San Francisco

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

What the law calls it

Contested — the sources disagree

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Roads

Contested — the sources disagree

• On roads: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b): 15 mph for an electrically motorized board on a highway, and never faster than is reasonable and prudent for the conditions (21294(c)). This binds only under the board reading.
• The device must be registered. CVC 4000(a)(1), through CVC 415(a) and 360: a motor vehicle may not be driven on a street unless registered, and no DMV category PEVRA has read fits a one-wheeled machine. Under the motor-vehicle reading this alone closes the road.
• A helmet is required (the standards described in CVC § 21212). CVC 21292: a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet for an electrically motorized board on a highway. Board reading only; no helmet rule is written for a one-wheeled device as such.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Motorways and limited-access highways

Effectively prohibited — falls to “motor vehicle”

• The device must be registered. CVC 4000(a)(1), through CVC 415(a), 360 and 332: a freeway is a highway, and an unregistered motor vehicle may not be driven on one. No DMV category PEVRA has read fits a one-wheeled machine, so this reading closes the freeway on its own.
• On motorways and limited-access highways: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b): 15 mph for an electrically motorized board, on any highway. It binds only under the board reading, and on a freeway the number that decides is 21294(a)’s 35 mph designation, which PEVRA has verified no freeway segment carries.
• Prohibited on motorways and limited-access highways where a sign says so. CVC 21960: Caltrans or a local authority may close a freeway or expressway to a board by order, effective only once signs are posted on the road and its approaches. A power, not a ban; where no sign stands, this section forbids nothing.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Bike lanes

Contested — the sources disagree

• In bike lanes: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b): 15 mph for an electrically motorized board in a bikeway, and no faster than is reasonable and prudent for the surface and traffic (21294(c)). Binds only if the device is a board.
• A helmet is required (the standards described in CVC § 21212). CVC 21292: a fitted and fastened bicycle helmet for an electrically motorized board in a bikeway. Board reading only; PEVRA has read no rule written for a one-wheeled device that requires one here.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Shared paths

Contested — the sources disagree

• On shared paths: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b): 15 mph for an electrically motorized board on a public bicycle path, and slower where the path, weather or foot traffic call for it (21294(c)). It binds only if the device is a board; the path’s owner may set a lower limit.
• A helmet is required (the standards described in CVC § 21212). CVC 21292: a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet for an electrically motorized board on any public bicycle path. Board reading only. The same list of places carries the duty; it does not by itself grant access to them.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Sidewalks and footpaths

Contested — the sources disagree

• Prohibited on sidewalks and footpaths. CVC 21663, under the motor-vehicle reading: a motor vehicle may not be operated on a sidewalk except to enter or leave adjacent property — crossing, not riding along. CVC 21967 lets a city or county restrict boards on sidewalks too.
• On sidewalks and footpaths: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b) names the sidewalk only to cap an electrically motorized board at 15 mph on it, and 21294(c) requires slower where people are about. Binds only under the board reading.
• A helmet is required (the standards described in CVC § 21212). CVC 21292: a fitted and fastened bicycle helmet for an electrically motorized board on a sidewalk. Board reading only. The Highway Patrol’s manual reads this duty list as a permission list; the statute does not say that.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Trails

Contested — the sources disagree

• On trails: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b): 15 mph for an electrically motorized board on a trail, and slower still where the surface and the people on it require (21294(c)). Board reading only; a trail’s owner may forbid the device altogether.
• A helmet is required (the standards described in CVC § 21212). CVC 21292: a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet for an electrically motorized board on a trail. Binds only under the board reading, and says nothing about whether a board may be on the trail at all.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Parks

Allowed, with conditions

• Prohibited in parks. Read this first: CVC 21113(a)(1) bans a vehicle from the paths and grounds of a county park or city-controlled property unless the agency has permitted it under 21113(a)(2). PEVRA has verified no county or city that has.
• Allowed on parks only where a sign says so. CVC 21113(a)(2) with 14 CCR 4350: inside a state park unit the Department has permitted vehicles on the conditions in Title 14, and 21113(b) requires the unit to post any condition it imposes. Read the signs at the gate.
• Prohibited on trails. 14 CCR 4355: in a state park unit a vehicle may be used only on a road or a parking area — not a lawn, footpath or trail. 14 CCR 4360: a trail is open to pedestrians and closed to all else unless the Department designates otherwise.

The law’s definition reaches this device without naming it.

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Helmets

Contested — the sources disagree

• A helmet is required (FMVSS 218 via CVC 27802). Motor-vehicle reading: CVC 400(a) makes a seated wheel a motorcycle, and CVC 27803(a) then requires a safety helmet meeting the motorcycle standard the section points to, on the highways. Not the bicycle helmet CVC 21292 asks for.
• A helmet is required (CVC 21212). Board reading: CVC 21292 requires a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet on a highway, bikeway, public bicycle path, sidewalk or trail, with no age limit. It binds only a machine that answers the board definition in CVC 313.5.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Minimum age

Riders must be 16 or older

• Rider must be 16 or older. CVC 21291: 16 or older to operate an electrically motorized board, with no supervised or parental exception. Binds only a machine inside the board definition in CVC 313.5; a bigger wheel falls to the licence rule below.
• A driver license is required. CVC 12500(a), motor-vehicle reading: a driver licence to drive on a highway, and 12500(d) says only of a type you are licensed for. Whether any CVC 12804.9 class reaches a one-wheeled vehicle is unresolved, so this route names no age.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Driver license

Contested — the sources disagree

• A driver license is required. CVC 12500(a): a driver licence to drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless expressly exempted; CVC 12501 exempts no board. The CHP’s Table 4-2 answers “No” for a board. Since 2026 an unlicensed rider’s wheel can be removed (CVC 22651.08).

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Registration and plates

Required by default — falls to “motor vehicle”

• The device must be registered. CVC 4000(a)(1), through CVC 670 and 415(a): a motor vehicle may not be driven or left on a highway unless registered. No DMV category PEVRA has read fits a one-wheeled machine; no exemption was written for a board (compare CVC 21224, 4020).

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Insurance

Required by default — falls to “motor vehicle”

• Third-party liability insurance is required. CVC 16020(a): be able to establish financial responsibility at all times and carry evidence of it. A policy, a bond, a $75,000 deposit or self-insurance (CVC 16021). No published route fits a vehicle with no VIN; the question is with the DMV.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Speed limits

Allowed, with conditions

• Anywhere it may be ridden: 15 mph or under. CVC 21294(b), board reading: 15 mph for an electrically motorized board on a highway, bikeway, public bicycle path, sidewalk or trail, and no faster than is reasonable and prudent (21294(c)). A rule about the rider, not the machine.
• On roads: 25 mph or under. CVC 22352(b)(1), motor-vehicle reading: 25 mph on any highway in a business or residence district, with no sign needed. A city may declare 20 mph in a school zone under CVC 22352.5.
• At road crossings: 15 mph or under. CVC 22352(a): 15 mph at a railway crossing or an intersection where the last 100 feet of approach give no clear view, and 15 mph on any alley. None of these needs a sign.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Lights, brakes and other equipment

Lamps and brakes required

• At night: a white front lamp visible at 300 ft, a red rear reflector. CVC 21293(a), board reading: during darkness on a highway, a white front lamp visible 300 ft, a red rear reflector visible 500 ft and side reflectors visible 200 ft. Subdivisions (b)–(d) let the rider wear them instead.
• At night: a red rear lamp visible at 1000 ft. Motor-vehicle reading: CVC 24400 two headlamps 22–54 in. high; CVC 24600 red taillamps visible 1,000 ft, left and right; CVC 24603 stoplamps at all times. A steward found these already fitted on three current wheels; check your own.
• A working brake is required. CVC 26450: a service brake and a separate parking brake. Braking through the motor meets 26454(a)’s result test. The parking brake fails on mechanism: CVC 26451 wants energy isolated for it and a mechanical hold, which a motor lock is not.

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.

1000 W max motor power · 20 mph max speed

For wheels up to 1000 W and 20 mph

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Alcohol and drugs

Prohibited

• Riding at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or above is an offence. CVC 23152(b): 0.08 percent, from the general drink-driving law, which says “a vehicle” and reaches this device under both readings. 23152(a), (f) and (g) need no number. The board rule, CVC 21296, names no figure at all.

The law’s definition reaches this device without naming it.

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Taking it on public transport

Allowed — no rule addresses it

• Prohibited anywhere it may be ridden. Amtrak’s baggage page: “Hoverboards, OneWheel, Unicycle and self-balancing scooters are prohibited on Amtrak property.” The page does not define its property, and the station you use may not be Amtrak’s; a carrier’s policy, not law.
• Carrying a passenger is prohibited. Carry it, do not ride it. Penal Code 640(b)(5) and PUC 99580(b)(10) make riding a scooter, skateboard or bike in a transit facility an offence; neither names a wheel, but operators’ rules do. PEVRA has verified no statute against carrying.

The law has no definition that reaches this device.

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Charging on board

Allowed — no rule addresses it

The law has no definition that reaches this device.

San Francisco city

Rule of California, applies in San Francisco

Teaching and instruction

Contested — the sources disagree

The law’s definition excludes this device by its shape.