Chicago

Scooter Sharing in Chicago

Need to know where and how to ride or park your scooter in Chicago? This page explains the City of Chicago’s rules for parking and riding scooters — including prohibited sidewalk use — as well as the penalties for violations. These regulations are set by the City, not by Lime.

Proper Parking

What the City Requires –

Locked to a physical object:
- When ending your ride, the vehicle must be locked to an approved physical object, e.g., a bike rack, retired meter, street sign, or light pole.
End-trip photo:
- Once you finish your ride, make sure to take an end-trip photo that includes the entire vehicle locked to the appropriate physical object.

Sidewalk Riding

What the City Requires –

Scooters are only allowed on sidewalks if the sidewalk is officially marked as a bike route, or if the rider is entering a roadway, intersection, bike path, or bike share station.
Scooters are not allowed on Lake Shore Drive or any public road where signs prohibit them. (Chicago, Ill., Municipal Code § 9-52-020)

Penalties

Failure to follow the proper parking requirements or riding on the sidewalk, where prohibited, will result in the following city mandated enforcement actions –

1st and 2nd offense: Warning.
3rd offense: Final warning. A fourth offense will result in a compliance fee.
4th offense:
- Improper parking: $2 compliance fee imposed. Future offenses will result in $2 compliance fees and 48-hour suspensions.
- Sidewalk riding: $1 compliance fee imposed. Future offenses will result in $1 compliance fees and 48-hour suspensions.
5th - 9th offense: Compliance fee and 48-hour suspension.
- Improper parking: $2 compliance fee and 48-hour suspensions.
- Sidewalk riding: $1 compliance fee and 48-hour suspensions.
10th offense: Permanent ban.