PMA speed limit in S’pore set to 6km/h from 1 June, in line with brisk walking pace

PMA speed limit to take effect from 1 June

Personal Mobility Aid (PMA) riders will see a reduction in speed limit on public paths, from 10km/h to 6km/h.

New regulations imposed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are set to kick in starting 1 June, as announced by Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng in Parliament on Tuesday (3 Feb).

Besides speed limit changes, new regulations include dimension restrictions and PMA user restrictions.

Speed limit reduction

Once the rule kicks in, mobility vehicle riders travelling on public paths can only ride at a maximum speed of 6km/h, or a brisk walking pace, Mr Baey stated.

Currently, PMA riders have a 10km/h speed limit, even if they travel on shared paths where the path speed limit is 25 km/h.

However, Mr Baey noted that experience has shown this limit to be insufficient.

He added: “Travelling at 10km/h may still pose a danger to other path users, as it is much faster than typical walking speed.”

“At 6km/h, mobility vehicles match the pace of a brisk walker, which meet the needs of genuine users who have difficulty walking.

This will also make our paths safer,” Mr Baey stated.

From 1 June onwards, an individual riding mobility vehicles at a speed exceeding 6km/h on public paths will face fines of up to S$2,000, six months’ imprisonment, or both.

In line with the upcoming regulations, selling mobility devices with a device speed limit above 6km/h will carry penalties of up to S$20,000, 24 months’ jail, or both, with higher penalties for repeat offenders.

To ease the transition, mobility vehicles with a speed limit of up to 10 km/h will be allowed to be used until 31 Dec 2028.

However, they will be subject to the same 6km/h limit.

Dimension restrictions for PMAs

New dimension restrictions for PMAs have also been announced to combat safety worries.

Starting 1 June, PMAs must not exceed a width of 70cm, a length of 120cm, a height of 150 cm, and a laden weight of up to 300kg.

Those caught selling oversized devices will be subject to penalties of up to $S$20,000 or imprisonment up to 24 months, or both.

Meanwhile, those caught operating them on public paths face fines of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to 6 months, or both.

In both instances, repeat offenders will face harsher penalties.

Curbing misuse of PMAs

Only those with genuine medical reasons will be allowed to operate mobility scooters on public paths, starting 1 June.

Users must now obtain a Certificate of Medical Need (CMN) to ride a mobility scooter on public paths.

Mr Baey mentioned that certification is required for mobility scooters.

The certificate will be available from 27 Feb onwards, through the Assessment for Mobility Scooter (AMS) process.

Fees are expected to range from S$20 to S$150, with a median of around S$50, according to surveys by LTA.

However, exemptions are placed for several groups, including seniors aged 70 years and above.

Users will have a three-month grace period to obtain certification, said Mr Baey.

Registration of mobility scooters

Mobility scooters are now required to be registered with LTA under the new regulations.

The move is to “strengthen upstream enforcement” and “improve the overall effectiveness of PMA measures”, said Mr Baey.

Existing users will have to register their devices by 1 Jan 2029 at roving stations rolled out by LTA.

Meanwhile, registration for users purchasing devices after 1 June will be handled by retailers and importers, who are required to have a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) license and list their devices on HSA’s database before importing them.

However, existing mobility scooters that are not listed on HSA’s database will not be affected, as long as they are compliant with regulations.

Fire safety enforcement

In 2025, a total of 49 Active Mobility Device (AMD) related fires occurred.

This is despite the tightening of regulations regarding fire safety standards since 2016.

In his speech, Mr Baey announced a further tightening of measures.

Previously, only the use of non-UL2272 certified e-scooters was banned and illegal.

Starting 1 June, on top of usage, it will be an offence to keep non-UL2272 certified e-scooters.

Reasons for strict regulations

In his concluding speech, Mr Baey explained that the measures represented an important shift to “implement upstream controls and strengthen our laws”.

He added that while the Government is committed to doing its part via enforcement, the onus lies with individuals and the community to make pathways safer for everyone.

Also read: Offences involving PMA lookalikes up by more than 5 times in 2024, LTA taking firm action

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Featured image adapted from MDDI Singapore on YouTube and Land Transport Authority on Facebook.