Ubrique requires electric scooters to be registered in a municipal registry

Ubrique enables a municipal registry for scooters to combat theft

The Ubrique City Council (Cádiz) has published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz the final approval of a new Municipal Ordinance Regulating Traffic and Circulation that includes the possibility of creating a municipal registry for Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMV), such as electric scooters and similar vehicles. The regulation was approved by the Plenary of the council in an extraordinary session held on July 29, 2026 and is published in full in BOP of Cádiz number 158, dated August 18, 2026, for general knowledge under articles 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of Local Government.

The ordinance responds to the need to adapt local regulations to Royal Legislative Decree 6/2015, of October 30, which approves the consolidated text of the Law on Traffic, Motor Vehicle Circulation and Road Safety. In its statement of reasons, the Ubrique council acknowledges the “rapid proliferation in urban areas” of PMVs and the lack of a state regulatory framework governing their circulation, a circumstance that makes municipal councils responsible for establishing the rules through municipal ordinances.

Purpose of the registry: preventing theft and controlling the vehicle fleet

Article 90 of the ordinance establishes that the Ubrique City Council “reserves the right to create a PMV registry in order to ascertain the vehicle fleet of these devices in the city,” and adds that its express purpose will be “to prevent their theft or loss.” If the council decides to activate the registry, all persons over 15 years of age may register, accompanied by their father, mother or guardian in the case of minors.

Registration will require providing the following data:

• Full name of the holder
• Address, contact telephone number and email
• Identity document number
• Serial number or chassis number of the PMV, or the code required by state regulations
• Brand, model, color and photograph of the vehicle
• Distinctive features of the device
• Insurance policy, which will be recorded at the time of registration

The operating rules of the registry will be established by municipal resolution, at all times respecting data protection regulations.

Circulation requirements and speed limits

The ordinance regulates in detail the conditions of use of PMVs (personal mobility vehicles) in the municipality of Ubrique. Among the main rules:

• The maximum speed will be 25 km/h on urban roads and 15 km/h on bike lanes on sidewalks and cycle paths
• In pedestrian areas, circulation will be allowed at a maximum of 20 km/h, always respecting pedestrian priority
• The PMV-rider unit must have a minimum height of 1.40 meters; if this is not reached, the use of a safety flag of at least 1.50 meters will be mandatory
• The use of a helmet will be mandatory on bike lanes, 20 zones, 30 zones and all other urban roads

Penalties: fines of up to 1,000 euros

The penalty regime provided for in the ordinance classifies infractions as minor, serious and very serious. Fines will range from 100 euros for minor infractions, 101 to 200 euros for serious ones, and 201 to 500 euros for very serious ones. In exceptional cases, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, penalties can reach 1,000 euros. Failure to comply with the obligation to register the PMV in the municipal registry, should one be established, will be classified as a minor infraction.

The ordinance also provides for the immobilization and removal of vehicles when their circulation poses a serious risk to road safety, with the owner being responsible for paying the costs of the tow truck and impound lot.

Deadlines and entry into force

The regulation will enter into force fifteen business days after its full publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz (BOP), in accordance with article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of Local Government. Owners of PMVs purchased before January 22, 2024 may continue to circulate without a type-approval certificate until January 22, 2027, from which date it will be completely prohibited to do so with vehicles not certified in accordance with the Resolution of January 12, 2022, of the Directorate General of Traffic, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on January 21, 2022.

The approval of this ordinance places Ubrique among the municipalities of Cádiz that are responding to the growing use of electric scooters and other PMVs, a phenomenon that has forced local administrations to adapt their traffic regulations to new forms of urban mobility.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz, number 158, August 18, 2026, Section I (Announcements), pp. 13-32 (document reference: BOP158_18-08-26).