Valverde de Mérida approves the regulatory ordinance for electric scooters

The Valverde de Mérida City Council has definitively approved the Regulatory Ordinance for personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), which establishes the traffic rules, insurance requirements, and the sanctioning regime applicable to electric scooter users in the municipality. The full text is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Badajoz on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Announcement 3980/2026, after no claims were filed during the public exhibition period. The regulation will enter into force once its text has been fully published and the period provided for in article 65.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, has elapsed.

The agreement was adopted by the Plenary of the Corporation in an ordinary session on May 29, 2026, and was automatically elevated to definitive status upon the expiration of the appeals process, in compliance with article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime. The document is signed by Antonio Acedo Frutos.

The ordinance is issued under the municipal competence over traffic on urban roads granted by Royal Legislative Decree 6/2015, of October 30, and follows the criteria of instructions 16/V-124 and 2022/C-100 of the General Directorate of Traffic. Its stated objective is to promote road safety and make the use of these vehicles compatible with that of pedestrians.

Circulation: roadway, helmet, and 25 km/h limit

PMVs must travel on the roadway and may not do so on sidewalks, parks, or pedestrian-use zones, nor on interurban roads. The main obligations are:

• Minimum age of 15 to drive a PMV.
• Mandatory approved protective helmet.
• Maximum speed of 25 km/h on the roadway and a moderate speed not exceeding 10 km/h at signaled intersections.
• 20 km/h on single-platform streets where circulation is permitted and 4 km/h in parks and gardens.
• Minimum separation of 1.5 meters when another motorized vehicle overtakes a PMV.
• Prohibition of using mobile phones, headphones, or headsets connected to sound players.
• Bell and front and rear lighting, or reflective clothing at night.
• Prohibition of towing trailers or semi-trailers and transporting more occupants than authorized.

Mandatory insurance and parking

Owners of PMVs up to 25 km/h must previously contract civil liability insurance with the minimum amount provided for the circulation of motor vehicles; for other PMVs, it is not required, although it is recommended. Vehicles shall be parked in spaces reserved for bicycles or others enabled for PMVs and, if there are no free spaces within a 50-meter radius, in other parts of the road under the conditions of bicycle parking. It is forbidden to tie them to trees, traffic lights, benches, containers, trash cans, or shelters, as well as to park on sidewalks and pedestrian zones.

The Local Police may immobilize and remove PMPs (Personal Mobility Devices) in cases such as refusal to undergo breathalyzer or drug tests, lack of a helmet or mandatory safety equipment, unauthorized modifications, or parking that disrupts traffic. Removal costs 20.00 euros and storage costs 5.00 euros for each day the vehicle remains in the municipal offices.

Sanctioning regime: fines of up to 500 euros

Infractions are classified as minor, serious, and very serious:

• Minor: fine of up to 80.00 euros (tying the PMP to street furniture, parking in pedestrian zones, riding without a bell or without lighting).
• Serious: fine of up to 200.00 euros (riding on sidewalks or in parks, without a helmet, failing to respect pedestrian priority, or being under 15 years of age).
• Very serious: fine of up to 500.00 euros (reckless maneuvers, exceeding alcohol and drug limits, refusing tests, or operating a bike-taxi without municipal authorization).

Serious infractions expire after two years and minor ones after six months; sanctions expire after two years and one year, respectively. The amount is graded according to the damages caused, intent, and recidivism, understood as a final sanction for an infraction of the same nature within the previous twelve months.

Entry into force and appeals

The ordinance will enter into force once its full text has been published in the Official Gazette of the Province and the period specified in article 65.2 of Law 7/1985 has elapsed. An administrative appeal may be filed against the agreement before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Extremadura, based in Cáceres, within two months from the day following the publication of the announcement, in accordance with article 46 of Law 29/1998, of July 13.

The new ordinance places Valverde de Mérida among the municipalities in the province that regulate electric scooters in detail, an increasingly widespread form of mobility. From its entry into force, residents who use these vehicles must adapt their habits—helmet, insurance, and roadway—or face fines of up to 500 euros, while the City Council gains a tool to organize pedestrian space and protect walkers.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Badajoz, no. 194, Friday, October 9, 2026, Local Administration (official reference: Announcement 3980/2026).