Can a landlord set rules for charging e-bikes and scooters in a rental?

Why owners are adding battery rules

A statement by a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioner, dated April 23, 2025, says the agency's January 2025 proposal highlighted 227 incidents, resulting in 39 deaths and 181 injuries, in the five years from 2019 to 2023, and calls that a vast undercount. The statement also says the Commission was scheduled to vote on advancing a rule on April 30, 2025. Check the agency's site for what has happened since.

Fire is the main concern, but the real risk for a landlord is a fire in a hallway, stairwell or unit that blocks exits. A fire also leads to claims, insurance questions and displaced tenants.

What a clear battery rule can cover

• Charge only with the charger that came with the device, or one sold for that battery.
• Do not charge while sleeping or while no one is home.
• Do not charge or store in hallways, stairwells, entries or near exits.
• Do not use a battery that is swollen, hot, leaking or damaged, and tell the landlord about it.
• Do not store more than a stated number of devices in one unit.
• Follow any city or fire-department rule that applies to your building.

Rules that sound like a ban on bikes can backfire. Many tenants commute or deliver by e-bike. A rule about how and where to charge is easier to defend than a rule banning the device. A bike room or locker can help; see storage lockers and bike rooms.

Check these before you adopt a rule

1. Call your insurance agent and ask whether the policy has any condition or exclusion about charging devices (insurance exclusions).
2. Read your local fire code. Some cities restrict charging in common areas or certain building types.
3. Decide whether to add the rule at renewal. A mid-lease change usually needs the tenant's agreement or must follow your state's rules for changing terms.
4. Be consistent. Do not enforce against one tenant and ignore another.
5. Do not make the rule about a disability. A tenant who relies on a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair may need an exception or an accommodation, so ask the person to discuss options rather than refusing outright.

For a similar safety rule on balconies, see grills on apartment balconies.

A short sample clause

Example a made-up clause reads, "Tenant may keep and charge electric bicycles and scooters inside the unit. Tenant will use the manufacturer's charger, will not charge while asleep or away, will not charge or store a device in a hallway, stairwell or exit, and will stop using and report any battery that is swollen, hot or damaged." A landlord can add this as an addendum at the next renewal and keep a signed copy.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by state and city, so check your state's statute or ask a local attorney before you act.

How DoorKeeping handles it

Lease addenda are e-signed through DoorKeeping and stored with the lease, so you can show who agreed to the rule and when. You can ask Claude or ChatGPT which leases renew in the next 60 days so you can add a clause at renewal. The signing step waits for your one-tap approval, and which rule your city requires remains a question for your fire department and local attorney.

Sources

1. CPSC Set to Vote on Proposed Solution to E-bike Lithium-Ion Battery Fires (Commissioner Trumka statement, April 23, 2025), read Oct 31, 2026

Questions

Can I ban e-bikes in my apartments?

You can set reasonable rules, and some owners ban charging indoors. Be consistent, check local law, and consider exceptions for mobility devices.

Where should tenants charge an e-bike?

Not in hallways, stairwells or near exits, and not while sleeping or away. A rule like this is easier to defend than a blanket ban.

Does landlord insurance cover an e-bike battery fire?

It depends on the policy and its exclusions. Ask your agent before you write the rule and keep the answer in writing.