In Sabadell an electric scooter counts as a vehicle, and the City Council puts it plainly: it cannot be ridden on pavements or in pedestrian areas, and it cannot go faster than 25 km/h. On top of these local rules, registration with the DGT has been compulsory throughout Spain since 30 January 2026 (Royal Decree 52/2026), and from 1 October 2026 the national rules of Royal Decree 518/2026 also apply.
| Topic | What applies in Sabadell | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pavements and pedestrian areas | Riding on them is banned. The City Council advises using cycle lanes or roads with lower speed limits. | Sabadell City Council |
| Speed | Never more than 25 km/h. | Sabadell City Council |
| Helmet | In 2025 the Municipal Police required it for under-16s and recommended it for everyone. From 1/10/2026 it is compulsory for all riders (approved or certified, and fastened); without one, a serious offence with a €200 fine. | Sabadell City Council; RD 518/2026 |
| Minimum age | In February 2025 the City Council announced that it would set a minimum age in its bylaw. The national minimum is 15 from 1/10/2026. | Sabadell City Council; RD 518/2026 |
| Carrying a passenger | Banned: only one person may ride. In Sabadell, two or more people on a VMP means a €100 fine. | Sabadell City Council; Barcelona Province Official Gazette (BOP) |
| Headphones and phone | You cannot use them while riding. | Sabadell City Council |
| At night | In poor visibility, the scooter needs a light, or you need reflective clothing or items. | Sabadell City Council |
| DGT registration | Compulsory since 30/01/2026. Without registration and the label, the scooter cannot be ridden legally or insured. | RD 52/2026 |
How does Sabadell enforce the rules?
The Municipal Police have stepped up checks on personal mobility vehicles. By 31 October 2025 they had issued more than 500 penalties that year, mostly for riding on the pavement, ignoring traffic lights, wearing headphones or not carrying the required equipment, and since 2023 they have seized more than 120 scooters that did not meet minimum safety requirements or were being ridden recklessly. If the police stop you, you must also take alcohol and drug tests.
Is Sabadell's bylaw going to change?
In February 2025 the City Council announced that it would amend its bylaw to make helmets compulsory for all scooter riders and to set a minimum age. From 1 October 2026 national law already requires both throughout Spain: helmets for everyone and a minimum age of 15. Check the current bylaw before letting a minor use your scooter.
Can I take my scooter on the train or the bus in Sabadell?
It depends on the operator. On FGC (line S2, which runs to Parc del Nord in Sabadell) you cannot travel with electric scooters or monowheels, or take them into stations. On Rodalies (the R4 stops in Sabadell) the ban has been indefinite since 1 February 2023, and the fine is €200. According to El Nacional, on 22 September 2026 the ATM (the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità, Barcelona's metropolitan transport authority) was studying how to allow scooters again, so check the rules before you travel.
Renfe has accepted scooters since 7 September 2026 on its Media Distancia and Larga Distancia (medium- and long-distance) trains, but not on Rodalies de Catalunya: you cannot take one on the R4, although you can on a medium- or long-distance train if the scooter is certified, registered, with the label visible and insured, and travels folded and switched off. Sabadell's TUS city buses are the exception: in 2023, when the ATM banned scooters, the City Council and TUS decided to keep allowing them, as reported by 3Cat and the Diari de Sabadell. Check with TUS before you board.
What does Royal Decree 518/2026 add from 1 October?
As well as helmets for everyone and a minimum age of 15, national law requires the lights to be on at all times (in daylight, from 1 October 2027) and, after dark or in poor visibility, a light or reflective item that can be seen from 150 metres. You can never ride on the pavement, and in pedestrian areas only if the City Council allows it; in Sabadell, the City Council already banned riding on pavements and in pedestrian areas. You must also signal turns with your arm, and anyone who rides a scooter for work must always wear a high-visibility vest. All the changes from 1 October.
How do we register your scooter if you live in Sabadell?
The whole procedure is done online, with no appointment at a traffic office: you fill in the form, upload your documents and your scooter's (the technical data sheet with the certificate number and a photo of the manufacturer's plate) and the gestoría submits it to the DGT. You need legal residence in Spain and your DNI or NIE, and the DGT requires you to identify yourself with one of these three methods: Cl@ve PIN, a digital certificate or a Spanish driving licence. If you have a Spanish driving licence, you don't need Cl@ve or a digital certificate: we identify you with your licence and handle the whole procedure for you. The licence is only used to identify you; you don't need one to ride a scooter. The registration certificate reaches your inbox in under 24 hours once your documents are complete, whether you live in the town centre or in Can Feu, Can Llong or Castellarnau. Check the documents you need first.
If you would rather come in person, we can see you by appointment at our office at Calle Rosselló, 216, 6th floor (08008 Barcelona), in the Eixample, Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00. Book an appointment on WhatsApp (+34 634 434 485) or by email (patinetes@ntcars.es).
Sources
- Royal Decree 52/2026 (BOE, 30/01/2026): where the obligation to register your scooter comes from (in Spanish).
- Royal Decree 518/2026 (BOE) and DGT press release of 23/06/2026: helmets, age, lights and pavements from 1/10/2026 (in Spanish).
- DGT press release of 27/01/2026: fines for riding without insurance (in Spanish).
- Sabadell City Council (06/02/2025): 25 km/h limit, ban on pavements and planned bylaw changes, helmets and minimum age (in Catalan).
- Sabadell City Council (31/10/2025): Municipal Police checks, helmets for under-16s and basic rules (in Catalan).
- Sabadell City Council (28/10/2024): most common offences, lights or reflective items at night, and alcohol and drug tests (in Catalan).
- Barcelona Province Official Gazette (BOP, 31/12/2021): Sabadell's table of minor fines, €100 for two or more people on a VMP (in Catalan).
- FGC terms of use and line S2: scooter ban on trains and in stations.
- Rodalies de Catalunya and R4 timetable: indefinite ban (€200) and stops in Sabadell (in Spanish).
- Renfe (04/09/2026): which trains accept scooters from 7/09/2026 (in Spanish).
- El Nacional (22/09/2026): the ATM is studying allowing scooters again (in Spanish).
- 3Cat (09/03/2023) and Diari de Sabadell (20/10/2023): TUS buses kept accepting scooters (in Catalan).