Bike Share

Updated: July 19, 2022

What is Bike Share?

Bike share lets you borrow a bike for a quick errand, a trip to Link light rail, an all-day adventure, and everything in between. You pick up the bike share bike closest to you, ride it to where you want to go, and leave the bike for the next person to ride.

Seattle's bike share consists of electric-assist bicycles, which have the potential to make bike share a more accessible and convenient mobility option. These bikes still require users to pedal, they just make Seattle's challenging topography a little more manageable.

How Does it Work?

There are currently two different types of bikes available for rent through our program. Each is available for rental through a smartphone application by the company labeled on the bike. (See below for our options to rent with cash or non-smartphone options). The fastest way to start riding is to download the company’s app, and follow the instructions provided.

  1. Download the appropriate app:
  2. Sign up for discounted rides (if applicable): If you have ORCA LIFT, the Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP), or Apple Health (Medicaid), or receive discounted utilities, discounted housing, or nutritional assistance (e.g. SNAP) you likely qualify for rides at a reduced fare. See the links below to sign up for each Vendor's program to save on rides:

Check out our Discounted Rides Sign-Up Info to access each Vendor's program.

Bike share users should know how to ride a bike and should be familiar with local bike laws. Don’t forget your helmet!

You can still rent a bike if you don’t have a smartphone or a bank account! Check out the links under "Permit Year (Permit 2.5)" below for information from each vendor.

When your ride is finished, you can park the bike near any city bike rack or on the sidewalk in the landscaping/furniture zone. Please follow the selected company's instructions on how to lock the bike and end your trip.

Free and Discounted Helmets

Our micromobility partners offer helmets at a discounted price or for free via direct ordering options.  

  • Lime: Access discounted Bern helmets via this website. 
  • Veo: Reach out to customer service for a free helmet by emailing hello@veoride.com or by calling 1-855-VEO-2256. 

Lime and Veo also provide helmets for free at community events. See this community events calendar where a limited number of helmets will be distributed. Limit one helmet per person. Only adult sized helmets will be available.  

Parking Guidelines

We need your help to make sure bike share works for everyone in Seattle. Badly parked bikes can cause problems for people getting around on our sidewalks. Do your part: when you end your ride, park the bike according to our guidelines listed further down this page.

We partnered with Rooted in Rights, a non-profit organization that protects the rights of people with disabilities, to create a video highlighting the importance of parking bike share bikes correctly and help people with disabilities move around the city. Please watch before your next ride, and share this video with others.

  • You can only park the bike in the landscaping/furniture zone of sidewalks (the part of the sidewalk with trees, poles, and other fixtures). Make sure that space is more than three feet wide, or park the bike at a public bike rack.
  • Leave at least six feet clear for pedestrians to pass.
  • Do not park on corners, driveways, or curb ramps.
  • Do not block access to buildings, benches, parking pay stations, bus stops, hydrants, etc.
  • Park the bike upright.
  • Do the right thing—don’t park in somebody else’s way, and don’t hide the bike somewhere the next user can’t find it.
  • Check out our bike parking diagram to better help you understand where to park your bike, and where to avoid parking.

Data Dashboard

The below dashboard shows a summary of the trip and fleet size data we use to inform permit compliance, program evaluation, and broader transportation planning purposes. If you have any questions about the data, please reach out to us at BikeShare@seattle.gov.

General Bikeshare Feed Specification

Additionally, we are making a new source of open data available for bike share in Seattle. These data are accessible by API, and each company operating in Seattle will host its own API feed as a requirement of their permit terms. Details on the data specification, called the General Bikeshare Feed Specification (GBFS) can be found here, with current URLs listed below.

Lime Feeds

Whom do I contact with questions or comments?

If a bike is improperly parked or needs maintenance please let us know by reporting it to us through our Find It, Fix It App, our Online Web Portal, or by phone at (206)684-ROAD. We immediately forward these reports to our micromobility partners for a quick response.

If you are involved in a collision and if somebody is injured and you need emergency assistance, dial 911. File a collision report online with the Washington State Patrol. Report the collision to the company and let them know if the bike needs to be repaired or removed from service.

You can give us feedback about the bike share program by filling out this form. 

If you are a bike share company and have questions or are interested in obtaining a permit please contact the SDOT Bike Share Program at bikeshare@seattle.gov. Residents with questions and comments may also email  bikeshare@seattle.gov.

SDOT Free-floating Bike Share Permitting Archive