Des Moines Weighs Ban on Fast E-Scooters
The city council is considering an ordinance that would bar devices faster than 20 mph from public trails, sidewalks and streets.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in City Hall
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The Des Moines City Council discussed a proposed ordinance in an Oct. 19 work session that would ban devices traveling faster than 20 mph from public trails, sidewalks and streets. The devices covered include e-scooters, Onewheels, hoverboards and motorized skateboards, which the state does not regulate or allow to be registered for street use.
Why it matters
The city's engineering department says these devices are too fast to be safely used on sidewalks and trails shared with pedestrians, and officials cite public safety as the reason for regulation. Neighboring suburbs have already enacted their own rules while state guidance remains unsettled.
The ordinance remains a proposal under council discussion rather than an enacted rule. Devices traveling 20 mph or less with motors rated at 750 watts or less would stay allowed on public roads and paths.
The players
Des Moines City Council
The elected governing body of Iowa's capital city, which is weighing the ordinance on high-speed pedestrian conveyances.
Iowa Bicycle Coalition
A statewide advocacy group that has drafted language for state lawmakers to consider on the regulation of these devices.
The details
The proposal creates a distinct category for devices other than bicycles to avoid confusion with pedal-assisted electric bicycles, following the state's 2024 definition of lower-speed devices as pedestrian conveyances. Des Moines will not impose age restrictions on high-speed devices under the current draft.
Timeline
Oct. 19: City Council discusses the proposed high-speed device ordinance in a work session.
2022 to 2025: Emergency room visits from e-device crashes rise 1,000%.
2024: The state defines lower-speed devices as pedestrian conveyances.
2026: Ankeny, Clive, Urbandale and Waukee enact ordinances on high-speed devices.
Legal Context
Des Moines's proposal follows the state's 2024 definition of lower-speed devices as pedestrian conveyances, leaving faster models in a legal gap the state has not addressed. Several suburbs have moved first, with West Des Moines banning high-speed e-scooters of any motor power from sidewalks and trails.
Riders of faster e-scooters, Onewheels, hoverboards and motorized skateboards could be barred from public trails, sidewalks and streets in Des Moines if the ordinance passes. Devices capped at 20 mph with motors of 750 watts or less would remain legal on public roads and paths.
The takeaway
Riders of high-speed personal devices should check local rules before using them on sidewalks and trails, since suburban and city ordinances are diverging while state guidance is pending.
Further reading
Follow local decisions on City Hall coverage for Des Moines.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Des Moines Register.
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Should high-speed e-scooters be banned from sidewalks and trails in your community?
