E-scooter sign-up to start Jan 2, with fee waiver until March 31

From next July, those found riding unregistered e-scooters on public paths face fines of up to $2,000 and/or up to three months' jail for a first offence.
From next July, those found riding unregistered e-scooters on public paths face fines of up to $2,000 and/or up to three months' jail for a first offence. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM

Electric-scooter owners must register their devices by the end of June next year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday.

Registration begins on Jan 2, and those who fail to register their e-scooters by the deadline may face a fine or jail, the authority added.

The registration fee is $20 and can be done at Singapore Post offices or through the LTA's OneMotoring website.

Those who register by March 31 will have the fee waived.

In March this year, the Government accepted the Active Mobility Advisory Panel's proposal to make e-scooter registration mandatory, as part of efforts to deter reckless riding.

The authorities previously announced the registration requirement for electric bicycles, with more than 13,000 of the two-wheelers registered so far.

Those who register their e-scooters must be above the age of 16, and must declare that the devices meet criteria such as a maximum weight of 20kg and a top speed of 25kmh.

Those found to have made false declarations face fines of up to $5,000 and/or a year's jail.

Only e-scooters - defined as motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) with handlebars - need to be registered. No registration is required for personal mobility aids, such as electric wheelchairs or other PMDs, such as hoverboards.

Once the device is registered, the user will be issued with a unique registration number that needs to appear on an identification plate - similar to those for motor vehicles - to be affixed on his e-scooter.

The LTA will also issue a separate registration mark that must be displayed prominently on e-scooters.

Those who register their devices by June 30 next year will have a grace period of 14 days to affix both marks, beyond which they face a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to three months in jail.

From next July, those found riding unregistered e-scooters on public paths face fines of up to $2,000 and/or up to three months' jail for a first offence.

"These measures are aimed at deterring reckless riding and facilitating enforcement efforts against errant riders to improve public safety for all path users," said the LTA.

Separately, the authority also reminded retailers that all PMDs sold here must comply with the UL2272 fire safety standard from next July.

While PMDs that do not meet the standard can be still be registered, they will not be allowed for use on public paths from January 2021. A list of devices that meet the standard can be found on LTA's website.

PMD Retailers Association of Singapore president Wilson Seng supported both measures, noting that registration could help prevent reckless riding.

The new safety standard could help curb the unlicensed sale and modification of PMDs by errant retailers, he added.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 13, 2018, with the headline E-scooter sign-up to start Jan 2, with fee waiver until March 31. Subscribe