Quick answer: Across Australia, a person using a mobility scooter because they cannot walk or have difficulty walking is treated as a pedestrian, and the key number is 10 km/h: scooters used on footpaths must not go faster. Beyond that, the states differ. NSW, Victoria and Western Australia need no registration or licence for a scooter limited to 10 km/h, while Queensland requires free registration of any mobility scooter used on a footpath or road-related area. Weight limits also vary, from 110 kg in Victoria’s guide to 170 kg in Queensland and South Australia. Checked on official state pages in September 2026.
The rules by state at a glance
| State | Speed | Weight limit | Registration and licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Top speed of 10 km/h on level ground | Not stated on the Transport for NSW scooter page | No registration, third-party insurance or licence needed |
| Victoria | Must not exceed 10 km/h on level ground on public infrastructure | 110 kg unladen (VicRoads guide, November 2020) | Cannot be registered; no licence needed |
| Queensland | Travel no faster than 10 km/h; device must not be capable of more than 15 km/h | 170 kg unladen for a mobility scooter | Free registration required for footpath or road-related area use |
| South Australia | 10 km/h for pedestrian status and footpath use | 170 kg unladen for footpath use if capable of more than 10 km/h; 250 kg for the road exemption | Exempt from licence, registration and insurance on the road if conditions are met |
| Western Australia | Limited to 10 km/h for pedestrian status | Not stated on the Transport WA page | No licence or registration needed if limited to 10 km/h |
| Tasmania, ACT, NT | Check locally | Check locally | Check with your state or territory transport authority |
The common rule: you are a pedestrian
South Australia’s guidance explains the national position clearly: under the Australian Road Rules, a motorised wheelchair that cannot travel faster than 10 km/h and is used by a person who is unable to walk or has difficulty walking is treated as a pedestrian. State pages make clear this covers mobility scooters: Transport for NSW says mobility scooters (or “gophers”) are classified as motorised wheelchairs, and South Australia says a motorised wheelchair is also referred to as a gopher or mobility scooter.
Because you are a pedestrian, pedestrian rules apply. The state pages we checked list the same core duties:
- Use the footpath or nature strip where one is available.
- Where there is no usable footpath, keep as far left or right as you can and face oncoming traffic where practicable.
- Cross by the shortest, safest route, using pedestrian lights or crossings where available.
- Do not cause a traffic hazard or obstruction.
Victoria’s guide adds that mobility devices should only be used by a person with an injury, disability or medical condition that means they cannot walk or have difficulty walking, and that people without such a need are not permitted to use them on a public footpath or road.
New South Wales
Transport for NSW describes mobility scooters as mobility aids with two or more wheels and a top speed of 10 km/h on level ground, built to carry a single person who cannot walk or has trouble walking. You can use one on a shared path, footpath and nature strip. It recommends not travelling on bicycle paths or bicycle lanes, but you may cross them, use a bicycle path where no signs prohibit it, and use a bicycle lane for up to 50 metres.
You do not need to register or get third-party insurance for a mobility scooter in NSW, and you do not need a licence. Faster three-wheeled special mobility vehicles, which a person drives from their wheelchair at normal traffic speeds, are a different category and must be registered and licensed.
Victoria
The VicRoads guide to choosing and using mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs (November 2020) lists the key rules under the Road Safety Act and Road Safety Road Rules:
- Motorised mobility devices are not defined as motor vehicles, cannot be registered, and must not be used on roads if a footpath or nature strip is available.
- The maximum speed must not exceed 10 km/h on level ground if they are used on public infrastructure.
- They must have a maximum unladen mass of 110 kg (the device on its own).
- They are designed to carry only one person.
- You do not need a licence, but you must be capable of using the device safely.
Transport Victoria’s current page points to this guide and to fact sheets on choosing a device, safe use and public transport.
Queensland: free registration
Queensland is the exception on paperwork. If you use a motorised mobility device on a footpath or road-related area, it must be registered, and registration is free. There is no minimum age for registration. Visitors to Queensland are exempt, but people moving there must register within 14 days.
To be registered, a mobility scooter must be built to carry a person who cannot walk or has difficulty walking, have an electric motor, be steered by handlebars or a steering wheel, be unable to exceed 15 km/h on level ground under motor power, and have an unladen mass of no more than 170 kg. Scooters over 170 kg cannot be registered.
When riding, Queensland’s rules say you must travel no faster than 10 km/h, use the footpath or nature strip at all times (or keep close to the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic if possible, if they are unsuitable), and not travel alongside more than one other pedestrian or vehicle on the road unless overtaking. You can let another person with mobility difficulties use your device, provided you make them aware of the rules.
South Australia
South Australia’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport says a motorised wheelchair (which it says is also called a gopher or mobility scooter) that can travel faster than 10 km/h may only be driven on a footpath if it does not travel faster than 10 km/h, has an unladen mass of no more than 170 kg, and the user has a physical condition with a reasonable need for it.
On the road, a motorised wheelchair is exempt from licence, registration and insurance requirements when driven by a person who reasonably needs it because of a physical infirmity, provided it is specifically designed (not merely adapted) for a person with a disability, seats one person, is capable of short low-speed journeys only and has an unladen mass of no more than 250 kg. Above 250 kg the exemption does not apply. The state recommends a bicycle flag for visibility, and at night bright clothing with a white front light and red rear light.
Western Australia
Transport WA says motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters limited to a top speed of 10 km/h are treated as pedestrian mobility aids, so you do not need a driver’s licence or vehicle registration to use them. Users must follow pedestrian rules, such as using footpaths where possible and crossing roads safely. Its information bulletin IB-115A covers modifications and where you can travel.
Insurance
Most states do not require insurance for a scooter. South Australia notes that most household insurance policies cover legal liability for injury to other people or damage to their property, but that cover for accidental damage to your own scooter is unusual, so ask an insurer if you want it. Transport Victoria also points to specialist mobility insurance and to the RACV’s breakdown service for mobility devices.
Age limits
None of the state pages we checked sets a general minimum age for using a mobility scooter, and Queensland says there is no minimum age for registration. Every state stresses that the user must be capable of operating the device safely.
Where to check
- Your state or territory transport authority’s page on motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
- Your local council for rules on shared paths, parks and charging points.
- Your public transport operator before travelling, as size and weight limits apply on vehicles.
Sources
- Mobility scooters (transport.nsw.gov.au)
- Registering a special mobility vehicle (nsw.gov.au)
- A guide for choosing and using mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs, November 2020 (vicroads.vic.gov.au)
- Motorised mobility devices (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Register a motorised mobility device (qld.gov.au)
- Rules for motorised mobility device use (qld.gov.au)
- Motorised wheelchairs (sa.gov.au)
- Motorised wheelchairs (transport.wa.gov.au)