Austria’s government has finalised a reform to the country’s road traffic laws that will bar e-mopeds - which are more powerful than electric bikes - from cycle paths from October 2026 and introduce new safety rules for electric scooter and electric bike users.
The wide-ranging Road Traffic Act (StVO) amendment, presented on Thursday by Transport Minister Peter Hanke (SPÖ) and representatives from the ÖVP, SPÖ, and Neos, will enter a six-week review phase before being debated in parliament, as reported by Der Standard.
E-mopeds to move off cycle paths
So-called e-mopeds, commonly used by delivery riders in Vienna, Graz and Linz, are currently classed as bicycles if their maximum speed does not exceed 25 km/h. This allows them to use cycle paths. Under the new law, they will be reclassified as motor vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act (KFG) and will have to use roads instead.
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From October 2026, e-mopeds will require registration, number plates, insurance, a driving licence and helmets. The government hopes the added costs will reduce their use in busy urban areas. The permitted top speed for e-mopeds will rise to 45 km/h, matching conventional mopeds.
SPÖ transport spokesperson Wolfgang Moitzi described the change as “a great success for order and safety in traffic”, adding that delivery services “should be able to adapt to the changes in the best possible way”, which is why the new rules will not apply until late 2026.
No general helmet rule for e-scooters and e-bikes
While the original proposal had included a general helmet requirement for all e-scooter and e-bike riders, the government opted for a partial rule after objections from the liberal Neos party.
Under the revised plan, helmets will be compulsory up to age 16 for e-scooter users and up to age 14 for e-bike riders. Currently, helmets are only mandatory up to age 12 for conventional bicycles.
E-scooters will also be legally reclassified as vehicles rather than small devices and must be equipped with indicators and a bell. Carrying passengers or goods will be prohibited. The blood alcohol limit for e-scooter users will also be lowered from 0.8 to 0.5, aligning it with the standard for motorists.
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Neos transport spokesperson Dominik Oberhofer said the compromise “reconciles safety, personal responsibility and environmentally conscious mobility”, arguing that a full helmet mandate would have limited the use of e-scooters and rental bikes for short urban journeys.
The new rules for e-scooters and e-bikes are scheduled to take effect on May 1st, 2026.
Camera surveillance for city centres
The amendment also introduces a legal basis for camera surveillance in "traffic-calmed zones". Cities such as Vienna plan to use cameras to restrict car access to central areas – particularly routes leading from the Ringstrasse into the old town.
The measure, set to take effect in May 2026, aims to help municipalities manage urban traffic more efficiently. However, privacy advocates have raised alarms. Thomas Lohninger from the digital rights group Epicenter Works warned that the draft “misses essential data protection standards” and said his organisation may challenge the final law in Austria’s Constitutional Court if privacy safeguards are not strengthened.
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Key vocabulary
- Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO) – Road Traffic Act
- Kraftfahrgesetz (KFG) – Motor Vehicle Act
- Helmpflicht – Helmet requirement
- Radweg – Cycle path
- Verkehrsberuhigte Zone – Traffic-calmed zone
- Kennzeichen – Number plate
- Führerschein – Driving licence
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