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Houston City Council Approves a Citywide Curfew for Riding e-Scooters and ATVs

November 19, 2025 -- Riding e-scooters or off-highway vehicles in Houston is no longer an option during certain hours of the day to improve safety and walkability. On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Houston City Council approved an ordinance prohibiting the rental and operation of micromobility devices and off-highway vehicles between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. within the Houston city limits. The ordinance also includes a provision to prohibit the rental of micromobility devices from temporary structures, such as tents and pop-up structures.

City Council unanimously passed the Scooter Ordinance 13-0 with four council members absent. “We have heard the concerns of residents and business owners. Everyone should be able to walk our streets, dine in our restaurants, and visit our hotels and other venues without someone recklessly joyriding around them.  The ordinance is a necessary step to improve public safety and walkability for everyone,” said Mayor John Whitmire. A City Council committee meeting will be planned in December to listen to public and stakeholder feedback about the effectiveness of the ordinance.

E-scooters and other self-propelled devices such as hoverboards, electric skateboards, and electric roller skates are considered micromobility devices. Off-highway vehicles, commonly known as ATVs, are regulated under the Texas Transportation Code and have restricted access to public streets. With the passage of this ordinance, ATVs are also subject to the curfew which restricts operations on all roadways, alleys, sidewalks, trails, and city parks within the Houston city limits.

Houston City Council Members approved the ordinance in the interest of public health and safety, taking into consideration statistics provided by the Houston Fire Department (HFD). From January 2021 through July 2025 HFD Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to 508 emergency calls related to e-scooters in downtown Houston alone, 78 percent of which occurred between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

In response to numerous complaints from residents and businesses about e-scooters causing traffic congestion, pedestrian conflicts, and safety hazards, the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the Administration & Regulatory Affairs Department (ARA) coordinated targeted enforcement efforts resulting in the seizure of 129 e-scooters, impoundment of 74 e-scooters, 51 rider citations, five guns seized, and eight arrests.

Although the ordinance largely addresses rental scooters, personal e-scooters are not exempt from the ordinance. The only exceptions to scooter use during the curfew hours include the scooter’s use as the direct means of transportation to or from the individual's school or place of employment, emergencies, and limited special event use when reasonably necessary to respond to an emergency, by law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical personnel, or by City of Houston employees in the performance of official duties or during special events. Mobility scooters for people with disabilities and Segways are not subject to the ordinance.

Violation of any provision of the ordinance can result in a fine not exceeding $500. Retrieval costs for impounded vehicles are $100 per device. The ordinance became effective after passage by City Council and the Mayor and enforcement will begin immediately with police educating the public and issuing warnings before citations.