Spain's New PMV Rules Create Local Enforcement Logjam
Spain's new DGT rules requiring insurance and registration for personal mobility vehicles are creating enforcement and storage challenges for local police, particularly in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, due to battery fire risks and a lack of clear procedures.
New rules from Spain's General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), which require insurance and registration for personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) like scooters and electric bikes, are creating problems for local authorities. For example, the Local Police in Santa Cruz de Tenerife are struggling to manage PMVs seized for not following the rules. They can't store these vehicles in municipal facilities because their batteries pose a fire risk.
Since January 30, PMV owners must meet these new requirements. If they don't, they face fines of up to 500 euros for lacking a circulation permit and 800 euros for not having insurance. However, actually applying these fines and dealing with seized vehicles is proving difficult. In Santa Cruz, three scooters, one of which belongs to a rental company, have already been impounded for breaking the new rules.
Jesús Illada, a representative for the CSIF union, says police officers don't have clear instructions since registration became mandatory. With no municipal garages or depots to store these vehicles, and no practical way to block them on public roads, officers are left without a clear plan of action. Gladis de León, the City Council's Security Councilor, admits there are gaps in the procedures, even though police are legally required to seize non-compliant PMVs. The council has asked the DGT for clearer guidance, as the local city rules haven't yet been updated to match the new national regulations.
While waiting for a response from the DGT, the Local Police in Santa Cruz are telling owners of seized vehicles to take them home. Owners can only use their PMVs again once they have made them legal. This current situation means that the financial penalties for non-compliance cannot be fully enforced right now.
It's worth noting that Santa Cruz had already prepared for rental scooters before the DGT's new rules. Evelyn Alonso, the Mobility Councilor, confirmed last month that the 646 rental scooters from the company Doot already had insurance and identification, requirements the council had demanded earlier. Alonso also highlighted that the DGT has been slow to regulate these vehicles, as private PMVs have been on the roads since 2020 without needing insurance.