§ 50–2201.04a. Operation of personal mobility devices.

A personal mobility device shall not be operated:

(1) In the District if it has not been validly registered, unless it is validly registered in another jurisdiction, when required by applicable law of that jurisdiction, and bears readily visible evidence of being registered.

(2) By a person under 16 years of age;

(3) Above the maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour;

(4) Upon a sidewalk within the Central Business District, as defined by section 9901 of Title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (18 DCMR 9901);

(5) By a person carrying any package, bundle, or other article that hinders the person from keeping both hands on the handlebars; or

(6) On any roadway or sidewalk while the person is wearing a headset, headphone, or earphone, unless the device is used to improve the hearing of a person with a hearing impairment or covers or is inserted in one ear only.

(Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 443, § 9a; as added Mar. 25, 2003, D.C. Law 14-235, § 10(c), 49 DCR 9788; Mar. 6, 2007, D.C. Law 16-224, § 101(d), 53 DCR 10225.)

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 16-224 revived the provisions of D.C. Law 14-235 that expired on October 1, 2005.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 10(c) of Motor Vehicle Definition Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device Exemption Emergency Amendment Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-237, December 22, 2005, 53 DCR 249).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 10(c) of Motor Vehicle Definition Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device Exemption Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-323, March 23, 2006, 53 DCR 2567).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 101(d) of Personal Mobility Device Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-528, December 4, 2006, 53 DCR 9826).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Personal Mobility Device for Persons with Disabilities Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-195, October 8, 2009, 56 DCR 8126).

Temporary Legislation

Section 2 of D.C. Law 18-89, in par. (4), substituted “9901), unless operated by a person with a disability;” for “9901);”.

Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 18-89 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.

For temporary (225 day) addition, see § 2 of Motor Vehicle Definition Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device Exemption Temporary Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Law 16-85, April 4, 2006, law notification 53 DCR 3344).

Editor's Notes

Expiration of previous addition: Section 14 of D.C. Law 14-235 ( 49 DCR 9788), which previously added this section, expired on October 1, 2005.