New regulations for private e-scooter owners in Italy

Source: Wanted in Rome

From 16 May 2026, owners of e-scooters operating in Italy without a number plate, and those not having the required insurance from 16 July 2026, will be fined between €100 and €400.

These latest e-scooter regulations in Italy add on to the legal requirement of compulsory helmet use, which was introduced in December 2024.

Insurance

Insurance policies can be taken out and identification plates made by adults and by teenagers over 14, with under-18s needing a parent or guardian to submit an application on their behalf. The insurance policy must provide cover for third-party liabilities incurred during scooter operation, such as injuries to pedestrians and cyclists, or damage to other vehicles.

The Italian transport ministry emphasises that users must be careful in checking the clauses of insurance policies to ensure appropriate coverage:

“If the scooter is shared by multiple family members, such as parents and adult children, it’s worth considering whether the third-party liability insurance policy includes a clause covering all drivers or just the registered owner. In the latter case, an accident caused by a family member not listed in the policy may not be covered.”

Licence plates

Transport minister Matteo Salvini recently visited the Puglia production plant of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), which is producing the new e-scooter identification plates.

They will reportedly come with an adhesive plastic backing made from high-resistance materials and anti-counterfeiting technology, with a unique alphanumeric code and a seal of the Italian Republic.

How the new regulations will assist with law enforcement

Once in operation, the system will enable law enforcement to do real-time cross-checking between the e-scooter’s identification plate and the owner’s insurance cover.