Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Thinking of buying one of those cute little motorized scooters for the holidays? Well, they’re basically illegal in Washington state.
After receiving dozens of calls from cities and the public about the trendy toy, the Washington State Patrol is answering questions about whether scooters with motors are street-legal.
"The short answer is no," said Trooper Tom Foster.
Under state law, a motorized scooter is a vehicle. But it can’t be licensed, because it doesn’t meet safety requirements. So if you scoot on the street, you could be cited and fined for operating an unregistered vehicle.
Meanwhile, it’s illegal to operate a vehicle on a sidewalk.
The statewide fine in both cases is $71, although it could be more in some cities, Foster said.
You can’t even take the scooter off-road, legally. It meets none of the requirements for an Off Road Vehicle registration.
It’s still legal to buy and sell the scooters. But technically, the only place you’re allowed to drive one is on your own property.
"If you want to buy one and drive it on your driveway, more power to you," Foster said. "People just need to get the facts."
The old-fashioned, kick-powered scooters are still okay.
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