Are Electric Skateboards Legal in Australia? (Updated 2026)

February 05, 2021

Last reviewed: July 2026

Electric skateboarding in Australia has come a long way since 2021, but the legal picture is still a patchwork depending on where you live. Some states now welcome riders on public paths and roads. Others still treat electric skateboards like contraband. And in Queensland, new laws that came into effect on 1 July 2026 mean every Evolve rider needs to be across some fresh rules.

Here's the current state-by-state breakdown.

Queensland (QLD): Legal, with new speed device rules from 2026

Queensland remains the most e-skateboard-friendly state in Australia, allowing public use under the Personal Mobility Device (PMD) classification.

You can ride on footpaths, shared paths, bike paths, and — as of 1 July 2026 — bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of up to 60 km/h. Speed limits apply depending on where you're riding: 12 km/h on footpaths at all times and when passing pedestrians on shared paths, and up to 25 km/h everywhere else (shared paths, bike paths, bike lanes and roads). Helmets are mandatory.

Important new laws came into effect from 1 July 2026 that all QLD riders need to be across.

Evolve's message to QLD customers:

Electric skateboards remain legal to ride in Queensland under the new rules. Here's what's changed and what you need to know:

E-scooters, e-skateboards, and e-unicycles must now be limited so they cannot travel faster than 25 km/h. Riders have a transition period until 28 February 2027 to comply. From that date, any device not locked to a maximum speed of 25 km/h will be considered illegal, and owners risk fines and seizure.

The speed limit for PMDs on roads and footpaths has long been 25 km/h on roads and 12 km/h on footpaths. That hasn't changed. What's new is a requirement that the device itself must be limited to 25 km/h.

Good news for Evolve riders: the 25 km/h speed limit available on your Phaze remote is sufficient for compliance based on information provided to us to date. We advise all QLD riders to use the 25 km/h speed limit setting on their remote from July 2026 onwards.

If we receive clarification from the Queensland Government that the remote speed limit is not sufficient, we will engineer a solution for our customers. In the meantime, the grace period until 28 February 2027 means you can continue riding as long as you're following all other rules.

For full details, check the QLD StreetSmarts website.

Other new QLD requirements:

Riders must be 16 years or older to ride unsupervised. Children aged 12 to 15 can ride only under adult supervision. (From 31 August 2026, riders will also need to hold at least a learner licence, with some exemptions.)
Lights are mandatory when travelling at night or in hazardous conditions.
It is illegal to hold your mobile phone or have it resting on any part of your body while riding.
Passengers are not allowed on any PMD, regardless of age or size.
Police now have powers to seize and destroy non-compliant devices.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Legal

The ACT follows similar rules to QLD. You can ride on paths, footpaths, shared paths, and the bicycle side of separated paths. PMDs must not exceed 25 km/h and must be powered by a single electric motor, carry only one person, and weigh no more than 60 kg. Helmets are mandatory. It's one of the easiest, safest places to ride legally.

WA officially allows electric skateboards as PMDs (called "e-rideables"). Your device must weigh no more than 25 kg, measure no more than 125 cm long, 70 cm wide and 135 cm high, and must not be capable of exceeding 25 km/h.

You can ride on footpaths (max 10 km/h), shared paths and bicycle paths (max 25 km/h), and local roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less that have no dividing line (max 25 km/h). Devices cannot be used on roads with a dividing line or a speed limit above 50 km/h. Helmets are mandatory.

Note that some devices available for sale fall outside these guidelines and would not be legal to operate on paths or roads. Always check your board's speed capability and dimensions meet WA's requirements.

South Australia (SA): Legal from July 2025

From 13 July 2025, privately owned electric skateboards and other personal mobility devices may lawfully be ridden on South Australian roads and paths. This was a major change for SA riders.

E-skateboards are permitted on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less, at a maximum of 25 km/h. On footpaths, shared paths, and beaches, the maximum speed is 10 km/h. Helmets are mandatory. No licence or registration required. Riders must be at least 16 years old. Note that PMDs currently can't be taken on Adelaide Metro trains, trams or buses.

Tasmania (TAS): Legal

Tasmania allows PMDs, including e-skateboards, on footpaths, shared paths, bicycle paths, and some local roads (speed limit 50 km/h or less, no dividing line or median strip). The speed limit is 15 km/h on footpaths and 25 km/h on shared paths, bicycle paths and roads. Riders must be 16 or older (children under 16 are restricted to lower-powered devices). Helmets are mandatory.

Northern Territory (NT): Not legal for privately owned devices

Unlike the framing in earlier versions of this article, the NT does not broadly allow private e-skateboards. Riding a privately owned e-skateboard, e-scooter or similar PMD on NT roads, footpaths, shared paths or bicycle lanes remains illegal — these devices can currently only be used on private property. The only public exception is the Beam Mobility hire e-scooter and e-bike scheme operating in the Darwin area, which doesn't extend to privately owned boards. Riding an illegal device in public can be treated as riding an unregistered, unlicensed vehicle, with heavy fines.

New South Wales (NSW): Not legal on public roads or paths

NSW does not allow electric skateboards on public roads, paths, or footpaths. Riding is only permitted on private land with the landowner's consent.

NSW legislation categorises electric skateboards as "motorised recreational devices" (or, in some contexts, as unregistrable motor vehicles). These devices are not permitted on roads or in public areas such as footpaths, cycle paths, or parks. Fines apply. This remains one of the most restrictive environments in the country.

Victoria (VIC): Not legal on public paths for e-skateboards

Privately owned e-scooters have been legal to buy, sell and ride in Victoria since April 2023, on shared paths, bike lanes and roads up to 60 km/h (not on footpaths). However, electric skateboards are not included in this framework — they're treated as unregistered motorised recreational devices, and riding one in public can result in fines.

Don't assume changes to Victoria's e-scooter rules extend to your Evolve board.

Quick reference summary

State/Territory	Legal on public paths?	Key condition
QLD	Yes	25 km/h max device speed (grace period to 28 Feb 2027), 12 km/h footpaths, helmet, 16+ unsupervised
ACT	Yes	25 km/h max, helmet required
WA	Yes	10 km/h footpaths, 25 km/h shared/bike paths and local roads ≤50 km/h
SA	Yes (from July 2025)	25 km/h max on roads ≤50 km/h, 10 km/h on footpaths/shared paths/beaches
TAS	Yes	15 km/h footpaths, 25 km/h shared paths/roads
NT	No	Private property only; Beam hire e-scooters/e-bikes only in Darwin
NSW	No	Private property only
VIC	No	E-scooter framework only; e-skateboards excluded

General rules wherever you ride legally

Regardless of which state you're in, if riding is permitted:

Wear an approved helmet
Obey traffic lights and signs
Give way to pedestrians
No mobile phones while riding
Ride on the left
No riding while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Stay up to date

Laws around electric skateboards are still evolving across Australia. What's true today may shift again. We'll update this article as things change, but we always recommend checking your state's transport authority website before riding in a new area.

This article is not legal advice. Always check your local laws and ordinances to ensure you are in compliance.

Official sources referenced

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