximum 25 km/h by construction, single person, electric motor. If it exceeds 25 km/h by construction it leaves the category and falls under moped rules, which involve type approval, registration, insurance and a licence.
My scooter does 50 km/h but has a mode limited to 25. Is that legal?
The law refers to maximum speed by construction, not to the mode selected by the user. A reduced-speed mode that can be switched on and off from the display does not change the vehicle's legal classification.
Can I carry a passenger on an electric scooter?
No. Carrying another person is explicitly forbidden by Art. 70 para. 5, regardless of their age or weight. The scooter is legally defined as a single-person vehicle.
What equipment do I need to ride at night?
A white or yellow light at the front and a red light with a reflective device at the rear (Art. 14 letter d). In addition, reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility in areas without street lighting (Art. 161 para. 1 letter o).
What is the legal alternative for daily city commuting?
An electric bike with pedal assistance limited to 250W and 25 km/h. It needs no licence, registration or insurance and may use cycle lanes. You can reach the same result by fitting a 250W conversion kit to the bike you already own.
Reviews