Electric Bicycles and Electric Scooters: Vehicle Number Plates

(asked on 2nd March 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will consider introducing number plates for e-bikes and e-scooters.


Answered by
Lilian Greenwood Portrait
Lilian Greenwood
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This question was answered on 10th March 2026

Introducing a number plate system on e-bikes would be complex and expensive to design and administer. It would also require fitting registration plates that were sufficiently visible and robust and could not easily be transferred from one cycle to another. A previous detailed review of this idea concluded that the cost and complexity of introducing such a system would far outweigh the benefits.

Regarding private e-scooters, they are currently illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements. The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, such as e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. Any regulations, which could include a potential requirement for number plates, will be consulted on before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.

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