New rules governing electric scooter use in Morocco have taken effect following the publication of the related Decree in the Official gazette, setting out obligations users must now follow on public roads regarding speed, helmet use and circulation outside built-up areas.
The maximum speed is set at 25 km/h for “motorized personal mobility devices,” a category that includes electric scooters. The regulation defines these as seatless vehicles designed for a single person, without equipment for carrying goods, with a manufactured maximum speed exceeding 6 km/h but not exceeding 25 km/h. Wearing an approved, properly fastened helmet is mandatory for riders, a requirement that also applies to users of electric-assist bicycles, regular bicycles, tricycles and quadricycles.
Outside built-up areas, electric scooters may only circulate where dedicated cyclist lanes exist, meaning their use on such roads remains conditional on the presence of appropriate infrastructure. The regulation also bars these devices from towing a trailer, or pushing or pulling a load or another vehicle, a restriction consistent with their definition as an individual mobility device not intended for transporting goods.
The Official Gazette also sets out technical requirements for scooters through a second decree, which calls for a white front light, rear lighting, reflective devices and an audible warning device. These equipment obligations will only become applicable after a six-month grace period, even though the traffic rules themselves are already in force following publication of the official text.
