The UAE Cabinet has approved Resolution No. 174 of 2026, setting out new rules for electric scooters, e-bikes and mopeds nationwide, due to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Under the new framework, riders will need a permit from the relevant licensing authority to operate these vehicles, valid for three years. The minimum age to apply is set at 15, though in Dubai existing local rules already bar riders under 16 from the road. All devices, whether privately owned or rented from operators, must be registered with traffic authorities under procedures still to be finalised.

The resolution also makes a list of safety features mandatory on every device: a front headlight for night visibility, a rear light paired with a red brake light that activates under braking, an audible warning device on the handlebars, a functioning brake on at least the rear wheel, properly fitted tyres with securely fastened spokes, and all components safely attached for operation.

Riders will be restricted to routes designated by the licensing authority and barred from roads built for motor vehicles, while staying within posted speed limits on those routes. At intersections, crossing on a red light is prohibited, and riders may only begin crossing on green; starting a crossing during a flashing green signal is not allowed, though a crossing already under way may be completed.

Authorities cited road-safety data behind the move: e-scooter-related accidents rose 97 per cent in 2025, and in resident surveys, 93 per cent reported having witnessed unsafe riding on UAE roads. The new permit and registration system is intended to bring light electric mobility devices under the same kind of oversight already applied to motor vehicles.