What Laws Apply to Mopeds and Scooters in Laramie? – Ask the City

Your Question:

What are the specific laws regarding the use of mopeds and scooters on the public roads in Laramie? Does Laramie or the state of Wyoming distinguish between a moped and a scooter and if so, what distinctions are made? Do the same laws apply to both. Do you need any kind of license to operate a moped or scooter on city roads? Is insurance required? Registration? Is there an age requirement? Lastly, can mopeds or scooters use the bike lanes?

I have tried the DMV website and other Wyoming government websites and, of course, Google, and cannot find a clear, definitive statement about what laws govern the use of mopeds and scooters in Wyoming, let alone Laramie.

A comprehensive answer is greatly appreciated.

The City's Response:

The bike lanes are restricted to use by bicycles alone as they are to be as restricted “Operators of motor vehicles shall not drive within bicycle paths or lanes…” (See 10.32.160 way below) a motor vehicle is defined as below with an exception of motorized skateboards (see immediately below). 12.04.020 (Not so way below) says “No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster wagon, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway in this municipality…”

(xv) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled except vehicles moved solely by human power or motorized skateboards. The term includes the following vehicles as hereafter defined:

(A) "Antique" means any motor vehicle which is at least twenty‑five (25) years old and owned solely as a collectors item;

(B) "Bus" means a motor vehicle designed to carry more than ten (10) passengers and primarily used to transport persons for compensation;

(C) "Moped" means a vehicle equipped with two (2) or three (3) wheels, foot pedals to permit muscular propulsion by human power, an automatic transmission and a motor with cylinder capacity not exceeding fifty (50) cubic centimeters producing no more than two (2) brake horsepower, which motor is capable of propelling the vehicle at a maximum speed of no more than thirty (30) miles per hour on a level road surface;

(D) "Motor home" means a motor vehicle designed, constructed and equipped as a dwelling place, living abode or sleeping place either permanently or temporarily, but excluding a motor vehicle carrying a camper;

(E) "Motorcycle" means every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground but which may have attached thereto a sidecar for the purpose of transporting a single passenger. For the purpose of registration and titling "motorcycle" includes motorized bicycles and scooters, but excludes mopeds, motorized skateboards, multipurpose vehicles and off-road recreational vehicles as defined in subparagraph (K) of this paragraph;

(I) Repealed by Laws 2007, Ch. 34, § 2.

(II) Repealed by Laws 2007, Ch. 34, § 2.

(F) "Passenger car" means a motor vehicle designed to carry ten (10) persons or less and primarily used to transport persons, including ambulances and hearses but excluding motorcycles, motor homes, multipurpose vehicles, trucks and school buses;

(G) "Pedestrian vehicle" means any self‑propelled conveyance designed, manufactured and intended for the exclusive use of persons with a physical disability, but in no case shall a pedestrian vehicle:

(I) Exceed forty‑eight (48) inches in width.

(II) and (III) Repealed by Laws 1989, ch. 155, § 2.

(H) "School bus" means a motor vehicle that is owned by, leased to or registered to a public school district, a private school or a carrier under contract to a public or private school and is used to transport children to or from school or in connection with school activities and is designed for and capable of carrying twelve (12) or more passengers, but not including buses operated by common carriers in transportation of school children;

(J) "Truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used or maintained for the transportation of property, including pickup trucks but excluding multipurpose vehicles and passenger cars;

(K) "Off‑road recreational vehicle" means:

(I) A recreational vehicle primarily designed for off-road use which is fifty (50) inches or less in width and has an unladen weight of one thousand one hundred (1,100) pounds or less;

(II) Any unlicensed motorcycle which has an unladen weight of six hundred (600) pounds or less and is designed to be ridden off road with the operator astride upon a seat or saddle and travels on two (2) tires; and

(III) Any multi‑wheeled motorized vehicle not required by law to be licensed and is designed for cross‑country travel on or over land, sand, snow, ice or other natural terrain and which has an unladen weight of more than nine hundred (900) pounds.

(M) "Multipurpose vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is designed to travel on at least four (4) wheels in contact with the ground, has an unladen weight of at least three hundred (300) pounds but less than three thousand (3,000) pounds, has a permanent upright seat or saddle for the driver which is mounted at least twenty-four (24) inches from the ground and has an identifying number. "Multipurpose vehicle" includes off-road recreational vehicles, electric powered vehicles, golf carts when being used other than as provided in W.S. 31‑5‑102(a)(lxi)(E) and any motor vehicle meeting the criteria of this subparagraph and not otherwise defined in this section;

(N) "Street rod" means a motor vehicle that:

(I) Is a 1948 or older vehicle, or the vehicle was manufactured after 1948 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949; and

(II) Has been altered from the manufacturer's original design, or has a body constructed from nonoriginal materials.

(O) "Custom vehicle" means any motor vehicle that:

(I) Is at least twenty-five (25) years old and of a model year after 1948, or was manufactured to resemble a vehicle at least twenty-five (25) years old and of a model year after 1948; and

(II) Has been altered from the manufacturer's original design, or has a body constructed from nonoriginal materials.

(P) "Pickup truck" means any motor vehicle, excluding multipurpose vehicles and passenger cars, designed, used or maintained for the transportation of property with an attached open cargo box directly behind the passenger compartment and designed to be equipped with a tailgate which can be lowered or opened to load or unload property or cargo.

31-5-102 define Motor driven cycles and scooters as:

(xxiii) "Motor‑driven cycle" means any motorcycle, including motor scooters and motorized bicycles having an engine with less than one hundred fifty (150) cubic centimeters displacement or with five (5) brake horsepower or less but does not include motorized skateboards;

And motorized skateboards as:

(lxii) "Motorized skateboard" means a self-propelled device which has a motor or engine, a deck on which a person may ride and at least two (2) wheels in contact with the ground and which is not otherwise defined in this act as a "motor vehicle", "motorcycle", "motor-driven cycle" or "pedestrian vehicle";

So a scooter is a motorcycle for purposes of registration but is defined as a motor driven cycle. A moped is a moped that does not need a registration , but you need a drivers license, any class, to operate one on a public roadway. Scooters need a registration Mopeds do not. You need a MC license to operate a scooter, a moped any class of DL.

A bicycle is defined as:

(iii) "Bicycle" means every vehicle propelled solely by human power upon which any person may ride, having two (2) tandem wheels except scooters and similar devices;
12.04.020 - Roller skates and coaster wagons.

No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster wagon, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway in this municipality, except while crossing a street on a crosswalk and, when so crossing, such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians.

12.04.120 - Riding bikes and motorbikes on sidewalk—Prohibited.

No person shall ride a bicycle, motor bike. motor scooter or similar vehicle or propel a cart upon any of the sidewalks of the city.

10.32.160 - Motor vehicles—Restricted from paths or lanes—Right-of-way determination.

Operators of motor vehicles shall not drive within bicycle paths or lanes except as necessary to enter a parking space or execute a right-hand turn across such bicycle paths or lanes, or to yield to an authorized emergency vehicle. When executing a turning movement to the right, the operator of a motor vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any bicyclist riding within the bicycle path or lane and who is so close to the motor vehicle as to constitute an immediate hazard, but the signal when and as required by law, may make such turning movement to the right, and the bicyclist approaching the motor vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to the motor vehicle making the turning movement to the right.

There is a great deal of information contained in the answer. More information can be obtained by calling the Police Department at 721-2526.

Please remember that you are free to make comments below about this question.