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Electric Skateboard Laws in Europe

Find out more about eskate laws in Europe. eSkate Hub explains where electric skateboards are legal and where they are not.

riding an electric skateboard

By Nate

Updated:

Please note: The information below should not be considered legal advice. The contents of this page are for general information purposes only. Whilst I endeavour to ensure that the information on this site is correct, I do not accept any liability for error or omission.

There are no blanket rules for electric skateboard laws in Europe. Each country is individually regulating the use of eboards. I have researched the eskate laws of some of the major EU countries so please scroll through to find out whether electric skateboards are legal in your country.

Once you’ve determined if you’re allowed to ride eboards in your area, you can check out the best electric skateboards to find one for yourself.

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Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Austria?

Electric skateboards are unclassified in the Austrian law, however, escooters have just recently been allowed to ride on the road.

Hoverboards and other small electric devices are only allowed to be used on sidewalks so long as they don’t endanger pedestrians.

Electric skateboards sit somewhere between the two of these classifications so it is hard to say where the authorities will draw the line.

The power of an electric skateboard is more like an electric scooter, so it makes more sense for an electric skateboard to be ridden on the road rather than the sidewalk. But the law still does not recognize eboards, so I would be very careful if you did decide to ride your electric skateboard on the road.

The source for eskate laws in Austria can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Belgium?

Electric Skateboards are legal to ride in Belgium. They fall under the same laws as Segways. This means they are allowed to travel at speeds up to 20kmh and can travel anywhere you can ride a bicycle.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Croatia?

So far, electric skateboards are not specifically classified in the Croatian law, so I would er on the side of caution.

By using the definitions from the Croatian Vehicle Centre, people have argued that eboards could fit under the classification of a moped, however, I think it would be categorised closer to an L6 which defines a “4-wheel motor vehicles (light four-wheelers) with an empty vehicle mass ≤ 350 kg excluding battery weights for electric vehicles with a maximum design speed of ≤ 45 kmh”.

It’s not ideal, and the law is grey here so it is still very unpredictable how police will respond to electric skateboards.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Czechia?

It’s unclear whether electric skateboards are legal in the Czech Republic or not. There is no mention of any electric or motorized personal vehicles including skateboards, scooters or bikes in the Road Traffic Act of Czechia.

You can read an English version of the act yourself over here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Denmark?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in Denmark. However, there are some strange riding limitations that must be met.

The eboard must weigh under 10kgs, the maximum capable speed must be less than 20kmh and the maximum range must be less than 30km.

The Danish government passed the law to allow all light electric vehicles in early 2018. Even though the current restrictions are extremely strict, the new bill is being considered as an experiment and can be updated at any time.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Finland?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in Finland. They can be classed into two different categories, each with their own set of rules which I explain below.

To be allowed to ride on the footpath, your eboard must have a maximum power of 1KW and a maximum capable speed of 15kmh. This technically classes you as a pedestrian.

The next level up, you become classed as a light electric vehicle and are allowed to ride on the road. The maximum power is still 1kW, but your maximum capable speed goes up to 25kmh. It is also mandatory to have a front light, reflectors and an audible warning device.

The source for eskate laws in Sweden can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in France?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in France. The only conditions are that you must be over the age of 12 years old and the maximum riding speed is 25kmh.

You can read more about the eskate laws in France here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Germany?

No, electric skateboards are illegal in Germany. The ruling is that you need to have handlebars in order to be allowed to ride in public areas. That’s great for ebikes and electric scooters, but kind of defeats the purpose for an electric skateboard.

This is a great article about the progress of the eskate law in Germany.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Greece?

Electric skateboards are currently illegal in Greece at the moment. However, Greece is actively working on new laws to allow the use of electric vehicles in public spaces.

If you are riding on the footpath, you are classified as a pedestrian meaning you must follow all pedestrian rules and not ride at a speed faster than 6kmh.

If you would like to ride on the road, you become classified as a bicycle and can ride at speeds up to 25kmh.

You must also have a weatherproof sticker identifying the full name of the manufacturer, the maximum design speed capability and the vehicles identification number.

Source for eskate laws in Greece is here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Iceland?

There are no specific laws governing the use of electric skateboards in Iceland. But it’s still important to understand how the police are reacting to eskaters in the streets.

The consensus from online discussions is that you generally won’t be bothered by the police if you ride responsibly.

More info on the eSkate laws in Iceland can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Ireland?

No, electric skateboards are illegal in Ireland. Because they are classified as Mechanically Powered Vehicles (MPV), they are subject to the same regulations as other vehicles meaning it must be roadworthy, taxed, insured, registered and the driver must have the appropriate licences.

In Ireland, electric skateboards are classified as an MVP in The Road Traffic Act 1961 which defines a ‘mechanically propelled vehicle’ as “a vehicle intended or adapted for propulsion by mechanical means, including, a bicycle or tricycle with an attachment for propelling it by mechanical power, whether or not the attachment is being used, a vehicle where the means of propulsion is electrical or partly electrical and partly mechanical, but not including a tramcar or other vehicle running on permanent rails”

More info on the eskate laws of Ireland can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Italy?

No, electric skateboards are not legal in Italy.

Almost every other mode of personal electric transport was classified in their new micro-mobility decree, except for electric skateboards.

This oversight, which could be accidental, is still a bit of a shame. However, I wouldn’t be too upset. If Italy has taken the steps to allow some personal electric vehicles on the roads, then electric skateboards won’t be far away.

Also, electric skateboards are not too different from these other electric vehicles, I’m sure the police would be a little lenient to the law in this regard.

You can read the original decree in Italian here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Lithuania?

The law for electric skateboard is unclear in Lithuania. There has been no mention of eboards in the Lithuanian laws, however, ebikes and escooters with a power up to 250W are allowed.

The source for eskate laws in Lithuania can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in the Netherlands?

No, electric skateboards are illegal in the Netherlands. In fact, anything other than a car, moped, motorbike or bicycle is off-limits.

There are groups, such as FatDaddy working with the government to create some laws for electric skateboards in the Netherlands that is in the best interest of everyone.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Norway?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in Norway. Eboards have been given the same regulations as bicycles.

It’s also important to note that the maximum speed allowed is 20kmh, headlights, taillights and reflectors must be equipped and you must have a horn or signal bell.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Poland?

No, electric skateboards are currently illegal in Poland. However, the government is actively working on introducing some new laws.

The new regulations will allow the use of electric skateboards so long as they do not have a maximum design speed of more than 25kmh.

It is great that the new laws will see electric skateboards becoming legal, however, the majority of international manufacturers design their electric skateboards to have top speeds well over 25kmh and I doubt they will be implementing a dialled-back version of their models just for Poland. This could be a great opportunity for a local manufacturer to step in.

The source of eskate laws in Poland can be read here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Portugal?

There are currently no laws in Portugal for electric skateboards. This is also the same for electric scooters. This being said, Lisbon has plans to be a Green Capital of Europe and are making huge plans to incorporate e-vehicles into its community. It won’t be very long before electric skateboards are legal in Portugal.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Spain?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in Spain, however, the rules change from city-to-city so it is important that you check your local cities laws before riding.

Spain has recently started drafting a Royal decree to regulate the use of Personal Mobility Devices (PMD) including electric skateboards and electric scooters.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Sweden?

Yes, electric skateboards are legal in Sweden. They are classified as a bicycle and are therefore given the same rules to follow.

However, for an electric skateboard to be classified as a bicycle, its power must be less than 250W and your top speed must be less than 20kmh.
The source for eskate laws in Sweden can be found here.

Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Switzerland?

No, electric skateboards are illegal in Switzerland. Police officers have even been known to confiscate electric skateboards.

There’s an interesting discussion about the eskate laws in Switzerland that talks about one person’s experience with having their eboard taken by an officer for further investigation.

Well, that’s quite a mix bag of which countries have legalised electric skateboards. I strongly believe that electric skateboards will eventually become legal around the world. There is really no good reason to ban them which is contrasted by the vast number of benefits that eskating offers. It’s now just a waiting game.

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