Rio Imposes New E‑Bike and Scooter Rules as Detran-RJ Says It Cannot Issue Plates

Overview

• The city published a decree Monday that sets where each micromobility vehicle can ride, requires helmets and 18+ riders, and reclassifies some throttle‑only devices as ciclomotores that must have a plate and a motorcycle license by December 31, 2026.
• A follow‑up resolution Tuesday let electric bicycles ride on the right side of streets with limits up to 60 km/h when there is no bike lane, kept e‑scooters off those roads, and banned all these vehicles from bus‑only BRS corridors.
• Detran‑RJ said Tuesday it cannot register or plate throttle‑only vehicles without authorization from the national traffic council (Contran) and a record in the federal database, underscoring a clash with federal rules that exempt many of these devices from licensing.
• City enforcement began with education only, as SEOP and the municipal guard approached 819 riders along the beachfront on Tuesday and issued no fines while explaining the new rules and where each vehicle can circulate.
• Cycling advocates and industry groups warn the limits could cut off key delivery routes between neighborhoods and signal possible court challenges, while City Hall defends the changes as a safety step after recent fatal crashes.