Can a 14 year old ride a motor scooter in Washington?

Answer 1

yes as long as it is under 49 cc and you have to wear a helmet and you may not ride on side walks and if it is 49cc and lower it is 12 and up but if any higher you have to have a drivers ***** .you can go as high as 30 mph in a bike lane and can ride on back streets

Hi Folks,

Angelika is correct as far as general practice and enforcement goes. Here is the text of the actual laws:

RCW 46.04.304

Moped.

"Moped" means a motorized device designed to travel with not more than three sixteen-inch or larger diameter wheels in contact with the ground, having fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power, and an electric or a liquid fuel motor with a cylinder displacement not exceeding fifty cubic centimeters which produces no more than two gross brake horsepower (developed by a prime mover, as measured by a brake applied to the driving shaft) that is capable of propelling the device at not more than thirty miles per hour on level ground.

The Washington state patrol may approve of and define as a "moped" a vehicle which fails to meet these specific criteria, but which is essentially similar in performance and application to motorized devices which do meet these specific criteria.

[For pratical purposes, if your scooter engine has a displacement of under 50 cc, produces less than 2 hp, and does not exceed 30 mph, it qualifies as a "moped." Not all 49/50 cc scooters meet these criteria. If in doubt, you can always check with the state patrol.]

RCW 46.20.500

Special endorsement -- Exceptions.

(1) No person may drive either a two-wheeled or a three-wheeled motorcycle, or a motor-driven cycle unless such person has a valid driver's license specially endorsed by the director to enable the holder to drive such vehicles.

(2) However, a person sixteen years of age or older, holding a valid driver's license of any class issued by the state of the person's residence, may operate a moped without taking any special examination for the operation of a moped.

(3) No driver's license is required for operation of an electric-assisted bicycle if the operator is at least sixteen years of age. Persons under sixteen years of age may not operate an electric-assisted bicycle.

(4) No driver's license is required to operate an electric personal assistive mobility device or a power wheelchair.

(5) No driver's license is required to operate a motorized foot scooter. Motorized foot scooters may not be operated at any time from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise without reflectors of a type approved by the state patrol.

RCW 46.61.710

Mopeds, EPAMDs, electric-assisted bicycles, motorized foot scooters -- General requirements and operation.

(1) No person shall operate a moped upon the highways of this state unless the moped has been assigned a moped registration number and displays a moped permit in accordance with the provisions of RCW 46.16.630.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a moped may not be operated on a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, equestrian trail, or hiking or recreational trail.

(3) Operation of a moped, electric personal assistive mobility device, or an electric-assisted bicycle on a fully controlled limited access highway is unlawful. Operation of a moped or an electric-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk is unlawful.

(4) Removal of any muffling device or pollution control device from a moped is unlawful.

(5) Subsections (1), (2), and (4) of this section do not apply to electric-assisted bicycles. Electric-assisted bicycles and motorized foot scooters may have access to highways of the state to the same extent as bicycles. Subject to subsection (6) of this section, electric-assisted bicycles and motorized foot scooters may be operated on a multipurpose trail or bicycle lane, but local jurisdictions may restrict or otherwise limit the access of electric-assisted bicycles and motorized foot scooters, and state agencies may regulate the use of motorized foot scooters on facilities and properties under their jurisdiction and control.

(6) Subsections (1) and (4) of this section do not apply to motorized foot scooters. Subsection (2) of this section applies to motorized foot scooters when the bicycle path, trail, bikeway, equestrian trail, or hiking or recreational trail was built or is maintained with federal highway transportation funds. Additionally, any new trail or bicycle path or readily identifiable existing trail or bicycle path not built or maintained with federal highway transportation funds may be used by persons operating motorized foot scooters only when appropriately signed.

(7) A person operating an electric personal assistive mobility device (EPAMD) shall obey all speed limits and shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and human-powered devices at all times. An operator must also give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian. Except for the limitations of this subsection, persons operating an EPAMD have all the rights and duties of a pedestrian.

(8) The use of an EPAMD may be regulated in the following circumstances:

(a) A municipality and the department of transportation may prohibit the operation of an EPAMD on public highways within their respective jurisdictions where the speed limit is greater than twenty-five miles per hour;

(b) A municipality may restrict the speed of an EPAMD in locations with congested pedestrian or nonmotorized traffic and where there is significant speed differential between pedestrians or nonmotorized traffic and EPAMD operators. The areas in this subsection must be designated by the city engineer or designee of the municipality. Municipalities shall not restrict the speed of an EPAMD in the entire community or in areas in which there is infrequent pedestrian traffic;

(c) A state agency or local government may regulate the operation of an EPAMD within the boundaries of any area used for recreation, open space, habitat, trails, or conservation purposes.

WAC 308-96A-136 Mopeds -- License plates.(1) Will the department[of licensing] issue a license plate for my moped?

The department will issue a motorcycle series license plate for your moped when you make proper application.

The number on the license plate serves as the moped's registration number as required in RCW 46.16.630.

(2) How do I display the license plate on my moped?

The license plate must be displayed on the rear of your moped as provided in RCW 46.16.240.

(3) If my moped does not meet the standard criteria for a moped, can I get it licensed as such? A Washington state patrol inspection may be required before a license can be issued. The Washington state patrol has the discretion to inspect and define similar vehicles as mopeds. If the vehicle is similar to a moped, it must be identified as a moped by the Washington state patrol inspection before a license can be issued.

Sorry this is not as simple or straighforward as you might wish. But that's how the law is.